Select the object, and then select Window > Color.
Last updated on
28 October 2025
Learn how to select colors from the Color panel and apply them to your artwork for consistent and accurate design.
In the Color panel, select the Color panel menu icon and do the following:
- Select Show Options.
- Select any color modes such as Grayscale, RGB, HSB, CMYK, Web Safe RGB, Invert or Complement.
Note
- The selected mode only changes the Color panel display, not the document’s color mode.
- Illustrator remembers the last used color model every time you open it.
Drag the slider, enter values in the or color value input fields, or pick a color from the Color Spectrum to apply it to the object. Press Shift as you drag a color slider to adjust tint or intensity while keeping the color similar (not applicable to HSB sliders).
As you apply colors to your artwork, Illustrator automatically saves them as Recent Colors. You can find these recent colors in the Swatches panel and the Color panel. Illustrator stores up to 30 recent colors. These colors stay available across documents until replaced.
Apply a color to any object using the Swatches panel or Color Picker. Once applied, the color appears in the Recent Colors section.
To keep a recent color for future use, drag it into the Swatches panel.
To hide Recent Colors, deselect Show Recent Colors in the More Options menu.
