# How can i change the background color of selection text when it's in TextBox or EditableText?

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-change-the-background-color-of-selection-text-when-its-in-textbox-or-editabletext/453505>\
**Category:** UI\
**Tags:** unreal-engine, UE4, question\
**Created:** [August 7, 2019, 10:57am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-change-the-background-color-of-selection-text-when-its-in-textbox-or-editabletext/453505 "2019-08-07T10:57:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dayouzi666](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@dayouzi666](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/dayouzi666)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 10:57am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-change-the-background-color-of-selection-text-when-its-in-textbox-or-editabletext/453505/1 "2019-08-07T10:57:17Z")

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I want to change the background color of selection text in TextBox/EditableText. Now it is blue, I want something else

![284414-q.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/3/6/2/3625688860b47506e709691ed077c0ceb85db443.png)

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**Author:** ![Kokuyouseki](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Kokuyouseki](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Kokuyouseki)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 8:12am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-change-the-background-color-of-selection-text-when-its-in-textbox-or-editabletext/453505/2 "2022-03-12T08:12:49Z")

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Apparently this is a problem nobody is running into? I mean this discussion was the only proper hit the forum search brought up while google also found this: [DISCUSSION](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/umg-text-box-highlight-color-access-missing/404527)

Anyways, apparently there are 4 textbox widgets:  
TextBox  
Multiline TextBox  
Editable Text  
Multiline Editable Text

TextBox doesn’t even allow changing selection color or caret, while MultiLite TB has way more problems.  
Editable Text has a different selection color and allows caret styling but you still cannot change that selection color.  
Multiline ET on the other hand has no caret styling but allows changing the selection color.

Like… I don’t even know why. Are textboxes not used at all?

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**Author:** ![7cbeb9c1a54a40f4b420dcc2e22fd53f](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@7cbeb9c1a54a40f4b420dcc2e22fd53f](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/7cbeb9c1a54a40f4b420dcc2e22fd53f)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-change-the-background-color-of-selection-text-when-its-in-textbox-or-editabletext/453505/3 "2025-04-11T13:21:28Z")

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try to use EditableTexBox instead

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**Author:** ![GamemasterBrown](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@GamemasterBrown](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/GamemasterBrown)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-change-the-background-color-of-selection-text-when-its-in-textbox-or-editabletext/453505/4 "2026-05-05T12:51:14Z")

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I’m also having the problem now of not being able to edit the Editable Text background colors. I can change the text in-game, but I would like it to be white text on a black background, and I cannot control the background color 😕