Desktop icon

[Guest]

Windows XP will let me change the font of my desktop icons but the icon color
option is grayed out. Why can't I change this? My font color is white and
if I have a light colored background I can't read what my icons are. Please
help!

 

[Sharon F]

Windows XP will let me change the font of my desktop icons but the icon color
option is grayed out. Why can't I change this? My font color is white and
if I have a light colored background I can't read what my icons are. Please
help!

Normal behavior.
For black font: change desktop background color (different than wallpaper)
to a light color. For a white font, use a dark color. The Desktop's
background color setting is in Display properties> Appearance> Advanced>
Item:| Desktop.

If using "drop shadows," the font is always white with a dark outline and a
bit of shadow. You can disable drop shadows so that the above defaults will
kick in for black or white fonts, however you'll lose the transparent icon
labels (the "holes" in the wallpaper will return). This setting is in
System properties> Advanced> Performance> Settings> Visual Effects.

Possible workaround if using drop shadows on your desktop fonts and a light
wallpaper: Open a copy of your favorite wallpaper file in a graphics
editing program. Use editing tools to darken the edges where your icons are
normally placed. Save the changed file. Use Display properties> Desktop>
Browse to select the altered wallpaper file.

 

[Guest]

I finally figured this one out! Right click on the Desktop (anywhere) and
click on "arrange icons by", then uncheck the line that says "lock web items
on desktop", which should currently be checked. This will immediately fix the
problem. Not sure why these Microsoft know-it-all's don't know the answer to
this one! Hope this helps you.

 

[Sharon F]

I finally figured this one out! Right click on the Desktop (anywhere) and
click on "arrange icons by", then uncheck the line that says "lock web items
on desktop", which should currently be checked. This will immediately fix the
problem. Not sure why these Microsoft know-it-all's don't know the answer to
this one! Hope this helps you.

Good try but... That will help to get rid of holes in the wallpaper and it
will unlock web items from the desktop but it won't allow one to change the
color of the fonts in each icon label.

 

[Guest]

What use to be so easy in older versions of Windows has now become a pain in
the behind! Aint that just the way it goes? Thanks!

 

[Sharon F]

What use to be so easy in older versions of Windows has now become a pain in
the behind! Aint that just the way it goes? Thanks!

Yep, it is a pain. Third party software can be used to accomplish this but,
I agree, that it should be easier to do this in Windows without having to
use any extra software.