iOS 18 Photos Text Color Issue

I have figured out how you what you need to do in order to change the color for text, shapes.

When you pick the color you want to use there will be a circle that has the colors in it. Hold down on the circle for a second and the outer ring will disappear. Once it does the color you choose will be used.

This post from Reddit helped me if anyone stumbles upon this issue:

Tap the text to edit the actual text, like as in you’re able to change what the text says. Tap the text again, select it, once selected you’ll get the standard options to cut, paste etc; hit the little arrow, tap “format”, then hit more, the formatting options will appear, you’ll notice the text should be highlighted still, open the color options like you normally would, tap the color that you want (I think it can be any color but might as well hit what you want I guess), then you’ll notice your text is no longer highlighted, without closing the formatting options, tap your text again, hit the Aa icon, tap the color options for the text, and then it shouldn’t close out on you.

iOS 18.2 resolved the text colour problem. You can now select a text colour or change it to another colour.

Summary:-

1. Do as we have done previously, except that there is no EDIT option when you see your photo. You need to click on the three horizontal lines at the bottom of your screen.

2. As previously, click on the triangle (almost) inside the circle near top RHS of your screen.

3. As previously, click on the + symbol at bottom RHS of your screen.

4. As previously, choose Add Text.

5. At this point I previously used to click where it said Text in the middle of my screen and I’d start typing. Don’t do that.

Instead you should now click on Aa. This pops up a box where you can change many things. That includes top RHS a colourful colour (in a circle) option.

6. Choose your preferred text colour and then X (close) that screen.

This should now show your photo with the text ready to type in your chosen colour.

If you want to change the text colour of something that you’ve already typed, go back to the Aa mentioned in 5. above.

The above method was possible due to the fix made to 18.1.1 with 18.2 introduced today, 12/12/24. Photos now OK.

Unfortunately, 18.2 still has my videos on a permanent loop. A pain in the ….

iOS 18.2 has fixed both the photos text colour problem AND the video looping problem. Both were a problem in 18.1.1

After updating to 18.2 , you CAN get to a toggle (on / off) to have your videos on a constant loop (or not). The toggle facility is in :-

Settings / Apps / Photos / Loop Videos.

viviansville, do these steps below. This is a permanent fix for the text-editing issue and only needs to be done once:

Open your photo and click the 'edit' icon.

Click the "markup" icon at top-right (looks like the tip of a pen).

Select the pencil-eraser icon at the bottom.

Tap your photo.

Now you should be able to click the + icon and add text, change font colors, and edit normally.

MinnieTheCat wrote:

• Moondawg86, do these steps below. It's a permanent fix and only needs to be done once:

Open your photo and click the 'edit' icon.

• Click the "markup" icon at top-right (looks like the tip of a pen).

• Select the pencil-eraser icon at the bottom.

• Tap your photo.

Now you should be able to click the + icon and add text, change font colors, and edit normally.

Thank you, MinnieTheCat, your workaround worked for me!

GabriellaGoogy, do these steps below. It's a permanent fix and only needs to be done once:

Open your photo and click the 'edit' icon.

Click the "markup" icon at top-right (tip of a pen).

Select the pencil-eraser icon at the bottom.

Tap your photo.

Now you should be able to click the + icon and add text, change font colors, and edit normally.

This fix was posted on a different thread by user Ecran bleu. Please share the fix with others wherever possible.

CG-rick, do these steps below. It's a permanent fix and only needs to be done once:

Open your photo and click the 'edit' icon.

Click the "markup" icon at top-right (tip of a pen).

Select the pencil-eraser icon at the bottom.

Tap your photo.

Now you should be able to click the + icon and add text, change font colors, and edit normally.

This fix was originally posted by user Ecran bleu, and based on the comments, it has worked for almost everyone who tries it (including myself). Please share the fix with others wherever possible.

Go to Ecran Blue’s recommendation (below) to fix the mark-up problems (changing color, size, font) etc…that showed up after the new iOS 18 update. It is weird but the recommendation worked.

Step 1: when you go into markup, immediately click on the eraser icon, then click in the photo.

step 2: change the photo that you normally would before the update.

Just that simple step, fixes all the problems created by the new update.

Thanks Ecran Blue!!

OMG❗️ Wow That worked !! 🙏 ✔️

After you choose markup & then "+" "Text" ... tap the ERASER 😱 & the Color, Font, EVERYTHING is available to select & change wow ...

Just like it used to work !

Thanks !! omg can add white or yellow letters to dark photos again Yay 🙌 xx

aretha129, do these steps below. It's a permanent fix and only needs to be done once:

Open your photo and click the 'edit' icon.

Click the "markup" icon at top-right (tip of a pen).

Select the pencil-eraser icon at the bottom.

Tap your photo.

Now you should be able to click the + icon and add text, change font colors, and edit normally.

This fix was posted on a different thread by user Ecran bleu. Please share the fix with others whenever possible.

I figured out how to change the text color circle Tap!

1-Add text

2-Double tap to select all text

3-Format

4-More

5-Select the color circle

6-Tap the screen to leave the color selection screen. 

7-While the Format menu is showing, single tap the text you want to edit. The other text edit bubble will appear. 

8-Select Aa 

9-Select your color

As a few others have stated - once you enter markup you need to have the eraser selected not the highlighter and you are then able to change the text colour. I was able to such change the text from black to another chosen colour in my photos. Hope this is just a glitch and Apple will rectify this change to markup.

Hey Apple Users--Apple DID reply and they DID issue a fix. Have you been checking your emails? I've been using the fix for almost a month.

Do the usual EDIT with the PENCIL in upper right. Then PLUS SIGN in lower right. Then TEXT on drop-down. Then "Aa" Then tap the "Text" for menu and pick SELECT then push arrow twice till you see "FORMAT" then "MORE" then the COLOR MENU appears. Select your color. IT WORKS.

Apple apparently DOES monitor this board and issued a fix almost 3 weeks ago. Good luck. Best for 2025.

However I find another solution. If you click on markup and do text. Highlight text and click the format button. There you can change color and edit. It’s works. But still a glitch in apples system. Thanks.