---
title: "How to: Custom Draw a ToolStrip Control"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "toolbars [Windows Forms], custom drawing"
  - "drawing [Windows Forms], owner"
  - "ProfessionalColorTable class [Windows Forms], overriding"
  - "examples [Windows Forms], toolbars"
  - "drawing [Windows Forms], custom"
  - "toolbars [Windows Forms], changing colors"
  - "ToolStrip control [Windows Forms], drawing"
  - "ToolStrip control [Windows Forms], changing colors"
  - "custom drawing"
  - "owner drawing"
ms.assetid: 94e7d7bd-a752-441c-b5b3-7acf98881163
---
# How to: Custom Draw a ToolStrip Control
The <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip> controls have the following associated rendering (painting) classes:  
  
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSystemRenderer> provides the appearance and style of your operating system.  
  
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripProfessionalRenderer> provides the appearance and style of Microsoft Office.  
  
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderer> is the abstract base class for the other two rendering classes.  
  
 To custom draw (also known as owner draw) a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip>, you can override one of the renderer classes and change an aspect of the rendering logic.  
  
 The following procedures describe various aspects of custom drawing.  
  
### To switch between the provided renderers  
  
- Set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.RenderMode%2A> property to the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode> value you want.  
  
     With <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.ManagerRenderMode>, the static <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.RenderMode%2A> determines the renderer for your application. The other values of <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode> are <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.Custom>, <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.Professional>, and <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.System>.  
  
### To change the Microsoft Office–style borders to straight  
  
- Override <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripProfessionalRenderer.OnRenderToolStripBorder%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType>, but do not call the base class.  
  
> [!NOTE]
> There is a version of this method for <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderer>, <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSystemRenderer>, and <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripProfessionalRenderer>.  
  
### To change the ProfessionalColorTable  
  
- Override <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ProfessionalColorTable> and change the colors you want.  
  
    ```vb  
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As _  
    System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load  
        Dim t As MyColorTable = New MyColorTable  
        ToolStrip1.Renderer = New ToolStripProfessionalRenderer(t)  
    End Sub  
  
    Class MyColorTable
    Inherits ProfessionalColorTable  
  
    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonPressedGradientBegin() As Color  
        Get  
            Return Color.Red  
        End Get  
    End Property  
  
    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonPressedGradientMiddle() _  
    As System.Drawing.Color  
        Get  
            Return Color.Blue  
        End Get  
            End Property  
  
    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonPressedGradientEnd() _  
    As System.Drawing.Color  
        Get  
            Return Color.Green  
        End Get  
    End Property  
  
    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonSelectedGradientBegin() _  
    As Color  
        Get  
            Return Color.Yellow  
        End Get  
    End Property  
  
    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonSelectedGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color  
        Get  
            Return Color.Orange  
        End Get  
    End Property  
  
    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonSelectedGradientEnd() _  
    As System.Drawing.Color  
        Get  
            Return Color.Violet  
        End Get  
    End Property  
    End Class  
    ```  
  
### To change the rendering for all ToolStrip controls in your application  
  
1. Use the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager.RenderMode%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> property to choose one of the provided renderers.  
  
2. Use <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager.Renderer%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> to assign a custom renderer.  
  
3. Ensure that <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.RenderMode%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> is set to the default value of <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.ManagerRenderMode>.  
  
### To turn off the Microsoft Office colors for the entire application  
  
- Set <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager.VisualStylesEnabled%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> to `false`.  
  
### To turn off the Microsoft Office colors for one ToolStrip control  
  
- Use code similar to the following code example.  
  
    ```vb  
    Dim colorTable As ProfessionalColorTable()  
    colorTable.UseSystemColors = True  
    Dim toolStrip.Renderer As ToolStripProfessionalRenderer(colorTable)  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    ProfessionalColorTable colorTable = new ProfessionalColorTable();  
    colorTable.UseSystemColors = true;  
    toolStrip.Renderer = new ToolStripProfessionalRenderer(colorTable);  
    ```  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSystemRenderer>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripProfessionalRenderer>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderer>
- [Controls with Built-In Owner-Drawing Support](controls-with-built-in-owner-drawing-support.md)
- [How to: Create and Set a Custom Renderer for the ToolStrip Control in Windows Forms](create-and-set-a-custom-renderer-for-the-toolstrip-control-in-wf.md)
- [ToolStrip Control Overview](toolstrip-control-overview-windows-forms.md)