Fill Color Doesn't Display

Summary: If you apply a fill color to a range of cells and notice that the color doesn't show up on the screen, it could be because of a setting in the Accessibility Options of Windows. This tip explains the potential cause and shows you how to change it. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, Excel 2003, and Excel 2007.)

Rick wrote about a problem he was having when viewing cells that have a fill color. It seems that the color doesn't show up on the display, but it does show up when he prints the worksheet.

This problem is most likely related to the settings in Windows, not in Excel. Follow these general steps:

Display the Control Panel.
Double-click the Accessibility Options applet. Windows displays the Accessibility Options dialog box.
Make sure the Display tab is visible. (Click here to see a related figure.)
Clear the Use High Contrast check box.
Click OK.

The fill colors should now be visible in the worksheet. They were "hidden" to make viewing data easier for those with certain types of visual limitations. This problem is detailed in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=833258

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3300) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

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Fill Color Doesn't Display