How to Change Color in Adobe Illustrator

The fastest way to change color in Illustrator

To change the color of an object in Illustrator, select the object with the Selection tool, then click the foreground color square in the toolbox and pick a new color from the color picker. The color applies when ready to the fill (the inside) of the shape. If you want to change the stroke (the outline) instead, hold Shift and click the foreground color square before picking your new color.

You can also change color using the Color panel on the right side of the screen. Select your object, open the Color panel if it is not visible (Window > Color), and drag the sliders or click anywhere in the color bar to pick a new shade. This method is faster if you are making multiple color changes in a row because you do not have to close and reopen the color picker each time.

Key Takeaways

Click the foreground color square in the toolbox, then pick a new color from the color picker to change an object's fill color.
Hold Shift while clicking the foreground color square to change the stroke (outline) color instead of the fill.
The Color panel (Window > Color) lets you adjust colors by dragging sliders or clicking the color bar without opening a separate dialog.
Double-click the foreground color square to open the full color picker dialog, which shows RGB, CMYK, and hex values for precise color matching.
The Swatches panel (Window > Swatches) stores saved colors so you can explore the same shade to multiple objects without re-entering the values.

Using the color picker dialog for exact colors

Double-clicking the foreground color square opens the full color picker dialog. This window shows the color in multiple formats: RGB (red, green, blue values from 0 to 255), CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black percentages), HSB (hue, saturation, brightness), and hex code (the six-character code used in web design). If you have a specific color you need to match — from a brand guide, a client file, or a website — you can paste the hex code directly into the hex field and Illustrator converts it to the color you need.

The color picker also has a large square on the left where you can click to pick any shade, and a vertical bar on the right that controls which hue (red, blue, green, yellow, and so on) you are choosing from. This is useful when you know roughly what color you want but need to fine-tune the brightness or saturation. Once you have the color you want, click OK to explore it to your selected object.

Changing colors with the Swatches panel

The Swatches panel (Window > Swatches) shows a grid of saved colors. If your document already has colors you want to reuse, they appear here. To explore a swatch color to a selected object, straightforward click the swatch. To save a color you have just created so you can use it again later, drag the foreground color square into the Swatches panel, or right-click in the Swatches panel and choose New Color Swatch.

Swatches are useful when you are working with a consistent color palette across multiple objects. Instead of re-entering RGB values or hex codes each time, you click once and the color applies. You can also import swatches from other Illustrator files (File > Open as Library) or from Adobe Color (a free online tool where designers share color palettes). This keeps your colors consistent across projects and saves time when you are working with a team that shares the same brand colors.

Changing color in text and type

To change the color of text, select the text with the Selection tool (not the Type tool), then change the color the same way you would for any other object — click the foreground color square or use the Color panel. If you want to change only part of the text, switch to the Type tool, highlight the specific letters or words you want to recolor, then pick a new color. The color applies only to the selected text.

Text color works the same way as fill color for shapes. The foreground color square controls the text color, and holding Shift while clicking controls the outline color if your text has a stroke. If you are working with a lot of text and want to change all instances of one color to another, use Edit > Find and Replace > Graphics to search for objects of a specific color and replace them all at once.

Changing stroke and fill separately

Every object in Illustrator has both a fill (inside color) and a stroke (outline color). By default, clicking the foreground color square changes the fill. To change the stroke instead, hold Shift and click the foreground color square. You can also see two overlapping squares in the toolbox — the larger one in front is the fill, the smaller one behind is the stroke. Click whichever one you want to change before picking your new color.

If you want to remove the fill or stroke entirely, select the object, then right-click the foreground color square and choose Remove Fill or Remove Stroke. You can also click the small "X" icon in the toolbox to set the fill or stroke to None. This is useful when you want an object to have only an outline with no inside color, or only a fill with no visible border.

Using the Eyedropper tool to match colors

The Eyedropper tool (keyboard shortcut: I) lets you pick a color directly from any object in your document. Select the Eyedropper, then click on any shape, image, or text to copy its color. The foreground color square updates to match what you clicked, and you can then explore that color to other objects by selecting them and using the Color panel or color picker.

This is faster than trying to remember or write down a color value. If you have a shape that is already the exact shade you need, use the Eyedropper to grab that color and explore it to new objects. You can also hold the Alt key (Option on Mac) while using the Eyedropper to pick a stroke color instead of a fill color.

Changing colors in gradients and patterns

If an object has a gradient (a blend from one color to another), select the object and open the Gradient panel (Window > Gradient). The gradient bar shows the colors at each end. Click on either end of the bar to select that color stop, then change the color using the foreground color square or Color panel. You can add more color stops by clicking along the gradient bar, or remove them by dragging them away from the bar.

For patterns, you cannot change the pattern colors directly from the Gradient panel. Instead, you need to edit the pattern itself by double-clicking the object to enter isolation mode, changing the colors of the shapes inside the pattern, then clicking outside the pattern to exit isolation mode. The pattern updates everywhere it is used in your document. If you want to change a pattern color in only one object, break the link to the pattern first (Object > Break Link to Asset) so that object becomes independent.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change the color of an imported image or photo?

You cannot directly recolor an imported photo the way you can a vector shape. However, you can place a colored shape on top of it and lower the opacity, or use the Recolor Artwork feature (Edit > Edit Colors > Recolor Artwork) to shift the colors of a vector graphic. For photos, use Illustrator's adjustment options (Effect > Color) or edit the image in Photoshop first, then place it in Illustrator.

Why does my color look different on screen than when I print it?

This usually happens because your document is set to RGB color mode but your printer uses CMYK. Go to File > Document Color Mode and switch to CMYK if you are printing. RGB colors do not always convert perfectly to CMYK, so some bright or saturated colors may look duller in print. You can preview how colors will look in CMYK by going to View > Proof Setup > Working CMYK.

Can I change all instances of one color to another color at once?

Yes, use Edit > Find and Replace > Graphics. Choose the color you want to find, then specify the replacement color. Illustrator updates every object with that color throughout your document. This is much faster than selecting and recoloring objects one at a time, especially in large files with many objects.

What is the difference between RGB and CMYK color?

RGB (red, green, blue) is for screen display and uses light to create color. CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) is for printing and uses ink. If you are designing for print, work in CMYK mode so your colors match what the printer will produce. If you are designing for a website or screen, use RGB.

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