[BUG] Colors don't work on legacy Windows

[Saraistupid]

Read the FAQ first

• I have checked the FAQ but the issue is not covered

Description

Colors on fastfetch do not work on legacy windows
Tested on both Powershell 5.1 and 7.x
Also tested with https://github.com/adoxa/ansicon and it does not work either
https://github.com/nepnep39/neofetch-win works out of the box

Version used

fastfetch 2.62.1 (x86_64)

Bug prevalence

Always

Regression

Not sure

Installation

Package manager

Package manager

scoop

Screenshots

Configuration

System information

[
  {
    "type": "Title",
    "result": {
      "userId": "S-1-5-21-2936949971-1778708122-3650313071-1001",
      "userName": "mrrrow",
      "fullUserName": "",
      "hostName": "meow",
      "homeDir": "C:/Users/mrrrow/",
      "exePath": "C:/Users/mrrrow/scoop/apps/fastfetch/2.62.1/fastfetch.exe",
      "userShell": "",
      "pid": 6384,
      "cwd": "C:/Users/mrrrow/"
    },
    "stat": 0.012543989345431328
  },
  {
    "type": "Separator",
    "error": "Unsupported for JSON format",
    "stat": 0.0034210882149636745
  },
  {
    "type": "OS",
    "result": {
      "buildID": "",
      "codename": "",
      "id": "Windows Embedded",
      "idLike": "Windows",
      "name": "Windows",
      "prettyName": "Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Enterprise",
      "variant": "8.1 Industry Enterprise",
      "variantID": "",
      "version": "Embedded",
      "versionID": ""
    },
    "stat": 0.9187521999701858
  },
  {
    "type": "Host",
    "error": "neither product_family nor product_name is set by O.E.M.",
    "stat": 0.055497650522738695
  },
  {
    "type": "BIOS",
    "result": {
      "date": "01/28/2016",
      "release": "4.6",
      "vendor": "American Megatrends Inc.",
      "version": "F2",
      "type": "UEFI"
    },
    "stat": 0.017865682020783424
  },
  {
    "type": "Bootmgr",
    "error": "The token does not have the specified privilege; try sudo please",
    "stat": 0.3360268697142601
  },
  {
    "type": "Board",
    "result": {
      "name": "H61M-S2PT",
      "vendor": "Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.",
      "version": "",
      "serial": ""
    },
    "stat": 0.015204835683107376
  },
  {
    "type": "Chassis",
    "result": {
      "type": "Desktop",
      "vendor": "Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.",
      "version": "",
      "serial": ""
    },
    "stat": 0.011783747933804989
  },
  {
    "type": "Kernel",
    "result": {
      "architecture": "x86_64",
      "name": "WIN32_NT",
      "release": "6.3.9600.21075",
      "version": "9600.21074.amd64fre.winblue_ltsb_escrow.230703-1629",
      "pageSize": 4096
    },
    "stat": 0.007982539013028145
  },
  {
    "type": "InitSystem",
    "error": "Not supported on this platform",
    "stat": 0.0034210877493023872
  },
  {
    "type": "Uptime",
    "result": {
      "uptime": 2682382,
      "bootTime": "2026-05-12T15:05:16.251+0300"
    },
    "stat": 0.6743344655260444
  },
  {
    "type": "Loadavg",
    "error": "Not supported on this platform",
    "stat": 0.004181330092251301
  },
  {
    "type": "Processes",
    "result": 97,
    "stat": 1.4231726257130504
  },
  {
    "type": "Packages",
    "result": {
      "all": 3,
      "scoopUser": 3
    },
    "stat": 0.43903963221237063
  },
  {
    "type": "Shell",
    "result": {
      "exe": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe",
      "exeName": "powershell.exe",
      "exePath": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe",
      "pid": 8012,
      "ppid": 2820,
      "processName": "powershell.exe",
      "prettyName": "Windows PowerShell",
      "version": "",
      "tty": null
    },
    "stat": 5004.19045273168
  },
  {
    "type": "Editor",
    "error": "$VISUAL or $EDITOR not set",
    "stat": 0.024327737279236317
  },
  {
    "type": "Display",
    "error": "Couldn't detect display",
    "stat": 0.22997314063832164
  },
  {
    "type": "Brightness",
