---
title: Change the Appearance of ColorDialog Component
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "ColorDialog component [Windows Forms], examples"
  - "ColorDialog component [Windows Forms], formatting appearance"
  - "color dialog box [Windows Forms], configuring appearance"
ms.assetid: bba4e262-1cd7-4f63-89cf-330a36f7b539
---
# How to: Change the Appearance of the Windows Forms ColorDialog Component
You can configure the appearance of the Windows Forms <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog> component with a number of its properties. The dialog box has two sections — one that shows basic colors and one that allows the user to define custom colors.  
  
 Most of the properties restrict what colors the user can select from the dialog box. If the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.AllowFullOpen%2A> property is set to `true`, the user is allowed to define custom colors. The <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.FullOpen%2A> property is `true` if the dialog box is expanded to define custom colors; otherwise the user must click a "Define Custom Colors" button. When the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.AnyColor%2A> property is set to `true`, the dialog box displays all available colors in the set of basic colors. If the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.SolidColorOnly%2A> property is set to `true`, the user cannot select dithered colors; only solid colors are available to select.  
  
 If the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.ShowHelp%2A> property is set to `true`, a Help button appears on the dialog box. When the user clicks the Help button, the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog> component's <xref:System.Windows.Forms.CommonDialog.HelpRequest> event is raised.  
  
### To configure the appearance of the color dialog box  
  
1. Set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.AllowFullOpen%2A>, <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.AnyColor%2A>, <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.SolidColorOnly%2A>, and <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog.ShowHelp%2A> properties to the desired values.  
  
    ```vb  
    ColorDialog1.AllowFullOpen = True  
    ColorDialog1.AnyColor = True  
    ColorDialog1.SolidColorOnly = False  
    ColorDialog1.ShowHelp = True  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    colorDialog1.AllowFullOpen = true;  
    colorDialog1.AnyColor = true;  
    colorDialog1.SolidColorOnly = false;  
    colorDialog1.ShowHelp = true;  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    colorDialog1->AllowFullOpen = true;  
    colorDialog1->AnyColor = true;  
    colorDialog1->SolidColorOnly = false;  
    colorDialog1->ShowHelp = true;  
    ```  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog>
- [ColorDialog Component](colordialog-component-windows-forms.md)
- [ColorDialog Component Overview](colordialog-component-overview-windows-forms.md)
