diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/color_picker_ui.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/color_picker_ui.rs
index 2e74de9845..12e2c0c8c4 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/color_picker_ui.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/color_picker_ui.rs
@@ -406,7 +406,11 @@ pub fn confirm(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, f: &Map<String, Value>) -> Result<Value,
         p["color"] = json!(color);
         return app.run(cmd, p);
     }
-    app.run("tools.setColors", json!({ target: color }))
+    let r = app.run("tools.setColors", json!({ target: color }))?;
+    if target == "foreground" {
+        crate::type_tool::foreground_changed(app);
+    }
+    Ok(r)
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
index 8c226b8efb..00e77c4a50 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
@@ -1198,6 +1198,7 @@ fn swatches(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
         let c = [s[0] as f32 / 255.0, s[1] as f32 / 255.0, s[2] as f32 / 255.0, 1.0];
         if resp.clicked() {
             app.session.tools.foreground = c;
+            crate::type_tool::foreground_changed(app);
         }
         if resp.secondary_clicked() {
             app.session.tools.background = c;
@@ -1218,16 +1219,19 @@ fn color_picker(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     let mut s = hsva0.s * 100.0;
     let mut v = hsva0.v * 100.0;
     let hue = widgets::hue_stops();
-    widgets::slider_row(ui, tl!("Hue"), &mut h, 0.0..=360.0, "°", Some(&hue));
+    let mut changed = widgets::slider_row(ui, tl!("Hue"), &mut h, 0.0..=360.0, "°", Some(&hue)).changed();
     let sat_stops =
         [egui::ecolor::Hsva::new(hsva0.h, 0.0, hsva0.v.max(0.2), 1.0), egui::ecolor::Hsva::new(hsva0.h, 1.0, hsva0.v.max(0.2), 1.0)].map(Color32::from);
-    widgets::slider_row(ui, tl!("Saturation"), &mut s, 0.0..=100.0, "%", Some(&sat_stops));
+    changed |= widgets::slider_row(ui, tl!("Saturation"), &mut s, 0.0..=100.0, "%", Some(&sat_stops)).changed();
     let val_stops = [Color32::BLACK, Color32::from(egui::ecolor::Hsva::new(hsva0.h, hsva0.s, 1.0, 1.0))];
-    widgets::slider_row(ui, tl!("Brightness"), &mut v, 0.0..=100.0, "%", Some(&val_stops));
+    changed |= widgets::slider_row(ui, tl!("Brightness"), &mut v, 0.0..=100.0, "%", Some(&val_stops)).changed();
     let hsva = egui::ecolor::Hsva::new(h / 360.0, s / 100.0, v / 100.0, 1.0);
-    if hsva != hsva0 {
+    // Only an edit counts: the h/s/v round trip isn't exact, so comparing values would rewrite
+    // the foreground (and recolour selected type) every frame.
+    if changed {
         app.session.tools.foreground = hsva_srgb(hsva);
         ui.data_mut(|d| d.insert_temp(key, hsva));
+        crate::type_tool::foreground_changed(app);
     }
     let [r, g, b, _] = hsva.to_srgba_unmultiplied();
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
@@ -2180,6 +2184,7 @@ fn color_field(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
         ui.painter().add(egui::Shape::convex_polygon(tri, t.text, Stroke::NONE));
         if fresp.dragged() || fresp.clicked() || sresp.dragged() || sresp.clicked() {
             app.session.tools.foreground = hsva_srgb(hsva);
+            crate::type_tool::foreground_changed(app);
             ui.data_mut(|d| d.insert_temp(key, hsva.h));
         }
     });
@@ -2476,3 +2481,59 @@ mod lock_tests {
         assert!(!app.session.active().unwrap().doc.layers[0].locks.transparency);
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod swatch_type_tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use egui::Modifiers;
+    use egui_kittest::Harness;
+
+    /// Clicking a swatch while characters are selected recolours them, not just the foreground.
+    #[test]
+    fn clicking_a_swatch_recolours_selected_type() {
+        let mut app = PhotocraftApp::new(photocraft_engine::Session::new(), crate::Services::default());
+        app.run("file.new", json!({"width": 400, "height": 200})).unwrap();
+        let id = app.run("type.create", json!({"text": "Hello world", "size": 40, "x": 20, "y": 100, "color": "#ffffff"})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap();
+        app.ui.tool = Tool::Type;
+        app.ui.text_edit =
+            Some(crate::state::TextEdit { layer: id, caret: 0, anchor: 5, session: "s".into(), created: false, dragging: false, resize: None, preedit: None });
+        let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(vec2(300.0, 200.0)).build_ui_state(|ui, app: &mut PhotocraftApp| swatches(app, ui), app);
+        h.run_steps(2);
+        // The first swatch is the top-left cell of the panel's content.
+        let p = h.ctx.input(|i| i.viewport_rect()).min + vec2(12.0, 12.0);
+        h.hover_at(p);
+        h.run_steps(1);
+        h.event(egui::Event::PointerButton { pos: p, button: egui::PointerButton::Primary, pressed: true, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+        h.event(egui::Event::PointerButton { pos: p, button: egui::PointerButton::Primary, pressed: false, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+        h.run_steps(2);
+        let s = SWATCHES[0];
+        assert_eq!(h.state().session.tools.foreground, [s[0] as f32 / 255.0, s[1] as f32 / 255.0, s[2] as f32 / 255.0, 1.0]);
+        let st = h.state().session.active().unwrap();
+        let Some(photocraft_doc::LayerContent::Text(t)) = st.doc.layer(photocraft_doc::LayerId(id)).map(|l| &l.content) else { panic!("type layer") };
+        let runs = t.char_runs();
+        assert_eq!(runs[0].len, 5, "the selection is its own run");
+        assert_eq!(runs[0].style.color.to_rgba8(), [s[0], s[1], s[2], 255]);
+        assert_eq!(runs[1].style.color.to_rgba8(), [255, 255, 255, 255]);
+    }
+
+    /// The HSB sliders only act on an edit. Their h/s/v round trip isn't exact for every colour
+    /// (#D8452E isn't), and comparing values used to rewrite the foreground every frame, which
+    /// would recolour selected type the moment it was selected.