    "result": [],
    "stat": 0.005701813381165266
  },
  {
    "type": "Monitor",
    "error": "Monitor module is an alias of Display module",
    "stat": 0.0026608463376760483
  },
  {
    "type": "LM",
    "error": "Not supported on this platform",
    "stat": 0.0026608463376760483
  },
  {
    "type": "DE",
    "error": "No DE found",
    "stat": 0.0034210882149636745
  },
  {
    "type": "WM",
    "result": {
      "processName": "dwm.exe",
      "prettyName": "Desktop Window Manager",
      "protocolName": "",
      "pluginName": "",
      "version": "6.3.9600.17415"
    },
    "stat": 1.5835836427286267
  },
  {
    "type": "WMTheme",
    "result": "Custom - #00549E",
    "stat": 0.05701813381165266
  },
  {
    "type": "Theme",
    "result": {
      "theme1": "Aero",
      "theme2": ""
    },
    "stat": 0.007602417841553688
  },
  {
    "type": "Icons",
    "result": {
      "icons1": "This PC, User's Files",
      "icons2": "Remote Network, Recycle Bin, Control Panel"
    },
    "stat": 0.019386165775358677
  },
  {
    "type": "Font",
    "result": {
      "display": "Segoe UI (15pt) [Caption], Segoe UI (12pt) [Menu / Message / Status]",
      "fonts": [
        "Segoe UI (15pt)",
        "Segoe UI (12pt)",
        "Segoe UI (12pt)",
        "Segoe UI (12pt)"
      ]
    },
    "stat": 0.03497112216427922
  },
  {
    "type": "Cursor",
    "result": {
      "theme": "Windows Default",
      "size": ""
    },
    "stat": 0.01634519873186946
  },
  {
    "type": "Wallpaper",
    "result": "C:\\Users\\mrrrow\\Pictures\\1748075693514385.png",
    "stat": 0.011783747933804989
  },
  {
    "type": "Terminal",
    "result": {
      "processName": "conhost.exe",
      "exe": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\conhost.exe",
      "exeName": "conhost.exe",
      "exePath": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\conhost.exe",
      "pid": 0,
      "ppid": 0,
      "prettyName": "Windows Console",
      "version": "6.3.9600.19598",
      "tty": ""
    },
    "stat": 0.4755312376655638
  },
  {
    "type": "TerminalFont",
    "error": "GetCurrentConsoleFontEx() failed",
    "stat": 0.024707857985049486
  },
  {
    "type": "TerminalSize",
    "result": {
      "columns": 80,
      "rows": 54,
      "width": 640,
      "height": 648
    },
    "stat": 9.45474698767066
  },
  {
    "type": "TerminalTheme",
    "error": "Failed to detect terminal theme",
    "stat": 105.56945530930534
  },
  {
    "type": "CPU",
    "result": {
      "cpu": "Intel(R) Celeron(R) G1620",
      "vendor": "GenuineIntel",
      "packages": 1,
      "cores": {
        "physical": 2,
        "logical": 2,
        "online": 2
      },
      "frequency": {
        "base": 2694,
        "max": 0
      },
      "coreTypes": [
        {
          "count": 2,
          "freq": 2700
        }
      ],
      "temperature": 28.0,
      "march": "x86_64-v2",
      "numaNodes": 1
    },
    "stat": 4.0859194858931005
  },
  {
    "type": "CPUCache",
    "result": {
      "l1": [
        {
          "size": 32768,
          "num": 2,
          "lineSize": 64,
          "type": "data"
        },
        {
          "size": 32768,
          "num": 2,
          "lineSize": 64,
          "type": "instruction"
        }
      ],
      "l2": [
        {
          "size": 262144,
          "num": 2,
          "lineSize": 64,
          "type": "unified"
        }
      ],
      "l3": [
        {
          "size": 2097152,
          "num": 1,
          "lineSize": 64,
          "type": "unified"
        }
      ]
    },
    "stat": 0.010263264179229736
  },
  {
    "type": "CPUUsage",
    "result": [
      69.23076923076923,
      76.92307692307693
    ],
    "stat": 200.56812868779525
  },
  {
    "type": "GPU",
    "result": [
      {
        "index": null,
        "coreCount": null,
        "coreUsage": null,
        "memory": {
          "dedicated": {
            "total": 33554432,
            "used": null
          },
