Colored boxes in LaTeX with tcolorbox

The tcolorbox package allows you to create colored boxes for theorems, definitions, remarks and other environments. It offers full control over colors, borders, titles and numbering.

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Installation and setup

LaTeX

\usepackage[most]{tcolorbox}

The [most] option loads most libraries, including theorems, skins and breakable.

Simple box

LaTeX

% In the preamble:
\newtcolorbox{remarque}{
  enhanced, breakable,
  colback=yellow!10, colframe=orange!80!black,
  fonttitle=\bfseries, title=Remark}

% In the document:
\begin{remarque}
  Remark content here...
\end{remarque}

\newtcolorbox creates an unnumbered environment. Ideal for remarks, warnings or examples.

Numbered environment

For theorems, definitions and properties, you need numbered environments with \newtcbtheorem:

LaTeX

% In the preamble:
\newtcbtheorem[number within=section]{theoreme}{Theorem}{
  enhanced, breakable,
  colback=blue!5, colframe=blue!50!black,
  colbacktitle=blue!50!black, coltitle=white,
  fonttitle=\bfseries, boxrule=1pt, arc=4pt,
  separator sign={\ --},
  description delimiters parenthesis,
}{th}

% In the document:
\begin{theoreme}{Pythagoras}{pyth}
  In a right triangle...
\end{theoreme}

The syntax is: \newtcbtheorem[counter]{name}{display label}{options}{prefix}

number within=section — numbering per section (1.1, 1.2, 2.1...)
separator sign={\ --} — separator between number and title
description delimiters parenthesis — title in parentheses: Theorem 1.1 (Pythagoras)
{th} — prefix for \label/\ref (e.g. \ref{th:pyth})

Popular styles

Side bar

LaTeX

\newtcolorbox{remarque}{
  enhanced, breakable,
  colback=orange!8, colframe=orange!8,
  colbacktitle=orange!8, coltitle=orange!70!black,
  fonttitle=\bfseries, title=Remark,
  boxrule=0pt, arc=0pt,
  borderline west={3pt}{0pt}{orange!70!black},
  left=8mm
}

\begin{remarque}
  Content here...
\end{remarque}

Detached cartouche

LaTeX

\newtcbtheorem[number within=section]{propriete}{Property}{
  enhanced, breakable,
  colback=violet!5, colframe=violet!50!black,
  colbacktitle=violet!50!black, coltitle=white,
  fonttitle=\bfseries, boxrule=1pt, arc=4pt,
  top=6mm,
  attach boxed title to top left=
    {yshift=-\dimexpr\tcboxedtitleheight/2, xshift=5mm},
  boxed title style={boxrule=1pt, arc=3pt},
  separator sign={\ --},
  description delimiters parenthesis,
}{prop}

\begin{propriete}{Commutativity}{comm}
  For all real numbers $a$ and $b$:
  $a + b = b + a$
\end{propriete}

Inset cartouche

LaTeX

\newtcbtheorem[number within=section]{definition}{Definition}{
  enhanced, breakable,
  colback=white, colframe=green!40!black,
  colbacktitle=green!40!black, coltitle=white,
  fonttitle=\bfseries, boxrule=1pt, arc=4pt,
  top=8mm,
  attach boxed title to top left=
    {yshift=-\tcboxedtitleheight},
  boxed title style={boxrule=0pt, sharp corners,
    rounded corners=southeast, arc=3pt},
  separator sign={\ --},
  description delimiters parenthesis,
}{def}

\begin{definition}{Prime number}{prime}
  A natural integer is prime when...
\end{definition}

Sharp top corners

LaTeX

\newtcbtheorem[number within=section]{theoreme}{Theorem}{
  enhanced, breakable,
  colback=white, colframe=blue!60!black,
  colbacktitle=blue!60!black, coltitle=white,
  fonttitle=\bfseries, boxrule=1.5pt, arc=6pt,
  sharp corners=north,
  separator sign={\ --},
  description delimiters parenthesis,
}{th}

\begin{theoreme}{Pythagoras}{pyth}
  $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$
\end{theoreme}

Important options

Option	Description
`colback`	Body background color
`colframe`	Border color
`colbacktitle`	Title background color
`coltitle`	Title text color
`colupper`	Body text color
`arc`	Corner radius
`boxrule`	Border thickness
`enhanced`	Enable advanced drawing features
`breakable`	Allow page breaks
`sharp corners=north`	Sharp top corners
`fuzzy shadow`	Fuzzy shadow

Defining colors

For precise colors, use \definecolor with HTML hex codes:

LaTeX

\definecolor{mon-bleu}{HTML}{1A3FC7}
\definecolor{mon-bleu-clair}{HTML}{EEF2FF}

\newtcbtheorem[number within=section]{theoreme}{Theorem}{
  colback=mon-bleu-clair,
  colframe=mon-bleu,
  colbacktitle=mon-bleu,
  % ...
}{th}

Tip
Our visual editor automatically generates the \definecolor commands with the colors you choose.

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