How to Create Split Color Text in Photoshop

Learn how to fill the top and bottom half of your text with different colors in Photoshop by creating a custom gradient that splits your colors down the middle! Plus, learn how to easily apply that same split-color effect to a stroke or background! (For Photoshop 2026 or earlier).

Download PDF: Create Split Color Text in Photoshop

Written by Steve Patterson.

Split-color text, where the top half of the letters are filled with one color and the bottom half with another, is a classic eye-catching design effect.

There are several ways to create a split-color effect in Photoshop. But in this tutorial, I'll show you the best way using a gradient.

Gradients usually transition gradually from one color to the next. But they can also contain solid colors that split down the middle. We can even save the gradient as a preset and use it to enhance the effect even further.

We'll start by learning how to create the split-color gradient itself and apply it to the text.

A split-color or half-color text effect created in Photoshop

The basic split-color effect.

I'll then show you how to apply the same split-color gradient to a stroke around the letters.

A split-color text and stroke effect created in Photoshop

The split-color text and stroke effect.

Finally, you'll learn how to fill the background with the gradient so your text and the background colors are mirrored.

A split-color text and background effect created in Photoshop

The split-color text and background effect.

Let's get started!

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Which Photoshop version do I need?

I'm using Photoshop 2026. You can get Photoshop here or make sure your copy is up to date using the Creative Cloud Desktop app.

The document setup

To save time, I've created a new Photoshop document with a white background, and added the word COLOR on a Type layer above it.

Any thick font will work (I'm using Avenir Next Heavy). The text color doesn't matter because our split-color gradient will completely cover it.

The initial Photoshop document.

Step 1: Add a Gradient Overlay effect to the text

Select your Type layer in the Layers panel and click the fx icon at the bottom.

Clicking the Layer Effects icon.

Choose Gradient Overlay from the list.

Choosing a Gradient Overlay effect in Photoshop's Layers panel

Adding a Gradient Overlay to the text.

Step 2: Choose the Black, White gradient

The Layer Style dialog box opens. We’ll start with a standard black-to-white gradient, and then edit the colors to create our custom split.

The Gradient Overlay options in Photoshop's Layer Style dialog box

The Layer Style dialog box.

Click directly on the Gradient color swatch (make sure to click the color bar itself, not the tiny arrow next to it).

Clicking the current gradient color swatch in Photoshop's Layer Style dialog box

Clicking the gradient swatch.

In the Gradient Editor, open the Basics folder in the Presets area and choose the Black, White gradient.

Choosing the Black, White gradient.

Step 3: Edit the gradient colors

Look at the gradient preview bar in the bottom half of the dialog box. The left side is black, and the right side is white. Let's change these colors using the color stops directly below the bar.

Double-click the black color stop on the bottom left.

Double-clicking on the black color stop.

Photoshop opens the Color Picker. Choose any color you like.

I’ll create a muted pink by setting R to 146, G to 116, and B to 137.

Click OK to close the Color Picker.

Using Photoshop's Color Picker to replace black in the gradient

Replacing black with a new color from the Color Picker.

Next, double-click the white color stop on the bottom right.

Double-clicking on the white color stop.

Choose a second color from the Color Picker.

I’ll go with a lighter reddish-pink by setting R to 237, G to 214, and B to 222. Click OK.

Using Photoshop's Color Picker to replace white in the gradient

Replacing white with a new color from the Color Picker.

You now have a custom, smooth gradient blending between your two colors.

The new gradient colors.

Step 4: Set the Location of each color to 50%

Right now, the colors gradually transition from one to the other. To create a solid, hard-edged split down the middle, we just need to push both color stops to the exact center.

Click once on the left color stop to select it.

Selecting the left color stop.

Change its Location value from 0% to 50%. The color stop slides to the center of the bar.

Changing the Location of the left gradient color to 50 percent in Photoshop's Gradient Editor

Changing the Location of the left color to 50%.

Click once on the right color stop to select it.

Selecting the right color stop.

Change its Location value to 50%.

The two color stops now overlap perfectly in the center. Each half of the gradient is now a solid color.

Changing the Location of the right gradient color to 50 percent in Photoshop's Gradient Editor

Changing the Location of the right color to 50%.

How to swap the order of the colors

Depending on the exact order you clicked, your colors might have switched sides. To switch them back, simply click whichever color stop is visible directly below the center of the preview bar.

Or just wait until the next step where you'll be able to reverse the colors.

How to swap the order of the gradient colors

Click the color stop to swap the order of the colors.

Step 5: Save your gradient as a new preset

Since we are going to use this exact gradient again, let's save it as a preset so we don't have to rebuild it.