          "shared": {
            "total": 1845493760,
            "used": null
          },
          "type": null
        },
        "driver": "10.18.10.5161",
        "name": "Intel(R) HD Graphics",
        "temperature": null,
        "type": "Integrated",
        "vendor": "Intel",
        "platformApi": "WDDM 1.3",
        "frequency": null,
        "deviceId": 16
      }
    ],
    "stat": 0.7047441364265978
  },
  {
    "type": "Memory",
    "result": {
      "total": 6330626048,
      "used": 5648908288
    },
    "stat": 0.007602417841553688
  },
  {
    "type": "PhysicalMemory",
    "result": [
      {
        "size": 4294967296,
        "installed": true,
        "maxSpeed": 1333,
        "runningSpeed": 1333,
        "type": "DDR3",
        "locator": "BANK 2/ChannelB-DIMM0",
        "formFactor": "DIMM",
        "vendor": "Kingston",
        "serial": "1C121E52",
        "partNumber": "99U5474-028.A00LF",
        "ecc": false
      },
      {
        "size": 2147483648,
        "installed": true,
        "maxSpeed": 1333,
        "runningSpeed": 1333,
        "type": "DDR3",
        "locator": "BANK 0/ChannelA-DIMM0",
        "formFactor": "DIMM",
        "vendor": "Samsung",
        "serial": "12177B25",
        "partNumber": "M391B5773DH0-CK0",
        "ecc": true
      }
    ],
    "stat": 0.02166689094156027
  },
  {
    "type": "Swap",
    "result": [
      {
        "name": "C:\\pagefile.sys",
        "used": 426377216,
        "total": 1744830464
      }
    ],
    "stat": 0.007982538547366858
  },
  {
    "type": "Disk",
    "result": [
      {
        "bytes": {
          "available": 39727865856,
          "free": 39727865856,
          "total": 79470522368,
          "used": 39742656512
        },
        "files": {
          "total": null,
          "used": null
        },
        "filesystem": "NTFS",
        "mountpoint": "C:\\",
        "mountFrom": "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume4",
        "name": "",
        "volumeType": [
          "Regular"
        ],
        "createTime": "2026-05-12T08:51:49.551+0300"
      },
      {
        "bytes": {
          "available": 79796707328,
          "free": 79796707328,
          "total": 209719930880,
          "used": 129923223552
        },
        "files": {
          "total": null,
          "used": null
        },
        "filesystem": "NTFS",
        "mountpoint": "E:\\",
        "mountFrom": "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume8",
        "name": "AA",
        "volumeType": [
          "Regular"
        ],
        "createTime": "2011-01-19T00:23:38.000+0200"
      },
      {
        "bytes": {
          "available": 117772484608,
          "free": 117772484608,
          "total": 209719930880,
          "used": 91947446272
        },
        "files": {
          "total": null,
          "used": null
        },
        "filesystem": "NTFS",
        "mountpoint": "F:\\",
        "mountFrom": "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume9",
        "name": "M",
        "volumeType": [
          "Regular"
        ],
        "createTime": "2011-01-19T00:23:39.000+0200"
      },
      {
        "bytes": {
          "available": 25470648320,
          "free": 25470648320,
          "total": 262147862528,
          "used": 236677214208
        },
        "files": {
          "total": null,
          "used": null
        },
        "filesystem": "NTFS",
        "mountpoint": "G:\\",
        "mountFrom": "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume10",
        "name": "SS",
        "volumeType": [
          "Regular"
        ],
        "createTime": "2011-01-19T00:23:40.000+0200"
      },
      {
        "bytes": {
          "available": 29579194368,
          "free": 29579194368,
          "total": 276665479168,
          "used": 247086284800
        },
        "files": {
          "total": null,
          "used": null
        },
        "filesystem": "NTFS",
