What your stool color means
Pick the color closest to yours. Each guide explains common causes in plain language and the signs that mean you should see a doctor.
Black and tarry, red or maroon, or pale and white? Those can be urgent. Check the warning signs. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.
General information only, not medical advice. StoolColor is not written by a doctor and cannot diagnose you. Read the medical disclaimer.
- BrownLight to dark brown is the usual rangeUsually normal
- GreenLeafy greens, iron, dye or fast digestionOften harmless
- YellowGreasy, smelly yellow stool needs a closer lookKeep an eye on it
- OrangeCarrots, sweet potato and some medicinesOften food
- Red or maroonBeets or dye, or blood from the lower gutCan be urgent
- BlackIron and Pepto-Bismol, or upper gut bleedingCan be urgent
- Pale, clay or whiteBile may not be reaching the gutGet it checked
- Blue or purpleUsually food dye or blueberriesOften food dye
How worried should you be?
Many color changes come from food, dye or medicine and pass in a day or two. Published medical guidance treats three colors differently.
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Usually normal
Shades of brown. Green, orange, blue or purple after food, dye or supplements, if you feel well.
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Keep an eye on it
Greasy, pale yellow stool that floats, or any change lasting more than a few days with no clear cause.
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Can be urgent
Black and tarry, red or maroon blood, and pale, clay or white stool. These can mean bleeding or a blocked bile duct.
These groups are a general guide, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about any change, or you feel unwell, contact a clinician whatever the color.
Warning signs to know
These are signs that published medical guidance says need prompt or urgent care. The list is not complete, and ticking boxes cannot tell you whether you are ill. If you are worried, contact a clinician whatever you tick.
Every guide on the site
Color is one clue. Shape, blood, mucus and your age or your baby's age all change what a stool can mean.
Stool color
- Stool color chartEvery color side by side, with causes and what to do
- Green poopWhy it happens and when it matters
- Yellow stoolDiet, diarrhea or fat that is not absorbed
- Black stoolIron and bismuth, or bleeding
- Pale or clay-colored stoolIncluding white and gray stool
- Foods and medicinesBeets, dye, iron, Pepto-Bismol and antibiotics
Appearance and life stages
- Blood in stoolBright red, maroon or black, and when it is an emergency
- Bristol stool chartSeven stool types, from constipation to diarrhea
- Mucus in stoolWhen a little is normal and when it can point to a problem
- Loose or watery stoolDiarrhea causes, hydration and warning signs
- Baby poop colorNewborn and infant colors, from meconium to solids
- Stool color in pregnancyPrenatal iron, constipation and what to report
- All appearance guidesShape, consistency, smell, floating stool and more
Why stool is brown, and why it changes
Stool gets its brown color from bile, a fluid your liver makes to digest fat. Bile starts out green-yellow. As it moves through your intestines, bacteria change it, and it turns brown. Many color changes come down to what you ate, how fast food moved through your gut, or how much bile reached your intestines.
Food dyes, leafy greens, beets, iron tablets and some medicines can all change stool color for a day or two. Those changes are common and usually harmless. A color that stays different for more than a few days, or one that comes with pain, fever, weight loss or blood, is worth checking with a clinician.
Questions to ask yourself before you call
- What did I eat or take in the last two or three days? Foods with strong color or dye, new medicines and supplements are common causes. Tell your clinician about them.
- Do I have other symptoms? Belly pain, fever, dizziness, yellow skin, vomiting or weight loss change the picture.
- How long has it lasted? A single odd stool usually matters less than a color that stays for days.
About StoolColor
Each guide explains possible causes in plain language, describes signs that published medical guidance treats as urgent, and lists the sources it draws on. StoolColor is not written or reviewed by a doctor. It cannot diagnose anything and does not replace a clinician. Read more on the about page.