How to Change Your Twitch Chat Color (Settings and /color)

Your username colour is the small bit of personality that sits next to every message you send on Twitch. If you're a viewer, it helps friends spot you in a busy chat. If you're a streamer or you run a channel for a brand, a consistent colour makes you easier to recognise when you pop up in other people's streams.

I've followed Twitch's own help pages for this, covering both the settings menu and the chat command. Twitch updates its apps often, so if a label looks slightly different on your screen, follow the nearest match.

Changing your Twitch chat colour from the chat settings

Twitch's Chat Basics guide says the Name Color option sits in the chat settings under Identity. You need to be signed in, because Twitch says you must sign in to take part in chat at all.

1. Open any Twitch channel with chat showing, on desktop or in the mobile app.
2. Click or tap the settings cog in the chat area to open Chat Settings.
3. Find the Identity section.
4. Choose Name Color and pick the colour you want from the swatches.
5. Send a message and check how your name looks in chat.

Identity is also where you choose which badges show next to your name. Twitch says a badge you set for one channel overrides your global default there. If you also want your messages to stand out, my guide to adding emotes on Twitch covers another part of the way chat looks and feels.

Using the Twitch /color command in chat

If you'd rather not dig through menus, Twitch's chat commands list has a quicker route. Type /color followed by a colour name in the chat box and send it.

• Everyone can use a colour name. Twitch lists Blue, Coral, DodgerBlue, SpringGreen, YellowGreen, Green, OrangeRed, Red, GoldenRod, HotPink, CadetBlue, SeaGreen, Chocolate, BlueViolet and Firebrick.
• Turbo users can use those names and also a hex value, for example #000000.

Type the name exactly as listed. Colour names with two words are written as one word with capital letters, such as SpringGreen or HotPink.

Getting more Twitch chat colours with a hex code

Twitch says that if you have Turbo or Luna membership, clicking More Colors in the Name Color setting takes you to a page where you can pick from a larger selection or set your colour with a hex code. A hex code is a six-character code that starts with a hash sign and describes an exact shade.

It's a useful option if you have brand colours. A small business or creator can match a username to a logo, as long as the shade is still readable against the chat background. If you don't have Turbo or Luna, the preset list is what's available according to Twitch.

Why your Twitch chat colour looks different to the one you chose

This one catches people out. Twitch has a Readable Colors setting in the Chat Appearance section of settings. Twitch says it adjusts username colours that may be hard or uncomfortable to read, which can improve readability and reduce eye strain.

So if you picked a dark blue and it looks lighter, or someone's pale yellow looks a bit deeper, that setting could be the reason. You can switch it on or off in the chat settings, and Twitch says you don't need to refresh the page for the change to take effect.

• If you want to see colours as chosen, check whether Readable Colors is switched on.
• If some usernames hurt your eyes, switch it on.

Chat appearance settings that sit beside your Twitch name colour

While you're in the settings menu, it's worth knowing what else you can change. Twitch says these appearance changes apply across all channels but don't carry over between browsers, so a tweak on your laptop won't automatically show up in another browser.

• Font size: Twitch offers four sizes, and everything else in chat scales with it.
• Show timestamp: turns timestamps on messages on or off.
• Replies in chat: choose between a minimum or expanded display.
• Animated emotes: turn animation on or off, so you see still versions instead.

The Pause Chat menu is useful on busy channels. Twitch says chat pauses when you scroll by default, but you can also set it to pause when you hover with your mouse or hold the Alt key.

If you can't change your Twitch chat colour

1. Check you're logged in. Chat settings only apply when you're signed in.
2. Make sure you're in the Identity section, not Chat Appearance, when looking for Name Color.
3. Try the /color command with one of the listed colour names, typed exactly.
4. If you tried a hex code and it didn't work, remember Twitch says hex values are for Turbo users and More Colors is for Turbo or Luna members.
5. Refresh the page or restart the mobile app.
6. Check your settings in the browser you're using. Twitch says appearance changes don't persist between browsers.

If none of that helps, Twitch's help centre has a contact route for support.

Choosing a Twitch chat colour that works for a channel

If you stream, your name colour shows up whenever you talk in chat, so pick something distinctive. A few practical thoughts on branding:

• Pick a shade that stands out against the chat background and isn't too close to your moderators' colours.
• Keep it consistent with your logo and overlays so people connect the two.
• Remember that viewers may see it adjusted if they use Readable Colors.

If you're building out your channel, my guides to adding a mod on Twitch and changing your Twitch username cover other parts of how you appear to the community.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my Twitch name colour?

Open the chat settings cog, go to Identity, and choose Name Color. You can also type the /color command followed by a colour name in chat.

Can I use a hex code for my Twitch chat colour?

Twitch says Turbo users can use a hex value with the /color command, and Turbo or Luna members can set one through More Colors in the Name Color setting.

What colours can I choose without Turbo?

Twitch lists Blue, Coral, DodgerBlue, SpringGreen, YellowGreen, Green, OrangeRed, Red, GoldenRod, HotPink, CadetBlue, SeaGreen, Chocolate, BlueViolet and Firebrick.

Why does my Twitch colour look different?

The Readable Colors setting in Chat Appearance adjusts colours that may be hard to read, so a name can look slightly different from the shade you picked.

Does my Twitch chat colour work on every channel?

Twitch's help pages describe Name Color as changing the colour of your username in chat. Appearance settings apply across all channels but don't persist between browsers.

Do I need to be signed in to change my chat colour?

Yes. Twitch says you must sign in to your account to take part in chat.