        "mountpoint": "H:\\",
        "mountFrom": "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume11",
        "name": "MM",
        "volumeType": [
          "Regular"
        ],
        "createTime": "2011-01-19T00:34:24.000+0200"
      }
    ],
    "stat": 0.2710261973552406
  },
  {
    "type": "Btrfs",
    "error": "Not supported on this platform",
    "stat": 0.00456145079806447
  },
  {
    "type": "Zpool",
    "error": "dlopen(libzfs.dll) failed",
    "stat": 0.2934533297084272
  },
  {
    "type": "Battery",
    "error": "NtPowerInformation(SystemBatteryState) failed",
    "stat": 0.006462054792791605
  },
  {
    "type": "PowerAdapter",
    "error": "Not supported on this platform",
    "stat": 0.001900604460388422
  },
  {
    "type": "Player",
    "error": "Player module is an alias of Media module",
    "stat": 0.0003801211714744568
  },
  {
    "type": "Media",
    "error": "A C++ exception is thrown",
    "stat": 3.978345273062587
  },
  {
    "type": "PublicIp",
    "error": "ConnectEx() failed",
    "stat": 0.008742780890315771
  },
  {
    "type": "LocalIp",
    "result": [
      {
        "name": "Ethernet",
        "defaultRoute": {
          "ipv4": true,
          "ipv6": false
        },
        "ipv4": "192.168.1.52/24",
        "ipv6": "",
        "mac": "fc:aa:14:40:70:9b",
        "mtu": 1500,
        "speed": 100,
        "flags": "DDNS_ENABLED,NETBIOS_OVER_TCPIP_ENABLED,IPV4_ENABLED,IPV6_ENABLED"
      }
    ],
    "stat": 9.96486922679469
  },
  {
    "type": "DNS",
    "result": [
      "1.1.1.1",
      "1.0.0.1"
    ],
    "stat": 10.727011618670076
  },
  {
    "type": "Wifi",
    "error": "WlanOpenHandle() failed",
    "stat": 0.6614103550091386
  },
  {
    "type": "DateTime",
    "result": "2026-05-12T15:50:03.988+0300",
    "stat": 0.012543989811092615
  },
  {
    "type": "Locale",
    "result": "en-GB",
    "stat": 0.0034210877493023872
  },
  {
    "type": "Vulkan",
    "error": "ffvkCreateInstance() failed: VK_ERROR_INCOMPATIBLE_DRIVER",
    "stat": 1.632999359164387
  },
  {
    "type": "OpenGL",
    "result": {
      "version": "1.1.0",
      "renderer": "GDI Generic",
      "vendor": "Microsoft Corporation",
      "slv": "",
      "library": "WGL 1.0"
    },
    "stat": 61.86923689208925
  },
  {
    "type": "OpenCL",
    "result": {
      "version": "1.2",
      "name": "Intel(R) OpenCL",
      "vendor": "Intel(R) Corporation",
      "gpus": [
        {
          "type": "Integrated",
          "vendor": "Intel",
          "name": "Intel(R) HD Graphics",
          "driver": "10.18.10.5161",
          "platformApi": "OpenCL 1.2",
          "coreCount": 6,
          "frequency": 1050,
          "memory": {
            "dedicated": {
              "total": null,
              "used": null
            },
            "shared": {
              "total": 1468006400,
              "used": null
            }
          },
          "deviceId": 254802341376
        }
      ]
    },
    "stat": 9.634544170461595
  },
  {
    "type": "Users",
    "result": [
      {
        "name": "mrrrow",
        "hostName": "",
        "sessionName": "RDP-Tcp#1",
        "clientIp": "192.168.1.25",
        "loginTime": "2026-05-12T15:07:24.794+0300"
      }
    ],
    "stat": 10.275808118283749
  },
  {
    "type": "Bluetooth",
    "error": "BluetoothFindFirstDevice() failed",
    "stat": 0.8837810778059065
  },
  {
    "type": "BluetoothRadio",
    "error": "No Bluetooth radios found or service disabled",
    "stat": 0.7294519948773086
  },
  {
    "type": "Sound",
    "result": [
      {
        "name": "Remote Audio",
        "identifier": "{3.0.0.00000001}.{6C26BA7D-F0B2-4225-B422-8168C5261E45}",
        "platformApi": "Core Audio APIs",
        "type": [
          "main",
          "active"
        ],
        "volume": 100
      }
    ],
    "stat": 15.066471741069108
  },
  {
    "type": "Camera",
    "result": [],
    "stat": 2.9493580139242113
  },
  {
    "type": "Gamepad",
    "result": [],
