Change the Colors of Cells Using Excel Visual Basic

Interior (Background) Color:

The general format is:

Range("Cell_Range").Interior.Color = RGB(R, G, B)

OR:

Range("Cell_Range").Interior.ColorIndex = index_ID

Font Color:

The general format is:

Range("Cell_Range").Font.Color = RGB(R, G, B)

OR

Range("Cell_Range").Font.ColorIndex = index_ID

Cell Border Color:

The general format is:

Range("Cell_Range").Borders.Color = RGB(R, G, B)

OR

Range("Cell_Range").Borders.ColorIndex = 49

OR

Range("Cell_Range").Borders(Which_Border).Color =RGB(R, G, B)

Cell_Range indicates Which cells you want to be colored. (R,G,B) indicates how much (R)ed, (G)reen, and (B)lue you want to include in the color. Each RGB value has a maximum value of 255 and a minimum of 0. RGB(255,0,0) uses maximum red with no other colors, making the color red.  RGB(0,255,0) uses no red or blue with a maximum green, making the color green. RGB(150,20,150) makes it this color.

index_ID is a pre-determined color that can be determined from this list: Color Options

Which_border, for the border colors, indicates the desired border to change the color of

Example 1: Change the Interior Color of a Cell

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
     Range("A1:A10").Interior.Color = RGB(255, 0, 0)
    
     Range("B1:B10").Interior.ColorIndex = 49
 End Sub

One line uses RGB values to set part of column “A” to a background of red. The other uses ColorIndex to change it to a blue color. It looks like the image below when executed.

Example 2: Change the Font Color of a Cell

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
     Range("A1:A10").Font.Color = RGB(255, 0, 0)
    
     Range("B1:B10").Font.ColorIndex = 49
 End Sub

The first line changes the font in part of column A to a red color. The second line uses ColorIndex to change the font in part of column B to a dark blue color.

Example 3: Change the Border Color of a Cell

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
     Range("A1:A10").Borders.Color = RGB(255, 0, 0)
    
     Range("B1:B10").Borders.ColorIndex = 49
    
     Range("D1:D10").Borders(xlLeft).Color = RGB(0, 0, 255)
     Range("D1:D10").Borders(xlBottom).Color = RGB(255, 0, 255)
    
     Range("E1:E10").Borders(xlRight).ColorIndex = 4
     Range("E1:E10").Borders(xlTop).ColorIndex = 51
 End Sub

The first line changes all the borders of the A column range to RGB(255,0,0), which is red. The second line uses colorIndex to change all the borders in the B column range to a dark blue. Lines 4 through 8 show specific borders being colored.

Example 4: Background, Font, and Border Color Change

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
     Range("A1:A10").Interior.Color = RGB(0, 0, 128)
     Range("A1:A10").Font.Color = RGB(255, 255, 255)
     Range("A1:A10").Borders.ColorIndex = 53
 End Sub

Some Possible Colors Choices: Color Options

Excel VBA Resources