How to make a colour input in TradingView's Pine Script?

How to make a colour input in TradingView’s Pine Script?

TL;DR
Call input.color(defval, title=...) to add a colour picker to the settings panel, then reuse the returned value anywhere you would normally pass a colour constant.

At a Glance


Difficulty	Beginner
Time to implement	5-10 min
Category	Inputs

Quick Actions

Quick Start

//@version=5
indicator("Custom colour inputs", overlay=true)

plotColour   = input.color(color.teal,  "EMA colour")
fillColour   = input.color(color.new(color.teal, 80), "Fill transparency")
backgroundOn = input.bool(true, "Highlight trend?", inline="bg")
backgroundCo = input.color(color.new(color.green, 90), " ", inline="bg")

emaLine = ta.ema(close, 34)
plot(emaLine, color=plotColour, linewidth=2)

if backgroundOn
    bgcolor(backgroundCo)

Tip. Use `inline=` to cluster related inputs (like a bool toggle plus colour picker) on a single row, keeping the Inputs panel tidy.

Why It Matters

Colour inputs hand control back to the trader: they can match brand palettes, adjust transparency for dark/light themes, or coordinate multiple indicators without touching code. When scripts ship pre-configured colours, they rarely fit every chart—input.color() keeps the experience versatile.

What You’ll Learn

Define simple colour pickers and capture their values in variables.
Provide transparent defaults with color.new() so overlays stay readable.
Group related inputs (labels, inline rows, tooltips) for better UX.
Apply colour inputs to plots, backgrounds, fills, and label styling.

Quick Reference

Call	Purpose
`input.color(defval, title=?, tooltip=?, inline=?, group=?, confirm=?)`	Registers a colour picker in the settings UI.
`color.new(base, transparency)`	Sets default opacity for the colour input value.
`plot(series, color=...)`	Plots lines using the selected colour.
`bgcolor(color)`	Shades the chart background with the chosen colour.
`label.new(..., bgcolor=?, textcolor=?)`	Styles labels using user-selected colours.

Implementation Blueprint

Capture the colour input
Store the return value in a variable and give the input a descriptive title.
```
signalColour = input.color(color.new(color.purple, 60), "Signal highlight")
```

Decorate the UI
Use tooltip, inline, and group to organise settings, especially when offering multiple palettes.

group = "Alert styling"
alertTextColour = input.color(color.white, "Text", group=group, inline="alert")
alertBgColour   = input.color(color.new(color.red, 70), "Background", group=group, inline="alert")

Apply everywhere you need colour
Pass the input variable to plots, fills, labels, or themes without rewriting logic.
```
label.new(bar_index, high, "Alert!", textcolor=alertTextColour, bgcolor=alertBgColour)
```

Example Playbook

//@version=5
indicator("Palette-driven moving averages", overlay=true, max_labels_count=100)

maGroup   = "Moving averages"
fillGroup = "Fill styling"

fastColour = input.color(color.new(color.green, 0),  "Fast MA", group=maGroup, inline="ma")
slowColour = input.color(color.new(color.orange, 0), "Slow MA", group=maGroup, inline="ma")

fillBase   = input.color(color.new(color.green, 85), "Fill base", group=fillGroup, tooltip="Applied when fast MA is above slow MA")
fillAlt    = input.color(color.new(color.red, 85),   "Fill alt", group=fillGroup, tooltip="Applied when fast MA is below slow MA")

fastLen = input.int(21, "Fast length")
slowLen = input.int(55, "Slow length")

fast = ta.ema(close, fastLen)
slow = ta.ema(close, slowLen)

plotFast = plot(fast, "Fast", color=fastColour, linewidth=2)
plotSlow = plot(slow, "Slow", color=slowColour, linewidth=2)

fill(plotFast, plotSlow, color=fast > slow ? fillBase : fillAlt)

trendLabelColour = input.color(color.new(color.blue, 60), "Trend label", group=fillGroup)
trendTextColour  = input.color(color.white, "Label text", group=fillGroup)

if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, fast,
        text=fast > slow ? "Bullish trend" : "Bearish trend",
        style=label.style_label_left,
        textcolor=trendTextColour,
        bgcolor=trendLabelColour)

Why this works.

Grouped inputs keep the configuration organised even with multiple colour pickers.
Transparent defaults look good on both light and dark themes while still allowing override.
The example touches plots, fills, and labels—showing colour inputs are reusable everywhere.

Pro Tips & Pitfalls

Inputs require constant arguments—no ternary expressions inside input.color. Decide defaults before the call.
Provide white/black text inputs alongside label background colours so users maintain readability.
For strategies, combine colour inputs with plot/alert styling so signals stay consistent with manual chart drawings.
When you have many colour options, add sections (group=) and use inline keys to prevent vertical sprawl.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

My default transparency disappears when the user changes colour

Add a tooltip reminding users to adjust the transparency slider in the picker. Or expose a separate input.int for opacity and apply it via color.new(selectedColour, opacity).

Why does TradingView warn about “no output function”?

Ensure you still plot or colour something (like in the example). Colour inputs alone do not count as outputs.

Can I sync colour inputs across scripts?

Not automatically. Provide consistent naming and default palettes so users can quickly mirror selections between indicators.

Key Takeaways

input.color() places a colour picker in settings; the returned value is a standard Pine colour you can use anywhere.
Organise multiple colour inputs with group and inline to keep the UI approachable.
Pair colour inputs with transparency via color.new() so overlays stay legible by default.
Applying the user-selected colour to plots, fills, labels, and backgrounds keeps the entire script customisable.

Keep Going

Open AI Editor to apply the pattern with guided assistance
Browse Strategy Examples for ready-to-run templates
Connect to Live Trading when you are ready to automate

Adapted from tradingcode.net, optimised for Algo Trade Analytics users.