microsoft / microsoft/terminal
Feature: Set text to display in the background of a terminal instead of just an image
Nobody has claimed this yet.
- Dominant language
- C++
- Stars
- 105k
- Forks
- 9.6k
- Avg merge
- 3d 17h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 29
Description
Description of the new feature/enhancement
Within Profile Settings add the ability to not only have a Background image but also background text. This is set-up within the Profile Settings as either within Background Image Settings or as its own group of properties.
Why: When using multiple profiles with lots of Tabs open its handy to be able to recognise which server etc I'm working on at any one time and having an opaque reminder is really handy. Currently I'm doing this with images (see Mockup Below), however it would be nicer to have the option to just add text to the background.
Example Mockup:

Proposed technical implementation details (optional)
Within Profile Settings and "list"
"list":
[
{
// Make changes here to the powershell.exe profile.
"guid": "{61c54bbd-c2c6-5271-96e7-009a87ff44bf}",
"name": "Windows PowerShell",
"commandline": "powershell.exe",
"hidden": false,
"backgroundText" : "IamServer1",
"backgroundTextFontStyle" : "Bold",
"backgroundTextFontSize" : "32",
"backgroundTextFont": "Sans-Serif"
"backgroundTextFontColor": "#93f533"
"backgroundTextAlign": "centre"
"backgroundTextOpacity": 0.1"
},
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by locating Profile Settings, the Background Image Settings area, and the profile "list" configuration described in the issue. Determine how profile-specific background images are configured before assessing where text, font, color, alignment, and opacity settings belong. Done means a profile can display configurable background text alongside or instead of an image.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- cpp
- Domain
- cli, desktop-dev
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 30/100