+    #[test]
+    fn idle_hsb_sliders_leave_the_foreground_and_selected_type_alone() {
+        let mut app = PhotocraftApp::new(photocraft_engine::Session::new(), crate::Services::default());
+        app.run("file.new", json!({"width": 400, "height": 200})).unwrap();
+        let id = app.run("type.create", json!({"text": "Hello world", "size": 40, "x": 20, "y": 100, "color": "#ffffff"})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap();
+        app.run("tools.setColors", json!({"foreground": "#d8452e"})).unwrap();
+        let fg = app.session.tools.foreground;
+        app.ui.tool = Tool::Type;
+        app.ui.text_edit =
+            Some(crate::state::TextEdit { layer: id, caret: 0, anchor: 5, session: "s".into(), created: false, dragging: false, resize: None, preedit: None });
+        let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(vec2(300.0, 300.0)).build_ui_state(|ui, app: &mut PhotocraftApp| color_picker(app, ui), app);
+        h.run_steps(4);
+        assert_eq!(h.state().session.tools.foreground, fg);
+        let st = h.state().session.active().unwrap();
+        let Some(photocraft_doc::LayerContent::Text(t)) = st.doc.layer(photocraft_doc::LayerId(id)).map(|l| &l.content) else { panic!("type layer") };
+        assert_eq!(t.char_runs().len(), 1, "still one white run");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool.rs
index ecdb921884..0489f56088 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool.rs
@@ -757,6 +757,15 @@ fn apply(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, props: serde_json::Value)
     let _ = app.run("type.setStyle", p);
 }
 
+/// While characters are selected in a type layer, a new foreground colour (Color and Swatches
+/// panels, the Color Picker) recolours them, in the editing session's history step.
+pub fn foreground_changed(app: &mut PhotocraftApp) {
+    let Some((layer, Some(range))) = target(app) else { return };
+    let Some(ed) = app.ui.text_edit.as_ref() else { return };
+    let p = json!({"layer": layer, "range": range, "color": hex(app.session.tools.foreground), "coalesce": ed.session});
+    let _ = app.run("type.setStyle", p);
+}
+
 /// Photoshop's Type options bar.
 pub fn options_bar(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     let t = crate::theme::Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool_tests.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool_tests.rs
index 3a59f8f549..c100032dbf 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/type_tool_tests.rs
@@ -365,3 +365,49 @@ fn vertical_type_caret_selection_and_arrows_follow_the_columns() {
     }
     assert_eq!(super::flow_key(egui::Key::ArrowUp, false), egui::Key::ArrowUp);
 }
+
+fn rgb_at(app: &PhotocraftApp, id: LayerId, ci: usize) -> [u8; 4] {
+    let t = text(app, id);
+    let b = t.text.char_indices().nth(ci).map_or(t.text.len(), |(b, _)| b);
+    let mut at = 0;
+    for r in t.char_runs() {
+        if b < at + r.len {
+            return r.style.color.to_rgba8();
+        }
+        at += r.len;
+    }
+    [0; 4]
+}
+
+/// A new foreground colour recolours the selected characters only, inside the editing session's
+/// history step; with nothing selected (a caret, or not editing) the type keeps its colour.
+#[test]
+fn foreground_colour_recolours_only_selected_type() {
+    let mut app = new_app();
+    let id =
+        LayerId(app.run("type.create", json!({"text": "Hello world", "size": 40, "x": 300, "y": 420, "color": "#000000"})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap());
+    app.run("tools.setColors", json!({"foreground": "#ff0000"})).unwrap();
+    super::foreground_changed(&mut app);
+    assert_eq!(rgb_at(&app, id, 0), [0, 0, 0, 255], "not editing: unchanged");
+    let edit = |caret, anchor| crate::state::TextEdit {
+        layer: id.0,
+        caret,
+        anchor,
+        session: "s".into(),
+        created: false,
+        dragging: false,
+        resize: None,
+        preedit: None,
+    };
+    app.ui.text_edit = Some(edit(3, 3));
+    super::foreground_changed(&mut app);
+    assert_eq!(rgb_at(&app, id, 0), [0, 0, 0, 255], "a caret: unchanged");
+    let steps = app.session.active().unwrap().history.entries().len();
+    app.ui.text_edit = Some(edit(11, 6));
+    super::foreground_changed(&mut app);
+    app.run("tools.setColors", json!({"foreground": "#00ff00"})).unwrap();
+    super::foreground_changed(&mut app);
+    assert_eq!((rgb_at(&app, id, 0), rgb_at(&app, id, 5)), ([0, 0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 0, 255]));
+    assert_eq!((rgb_at(&app, id, 6), rgb_at(&app, id, 10)), ([0, 255, 0, 255], [0, 255, 0, 255]));
+    assert_eq!(app.session.active().unwrap().history.entries().len(), steps + 1, "one step for the session");
+}