But first, close the Basics folder in the Presets area. Leaving the folder open forces Photoshop to save your new preset inside that folder, which can quickly make your presets messy and unorganized.

Closing the Basics folder before saving a new gradient preset in Photoshop's Gradient Editor

Closing the Basics folder before saving the new preset.

Type a name for your preset in the Name field. I’ll call mine Split colors.

Click the New button to save it.

Naming and saving the gradient as a custom preset in Photoshop's Gradient Editor

Naming and saving the new preset.

Your new preset appears as a thumbnail below the other gradients.

Click OK to close the Gradient Editor, but leave the Layer Style dialog box open.

The gradient has been saved as a custom preset.

Here is our split-color text so far. The top half is filled with the lighter color, and the bottom half is filled with the darker color.

The result after filling the text with the split-color gradient.

How to reverse the colors

If you want to flip them, simply check the Reverse box in the Layer Style dialog box. Uncheck the box to swap them back.

How to reverse the order of the gradient colors in Photoshop

Checking the Reverse option.

With Reverse checked, the darker color is on the top and the lighter color is on the bottom.

The split color text in Photoshop with the two colors reversed.

The same colors but with the order reversed.

How to apply a split-color stroke around the text

If you’re happy with the basic effect, you can click OK and you’re done!

But here is how to easily enhance the effect by adding a stroke around the text using the exact same split-color gradient.

Step 1: Add a Stroke layer effect

While still inside the Layer Style dialog box, click directly on the word Stroke in the left-hand menu.

Adding a Stroke layer effect.

Step 2: Select your split-color gradient

Change the stroke’s Fill Type from Color to Gradient.

Setting the Stroke layer effect's Fill Type to Gradient in Photoshop

Setting the Fill Type to Gradient.

Click the small arrow next to the gradient swatch.

Choosing a new gradient for the Stroke layer effect

Clicking the arrow to choose a new gradient.

Double-click your saved Split colors gradient thumbnail to select it.

Selecting the split-color gradient to use with the stroke around the text

Double-clicking to select the gradient preset.

Step 3: Select the Reverse option

To make the stroke stand out, we want the stroke's colors to be the exact opposite of the text colors.

Look at what you did for the text itself. If you left Reverse unchecked for the Gradient Overlay, make sure Reverse is checked for the stroke (or vice versa).

Reversing the order of the gradient colors for the stroke around the text

Reversing the order of the gradient colors in the stroke.

The dark half of the stroke should now outline the lighter half of the text, and the light half of the stroke should outline the darker half of the text.

The initial stroke around the letters.

Step 4: Set the Position to Outside

Change the stroke’s Position to Outside so it wraps completely around the outer edges of the letters.

Setting the stroke's position to Outside.

Step 5: Increase the Size of the stroke

Use the Size slider to increase the stroke’s width. I’ll set mine to 16 px.

Increasing the stroke size.

You now have a split-color stroke around your text.

The split-color stroke effect.

Step 6: Close the Layer Style dialog box

Click OK to close the Layer Style dialog box.

Closing Photoshop's Layer Style dialog box

Closing the dialog box.

How to fill the background with the split-color gradient

Instead of a stroke, what if you want to completely fill the background behind your text with your custom gradient? Here’s how to do it so the background and text mirror each other perfectly.

Step 1: Turn off the Stroke effect

If you added the stroke from the previous section, turn it off by clicking its visibility icon (the eyeball) in the Layers panel.

Turning off the stroke.

Step 2: Select the Background layer

Click on your Background layer to select it.

Selecting the Background layer.

Step 3: Add a Gradient Fill layer

Click the New Fill or Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Clicking the New Fill or Adjustment Layer icon.

Choose Gradient from the list:

Adding a Gradient fill layer.

Photoshop places the Gradient fill layer directly below your text.

Photoshop's Layers panel showing the Gradient fill layer below the text

The Gradient fill layer is added below the text.

Step 4: Choose the split-color gradient

In the Gradient Fill dialog box, click the arrow next to the gradient swatch.

Choosing a new gradient in Photohop's Gradient Fill dialog box

Clicking the arrow to choose a different gradient.

Double-click your saved split-color gradient preset to select it.

Selecting the split-color gradient preset in Photohop's Gradient Fill dialog box

Double-clicking on the split-color gradient preset.

Step 5: Reverse the gradient colors

Just like we did with the stroke, the background colors need to be the opposite of the text.

If Reverse is unchecked for your text, check Reverse for the background gradient (or vice versa).

The Reverse option in Photohop's Gradient Fill dialog box

Reversing the colors of the gradient for the background.

Click OK to close the Gradient Fill dialog box.

You now have a split-color background behind your split-color text. However, the split point in the background might not align perfectly with the split point inside your letters.