---
title: Set the Text Displayed by a Control
description: Learn how to set the text displayed by a Windows Forms control. Set or return the text by using the Text property, or change the font by using the Font property.
ms.date: 08/20/2019
dev_langs:
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords:
  - "Windows Forms, captions"
  - "Button control [Windows Forms], button text"
  - "StdFont object and CommandButton caption"
  - "captions [Windows Forms], Windows Forms controls"
  - "Text property [Windows Forms], Windows Forms control"
  - "Button control [Windows Forms], text display"
  - "labels [Windows Forms], adding to CommandButton control"
  - "buttons [Windows Forms], text"
  - "captions [Windows Forms], setting"
  - "text"
  - "examples [Windows Forms], controls"
  - "text [Windows Forms], Windows Forms controls"
  - "controls [Windows Forms], captions"
  - "forms [Windows Forms], captions"
ms.assetid: 36b95bff-8780-479d-b86a-f1a0673653aa
---
# How to: Set the text displayed by a Windows Forms control

Windows Forms controls usually display some text that's related to the primary function of the control. For example, a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button> control usually displays a caption indicating what action will be performed if the button is clicked. For all controls, you can set or return the text by using the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Text%2A> property. You can change the font by using the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Font%2A> property.

You can also set the text by using the [designer](#designer).

## Programmatic

1. Set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Text%2A> property to a string.

   To create an underlined access key, includes an ampersand (&) before the letter that will be the access key.

2. Set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Font%2A> property to an object of type <xref:System.Drawing.Font>.

    ```vb
    Button1.Text = "Click here to save changes"
    Button1.Font = New Font("Arial", 10, FontStyle.Bold, GraphicsUnit.Point)
    ```

    ```csharp
    button1.Text = "Click here to save changes";
    button1.Font = new Font("Arial", 10, FontStyle.Bold, GraphicsUnit.Point);
    ```

    ```cpp
    button1->Text = "Click here to save changes";
    button1->Font = new System::Drawing::Font("Arial", 10, FontStyle::Bold, GraphicsUnit::Point);
    ```

    > [!NOTE]
    > You can use an escape character to display a special character in user-interface elements that would normally interpret them differently, such as menu items. For example, the following line of code sets the menu item's text to read "& Now For Something Completely Different":

    ```vb
    MPMenuItem.Text = "&& Now For Something Completely Different"
    ```

    ```csharp
    mpMenuItem.Text = "&& Now For Something Completely Different";
    ```

    ```cpp
    mpMenuItem->Text = "&& Now For Something Completely Different";
    ```

## Designer

1. In the **Properties** window in Visual Studio, set the **Text** property of the control to an appropriate string.

   To create an underlined shortcut key, includes an ampersand (&) before the letter that will be the shortcut key.

2. In the **Properties** window, select the ellipsis button (![Ellipsis button (...) in the Properties window of Visual Studio](./media/visual-studio-ellipsis-button.png)) next to the **Font** property.

   In the standard font dialog box, select the font, font style, size, effects (such as strikeout or underline), and script that you want.

## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Text%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType>
- [How to: Create Access Keys for Windows Forms Controls](how-to-create-access-keys-for-windows-forms-controls.md)
- [How to: Respond to Windows Forms Button Clicks](how-to-respond-to-windows-forms-button-clicks.md)