Want your grocery list to look different from your work tasks and the pile of philosophical books-to-be-read? Looking to tell MS To Do lists apart just by a short glance? Find out here how to set color theme and background image per list in Microsoft To Do ⤓.
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How to Change a List’s Theme and Background in Microsoft To Do
Time needed: 2 minutes
To change the background or color theme for a list in Microsoft To Do:
- Go to the list whose background color or image and text color you want to change.
Here’s how: Select the list in list overview.
No list of lists: If you do not see the list of lists, click the hamburger menu button (☰) close to the current list’s title.
MS To Do for Mac: In Microsoft To Do for macOS, make the main window wide enough to show the sidebar. - Select the three dots menu icon (⋯) for the list.
- Choose the desired color scheme or background image under Theme.
No theme list: If you do not see the list of themes initially, click or tap Change Theme or Change theme.
Color or photo: When MS To Do does not show a unified list of color schemes and background images, choose between Color and Photo.
Outline and background: If a color theme shows an outline, that outline represents the text color while the fill color is the list background.
Your image: In some apps, you can choose a custom background image; see below.
- Select Done.
No “Done”: When the current instance of MS To Do does not offer Done as a choice, the setting is applied automatically.
Background? Check.
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Pick a Custom Background Image in MS To Do for iOS
To pick a custom background for a list in Microsoft To Do for iOS:
- Open theme settings in Microsoft To Do for iOS.
- Select Custom.
- Tap +.
Previous image: You can also choose a previously used image from the list, of course. - Find and select the desired image in Photos.
- Tap Done.
Visual, not audible is the motto: How to Turn Off the Completion Sound in Microsoft To Do
How to Change a List’s Theme and Background in Microsoft To Do: FAQ
Can I change the default theme?
No.
You can always only change the color scheme or background for a particular list in Microsoft To Do.
More customization: How to Use Emoji in Microsoft To Do List Titles
More settings: How to Open Microsoft To Do Settings
Can I set the theme for more than one list at a time?
No.
Change the theme for each list individually.
What will show if an image or theme is not supported on a device?
Microsoft To Do will substitute defaults for anything that cannot be shown for the current instance of To Do:
- A previously chosen preset image will stand in for custom image background.
- The default background color will replace a scheme background.
- The default text color will replace custom colors.
(Tested with Microsoft To Do 2.114–2.133; first published August 2024, last updated August 2026)