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A
annie_3375
Participant
June 23, 2025
Answered

Tool bar colors don't show correct colors

  • June 23, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 343 views

Any idea why the colors on the left, at the bottom of the tool bar, don't reflect the colors of the shape?

 

Correct answer jane-e

@annie_3375 

 

For your second question, swapping the fill and stroke colors has always been in Illustrator, but never in Photoshop. In Illustrator, "X" is a shortcut to swap the fill and stroke. in Photoshop, "X" is a shortcut to bring the foreground or background swatch to the front.

 

For your third question, the color panel they used for years made less sense than what they have now, in my opinion. The Adobe team changed the way that color swatches are displayed several versions ago, so this is not new. The colors are grouped together in a logical way, unless you are looking at the recent list at the very top of the panel, which displays colors that you have used recently. I expect that most Creatives want to create their own set of colors and not use any provided by Adobe.

 

The list of Recents can be disabled in the swatches panel menu.

 

I answered your first question earlier in this thread. Did that help you or do you need more assistance with how that works? Please ask again if it was not clear.

 

Jane

3 replies

pixxxelschubser
Community Expert
pixxxelschubserCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 11, 2025

@jane-e is absolutely right. Technically speaking, all the colour patches visible in your screenshot show the same colour value. The ‘perceived deviations’ are therefore more likely to be an optical illusion.

 

    jane-e
    Community Expert
    jane-eCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 23, 2025

    @annie_3375 

     

    Shapes use the swatches in the options bar, Properties panel, and Contextual toolbar. The three circled in yellowish–orange are correct. Make changes any of the three..

     

    Jane

     

      A
      annie_3375Author
      Participant
      July 10, 2025

      I don't understand why they removed the ability to swap the fill and outline colors. Also why on earth would they have a random color palette that doesn't represent anything and has no functional use. This update makes no sense to me. 

      jane-e
      Community Expert
      jane-eCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      July 10, 2025

      @annie_3375 

       

      For your second question, swapping the fill and stroke colors has always been in Illustrator, but never in Photoshop. In Illustrator, "X" is a shortcut to swap the fill and stroke. in Photoshop, "X" is a shortcut to bring the foreground or background swatch to the front.

       

      For your third question, the color panel they used for years made less sense than what they have now, in my opinion. The Adobe team changed the way that color swatches are displayed several versions ago, so this is not new. The colors are grouped together in a logical way, unless you are looking at the recent list at the very top of the panel, which displays colors that you have used recently. I expect that most Creatives want to create their own set of colors and not use any provided by Adobe.

       

      The list of Recents can be disabled in the swatches panel menu.

       

      I answered your first question earlier in this thread. Did that help you or do you need more assistance with how that works? Please ask again if it was not clear.

       

      Jane

        L
        LAMY2017
        Legend
        June 23, 2025

        Probably because Fill and Stroke are for filling and stroking shapes with one color, and the boxes in the bottom left corner are intended for applying Background and Foreground fill, brush, paint bucket; and gradients of two colors.

         

        Larry
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