> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.apryse.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.apryse.com/web/annotation/customizing-default-annotation-styles.md).

# Customizing default annotation styles

Discover how to customize default annotation styles effortlessly. Learn to tweak stroke color, thickness, fill color, text attributes, and more for a personalized touch. Elevate your annotations with

An annotation's default style is the style it is created with when created through its associated tool. For example, a freetext annotation create tool may set the stroke color, stroke thickness, fill color, text color, font size and/or opacity of the annotation shortly after creation, which becomes their 'default' or initial style.

## Changing the default annotation style

To change the default style, you can use the [setStyles](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.Tools.Tool.html#setStyles__anchor) API on the tool objects.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="JavaScript (SDK v8.0+)" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```js
WebViewer({ ... }, viewerElement)
  .then(instance => {
    const { documentViewer, Annotations } = instance.Core;

    documentViewer.getTool('AnnotationCreateTextHighlight').setStyles({
      StrokeColor: new Annotations.Color(0, 221, 255)
    });

    documentViewer.getTool('AnnotationCreateFreeText').setStyles({
      StrokeThickness: 5,
      StrokeColor: new Annotations.Color(0, 0, 255),
      TextColor: new Annotations.Color(0, 0, 0),
      FontSize: '20pt'
    });
  });
```

{% endcode %}

[WebViewerInstance](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/WebViewerInstance.html) [Core](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.html) [DocumentViewer.getTool](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.DocumentViewer.html#getTool__anchor) [Annotations](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.Annotations.html)
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="JavaScript (SDK v6.0+)" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```js
WebViewer({ ... }, viewerElement)
  .then(instance => {
    const { docViewer, Annotations } = instance;

    docViewer.getTool('AnnotationCreateTextHighlight').setStyles(currentStyle => ({
      StrokeColor: new Annotations.Color(0, 221, 255)
    }));

    docViewer.getTool('AnnotationCreateFreeText').setStyles(currentStyle => ({
      StrokeThickness: 5,
      StrokeColor: new Annotations.Color(0, 0, 255),
      TextColor: new Annotations.Color(0, 0, 0),
      FontSize: '20pt'
    }));
  });
```

{% endcode %}

[WebViewerInstance](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/WebViewerInstance.html) [DocumentViewer.getTool](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.DocumentViewer.html#getTool__anchor) [Annotations](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.Annotations.html)
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Using the `defaults` object

On the annotation create tools, you will find a `defaults` object that contains the values used to initialize the annotation style properties. If you need to read the initial values, you can use this object.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="JavaScript" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```js
WebViewer({ ... }, viewerElement)
  .then(instance => {
    const { documentViewer, Annotations } = instance.Core;

    const highlightCreateTool = documentViewer.getTool('AnnotationCreateTextHighlight');

    highlightCreateTool.defaults.StrokeColor = new Annotations.Color(0, 221, 255);

    console.log(highlightCreateTool.defaults.StrokeColor);
  });
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="JavaScript" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```js
WebViewer({ ... }, viewerElement)
  .then(instance => {
    const { docViewer, Annotations } = instance;

    const highlightCreateTool = docViewer.getTool('AnnotationCreateTextHighlight');

    highlightCreateTool.defaults.StrokeColor = new Annotations.Color(0, 221, 255);

    console.log(highlightCreateTool.defaults.StrokeColor);
  });
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Next steps

If you want to check out which properties are available on the annotations themselves, check out the [annotation type guides](/web/annotation/annotation-types/rectangleannotation.md).


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