    "stat": 0.015965077560395002
  },
  {
    "type": "Mouse",
    "result": [],
    "stat": 0.012543989345431328
  },
  {
    "type": "Keyboard",
    "result": [],
    "stat": 0.0026608463376760483
  },
  {
    "type": "Weather",
    "result": "+39°C - Sunny (cairo, cairo governorate, eg)",
    "stat": 0.18169778725132346
  },
  {
    "type": "NetIO",
    "result": [
      {
        "name": "Ethernet",
        "defaultRoute": true,
        "txBytes": 515,
        "rxBytes": 719,
        "txPackets": 3,
        "rxPackets": 5,
        "rxErrors": 0,
        "txErrors": 0,
        "rxDrops": 0,
        "txDrops": 0
      }
    ],
    "stat": 2.1769523578695953
  },
  {
    "type": "DiskIO",
    "result": [
      {
        "name": "WDC WD800BD-22MRA1",
        "devPath": "\\\\.\\PhysicalDrive0",
        "bytesRead": 1192857,
        "bytesWritten": 1343488,
        "readCount": 95,
        "writeCount": 38
      },
      {
        "name": "SAMSUNG HD105SI",
        "devPath": "\\\\.\\PhysicalDrive1",
        "bytesRead": 0,
        "bytesWritten": 0,
        "readCount": 0,
        "writeCount": 0
      },
      {
        "name": "WDC WD800AAJS-60B4A0",
        "devPath": "\\\\.\\PhysicalDrive2",
        "bytesRead": 0,
        "bytesWritten": 0,
        "readCount": 0,
        "writeCount": 0
      }
    ],
    "stat": 0.0885681682266295
  },
  {
    "type": "PhysicalDisk",
    "result": [
      {
        "name": "SAMSUNG HD105SI",
        "devPath": "\\\\?\\SCSI#Disk&Ven_SAMSUNG&Prod_HD105SI#4&108a8244&0&040000#{53f56307-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}",
        "interconnect": "SATA",
        "kind": "HDD",
        "size": 1000204886016,
        "serial": "S25GJDWZ100653",
        "removable": false,
        "readOnly": false,
        "unknown": false,
        "revision": "1AJ100E4",
        "temperature": null
      },
      {
        "name": "WDC WD800BD-22MRA1",
        "devPath": "\\\\?\\SCSI#Disk&Ven_WDC&Prod_WD800BD-22MRA1#4&108a8244&0&010000#{53f56307-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}",
        "interconnect": "SATA",
        "kind": null,
        "size": 80025280000,
        "serial": "WD-WMAM9AMN4867",
        "removable": false,
        "readOnly": false,
        "unknown": false,
        "revision": "10.01E01",
        "temperature": null
      },
      {
        "name": "WDC WD800AAJS-60B4A0",
        "devPath": "\\\\?\\SCSI#Disk&Ven_WDC&Prod_WD800AAJS-60B4A0#4&108a8244&0&050000#{53f56307-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}",
        "interconnect": "SATA",
        "kind": null,
        "size": 80026361856,
        "serial": "WD-WCAT21196424",
        "removable": false,
        "readOnly": false,
        "unknown": false,
        "revision": "02.03A02",
        "temperature": null
      }
    ],
    "stat": 7.094196238089353
  },
  {
    "type": "TPM",
    "error": "TPM device is not found",
    "stat": 0.7982538766227663
  },
  {
    "type": "Version",
    "result": {
      "projectName": "fastfetch",
      "sysName": "Windows",
      "architecture": "x86_64",
      "version": "2.62.1",
      "versionGit": "",
      "cmakeBuiltType": "RelWithDebInfo",
      "compileTime": "Apr 23 2026, 12:15:32",
      "compiler": "clang 22.1.4",
      "debugMode": false,
      "libc": "ucrt 14.0"
    },
    "stat": 0.0034210877493023872
  },
  {
    "type": "Break",
    "error": "Unsupported for JSON format",
    "stat": 0.0015204837545752525
  },
  {
    "type": "Colors",
    "error": "Unsupported for JSON format",
    "stat": 0.003801208920776844
  }
]

Features built-in

threads
vulkan
imagemagick7
chafa
zlib
opencl
libzfs
Windows 8.1 Compatibility

[CarterLi]

You have to use ConEmu

Or, you can disable the colors via fastfetch -l none --pipe

[Saraistupid]

apparently ansicon DOES work, just not on the scoop release for whatever reason. (also unrelated but Windows Embedded doesnt get detected properly, should i create a separate issue for that?)