How to Change Folder Color on Mac

If you’re anything like me, you have a lot of folders for different documents—and it can get tricky to tell the difference between them.

There are other ways to organize files on Mac, but I like using colored folders. You can assign colors to each folder to quickly tell which is which. This helps me easily differentiate between work and personal files.

In this article, I’ll explain how you can edit folder color on Mac in different ways.

Why change folder color on Mac?

When you have a lot of folders on your Mac, you may want to customize some of them so that they stand out and you can easily identify them. Alternatively, you may want to edit folder color on Mac just because you’re bored of seeing all those blue folders and white backgrounds–and that’s okay, too!

Maybe you want to make your folders blend in with your desktop, or you want your company colors represented in all of your tech customizations. Whatever your reasons, there are options to make folders different colors on Mac.

A note from our experts: 

 

Whatever reason you have for changing folder color on your Mac, you’d better not clutter them with multiple copies of the same files. Luckily, MacKeeper has the Duolicates Finder tool. It can locate and remove copies in a few clicks.

 

How to use MacKeeper’s Duplicates Finder:

1. Download MacKeeper and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
2. Open MacKeeper and choose Duplicates Finder from the sidebar.
3. Click Start Scan.
4. Select the duplicates you want to remove, and choose Remove Selected.

1. Change color folder using Preview

Using Apple’s built-in Preview app, we can make folders in different colors on Mac. Here, I’ll show you how to change the color of a folder on your MacBook while still keeping the default folder image.

How to edit folder color on Mac using Preview:

1. Right-click on the folder you want to edit, and choose Copy. Alternatively, select the folder and press Command + C.
2. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search. Search for Preview.app and press Enter.
3. Preview may automatically launch with the Open dialog box. Press Cancel.
4. Go to File > New from Clipboard.
5. Press the Show Markup Toolbar icon.
6. Click the Adjust Color button.
7. Drag the sliders to create the color you want.
8. Choose the Selection Tool and draw a box around the colored folder, then press Command + C to copy the folder to your clipboard.
9. Go back to Finder, and right-click on the folder you want to edit. Choose Get Info.
10. Click on the image of the folder at the top of the Get Info screen, and press Command + V.

Our expert’s tip:

 

If you can’t find the file or folder you want to edit, check out our article on how to show hidden files on Mac.

2. Make folders different colors using tags

You can use tags to make folders different colors on Mac. This is the easiest way to change folder color on Mac, although it doesn’t change the color of the folder icon–instead, it adds a colored dot next to the folder name.

How to use tags to edit folder color on Mac:

1. Right-click on the folder and select one of the colors.

I like to use this method if I want to put a temporary tag on a folder or a file–for example, to highlight that it should be edited, backed up, or shared with someone soon.

If you want to remember to clean out some of your folders regularly, this could be a good method to use. If you want to free up storage space on your laptop, check out our articles on how to find the largest folders on Mac and how to delete app cache on Mac.

In addition, you can also find more storage space on your Mac by deleting duplicate files. It’s not always easy to find where they are, though, and that’s where MacKeeper’s Duplicates Finder comes in. It can search for duplicate files, including similar photos and screenshots, and help you delete them with just a few clicks.

3. Change folder background color

You can also change the background color of a folder if you’d rather not see the white background in Finder.

This won’t help you with organization, but it can make your computer look more interesting than the default macOS options.

A hint from us: 

 

Folders will only display a background color in Icon View. If you change the display mode, the folder will show its default appearance until you go back to Icon View.

How to change folder background color on Mac:

1. In Finder, choose the View options button and select as Icons.
2. Open the folder you want to edit, and go to View > Show View Options.
3. Under Background, select Color. Click the square to pick the color you want.
4. Select the color you want and close the color picker.

Important: Instead of a color, you can also add an image as your folder’s background.

4. Change the folder icon to an image

You may prefer to edit the folder image rather than just changing the folder color. Follow me to change the folder icon to an image on a Mac. For this example, I’m using a photo of my rabbit for the Photos folder.

To change the folder icon to an image on Mac:

1. Find the image you want to use. Select it and press Command + C.
2. Go to the folder you want to edit. Right-click on it and choose Get Info.
3. Click on the image of the folder at the top of the Get Info screen.
4. Press Command + V.

5. Edit color folder using third-party apps

If the previous ways to change folder color on Mac seem a little complicated, there are also third-party apps that can help.

These apps may allow you to make folders different colors on Mac, add images to the folders, or replace the folder icon altogether.  

A note from our team: 

 

Before you download any third-party apps, remember to read reviews and check that you’re downloading from a reputable source, such as the App Store or the developer’s website.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several ways to make folders different colors on Mac computers. Depending on your needs, you might prefer to use tags for quick organization or completely change a folder’s color, background, or image.

When you’re organizing your files, it can be hard to keep track of everything that’s on your Mac. But don’t worry: MacKeeper’s Duplicates Finder can help. MacKeeper can find duplicate files, including photos and screenshots, helping you to free up valuable space.