---
title: "How to: Customize Colors in ToolStrip Applications"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "toolbars [Windows Forms], customizing colors"
  - "colors [Windows Forms], customizing in ToolStrip controls [Windows Forms]"
  - "ToolStrip control [Windows Forms], custom colors"
ms.assetid: e2752fe2-1afb-489e-ab96-b7805acd96bc
---
# How to: Customize Colors in ToolStrip Applications
You can customize the appearance of your <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip> by using the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripProfessionalRenderer> class to use customized colors.  
  
## Example  
 The following code example demonstrates how to use a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripProfessionalRenderer> to define custom colors at run time.  
  
 [!code-csharp[System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.Misc#20](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.Misc/CS/Program.cs#20)]
 [!code-vb[System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.Misc#20](~/samples/snippets/visualbasic/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.Misc/VB/Program.vb#20)]  
  
## Compiling the Code  
 This example requires:  
  
- References to the System.Design, System.Drawing, and System.Windows.Forms assemblies.  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ProfessionalColorTable>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripProfessionalRenderer>
