# How to change the color background of the selected item in the files list?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [November 16, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563 "2018-11-16T15:56:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@usamike](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/usamike)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/1 "2018-11-16T15:56:42Z")
hi,
i searched around all over the option but i can't find a way to change the way (the color or make it bold black) of the selected item in the files list.
Look at my screenshot, i hardly make a difference between light-blue and light-grey ( i selected the line with Clapton Chronicles)
i could be super to customize the background color like :
- selected : soft green
- not selected : soft red
Thank you for your help.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/2 "2018-11-16T20:39:43Z")
I think that MP3tag uses the windows theme colours.
You can tweak them a little bit in File\>Options\>General\>Show grid lines.
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### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/3 "2018-11-17T17:39:41Z")
Please read also about this:
> [@Highlight of a verse in the filelist does not work when it is needed the most](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/highlight-of-a-verse-in-the-filelist-does-not-work-when-it-is-needed-the-most/41488):
>
> I would like to point out that the horizontal highlight of a file that show up when the pointer is hoovering over the line bearing a given file does not work when the pointer is on the right side of the existing Columns If the user has not so many Columns [or even just one but also not wide enough], then the user can see all of them in one screen- and there is some space left on the right side of the main window [and left to the main scroll bar], right? But what happens if the user moves th…
Maybe it is what you are [also] asking [or wishing] for; and so maybe you can support my request back there
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### Author:  [@usamike](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/usamike)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/4 "2018-11-17T18:49:18Z")
hi,
thank for all your replies.
i already activate the SHOW GRID LINE option.
in fact, i think i discover a bug.
The first screenshot is in this state of color when the focus is anywhere. by exemple when i edit the comment .
Because the listview lost its focus, the color are "grey".
But once i just select the item, the color are good :
So , i just think the develop (as i am too) have to activate the property/option in his c++ compiler/visual studio component to not switch of the focus outside the listview.
The thing saif just before me is right too.
The color between the colum and the line-items are too confusing.
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### Author:  [@usamike](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/usamike)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2018, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/5 "2018-11-17T18:51:52Z")
i don't know it the coder-develop read me, and i hope he compiles mp3tag using Visualstudio because the solution of my problem is there
[retain blue background on listview selected item when focus leaves](https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/443aa2d6-2bb3-4884-a9d0-0d7e9158c5a0/retain-blue-background-on-listview-selected-item-when-focus-leaves-listview?forum=winforms)
---
### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2018, 5:35am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/6 "2018-11-18T05:35:45Z")
Generally I would appreciate if there would be a possibility to have more influence on these colours.
But I don't have your problem in such an extreme way. Maybe you have to tweak the windows-settings a little bit.
This way it looks with the focus in the list view:
And this way it looks with the focus in the tag-panel:
The grey of the highlighted lines is distinctly darker then the grey of the not hightlighted lines.
---
### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/7 "2018-12-01T17:45:34Z")
> [@poster](#):
>
> Generally I would appreciate if there would be a possibility to have more influence on these colours.
Me too
> [@poster](#):
>
> But I don't have your problem in such an extreme way. Maybe you have to tweak the windows-settings a little bit.
> [...]
>
> 
>
> The grey of the highlighted lines is distinctly darker then the grey of the not hightlighted lines.
I once again took time to investigate that
I it turns out that I do not have such profound distinction as you. And I wish I had
My every other grey line is `RGB 242 242 242`- just like on your screenshoot. While those that are on your screenshoot `RGB 217 217 217`, in my Mp3tag are not uniform- they are built [from top to bottom] from `251 251 251` to `231 231 231`; thus might lighter, almost indistinguishable from the rest. And so I cannot use that setting
[And I think I already wrote about this issue a long time ago]
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### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2018, 7:09am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/8 "2018-12-02T07:09:24Z")
@Zerow
MP3Tag's design depends on the general settings of Windows.
But there you can tweak anything to your preferences up to an absolute horrible design.
The problem: This affects your whole windows design with all its applications.
But: It's easy to switch between normal and "horrible" design with `Alt+Shift+Print`.
Windows 10: Go to `Settings, Ease of Access, High Contrast` for the extreme ones.
---
### Author:  [@Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Zerow)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/9 "2018-12-02T15:39:12Z")
> [@poster](#):
>
> @Zerow
> MP3Tag's design depends on the general settings of Windows.
> But there you can tweak anything to your preferences up to an absolute horrible design.
> [...]
> The problem: This affects your whole windows design with all its applications.
> [...]
Yes, that is one of the facets in regards to this issue. And what is more: if someone [like me] already invested time and effort in color tweaking of other frequently used pieces software, the willing to tweak the whole OS in order to get to a particular application is also subdued [[REQUEST: Night mode button - #8 by Zerow](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/request-night-mode-button/19363/8)]
And the second obvious conclusion would be: aside from this one very limited option [Tools \> Options \> General \> Display grid lines at file view] Mp3tag does allow the user for any changes in regards to colors. And some users have problems with that [that you cannot see the selection clear enough or have to make a choice if you prefer a clear selection but with the list looking unclear]
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-change-the-color-background-of-the-selected-item-in-the-files-list/43563/10 "2026-02-09T12:27:46Z")