diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 87c9cdf..8e23c9b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     "name": "José Sánchez-Gallego",
     "email": "gallegoj@uw.edu"
   },
-  "version": "0.4.6",
+  "version": "0.4.7",
   "description": "SDSS observer graphical user interface",
   "repository": "github:albireox/boson",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/albireox/boson",
diff --git a/src/main/store/store.ts b/src/main/store/store.ts
index 03de04a..6c90b1a 100644
--- a/src/main/store/store.ts
+++ b/src/main/store/store.ts
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ const store = new Store({
         'STUI_Silence.wav',
       ]);
     },
+    '>=0.4.7': (st) => {
+      st.set('hal.useColours', false);
+    },
   },
 });
 
diff --git a/src/main/store/user.json b/src/main/store/user.json
index 26ae78d..a0118d1 100644
--- a/src/main/store/user.json
+++ b/src/main/store/user.json
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@
   },
   "hal": {
     "allowGotoFieldAutoMode": true,
-    "syncStages": false
+    "syncStages": false,
+    "useColours": false
   },
   "log": {
     "wrap": false,
@@ -53,18 +54,52 @@
       "exposure_start": "woodblock.wav",
       "exposure_end": "bell_soft_long.wav"
     },
-    "user_sounds": ["bar_long.wav", "bell_soft_long.wav", "bell_soft_short.wav", 
-                      "buzz_error_long.wav", "buzz_error_short.wav", "chime_long.wav", 
-                      "click.wav", "cowbell_high.wav", "cowbell_low.wav", "error.wav", 
-                      "high_buzz_error.wav", "hit_long.wav", "jingle_bell.wav", "low_error.wav",
-                      "marimba.wav", "marimba_sharp.wav", "synth_error_long.wav",  
-                      "synth_soft_short.wav","synth_string_echo.wav", "synth_strings_long.wav",
-                      "synth_strings_short.wav","woodblock.wav","AxisHalt.wav", "ExposureEnds.wav", 
-                      "MessageReceived.wav", "AxisSlew.wav", "STUI_AxisHalt.wav","STUI_AxisSlew.wav",
-                      "STUI_AxisTrack.wav","STUI_CommandDone.wav","STUI_CommandFailed.wav","STUI_CriticalAlert.wav",
-                      "STUI_ExposureBegins.wav","STUI_ExposureEnds.wav","STUI_FiducialCrossing.wav","STUI_Glass.wav",
-                      "STUI_GuidingBegins.wav","STUI_GuidingEnds.wav","STUI_GuidingFailed.wav","STUI_LogHighlightedText.wav",
-                      "STUI_MessageReceived.wav","STUI_NoGuideStar.wav","STUI_SeriousAlert.wav","STUI_Silence.wav"]
+    "user_sounds": [
+      "bar_long.wav",
+      "bell_soft_long.wav",
+      "bell_soft_short.wav",
+      "buzz_error_long.wav",
+      "buzz_error_short.wav",
+      "chime_long.wav",
+      "click.wav",
+      "cowbell_high.wav",
+      "cowbell_low.wav",
+      "error.wav",
+      "high_buzz_error.wav",
+      "hit_long.wav",
+      "jingle_bell.wav",
+      "low_error.wav",
+      "marimba.wav",
+      "marimba_sharp.wav",
+      "synth_error_long.wav",
+      "synth_soft_short.wav",
+      "synth_string_echo.wav",
+      "synth_strings_long.wav",
+      "synth_strings_short.wav",
+      "woodblock.wav",
+      "AxisHalt.wav",
+      "ExposureEnds.wav",
+      "MessageReceived.wav",
+      "AxisSlew.wav",
+      "STUI_AxisHalt.wav",
+      "STUI_AxisSlew.wav",
+      "STUI_AxisTrack.wav",
+      "STUI_CommandDone.wav",
+      "STUI_CommandFailed.wav",
+      "STUI_CriticalAlert.wav",
+      "STUI_ExposureBegins.wav",
+      "STUI_ExposureEnds.wav",
+      "STUI_FiducialCrossing.wav",
+      "STUI_Glass.wav",
+      "STUI_GuidingBegins.wav",
+      "STUI_GuidingEnds.wav",
+      "STUI_GuidingFailed.wav",
+      "STUI_LogHighlightedText.wav",
+      "STUI_MessageReceived.wav",
+      "STUI_NoGuideStar.wav",
+      "STUI_SeriousAlert.wav",
+      "STUI_Silence.wav"
+    ]
   },
   "maxLogMessages": 50000,
   "updateChannel": "stable",
diff --git a/src/renderer/HAL/ApogeeDomeFlat.tsx b/src/renderer/HAL/ApogeeDomeFlat.tsx
index 5154f2e..2b75c96 100644
--- a/src/renderer/HAL/ApogeeDomeFlat.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/HAL/ApogeeDomeFlat.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export default function ApogeeDomeFlat() {
   const isRunning = useIsMacroRunning(macroName);
 
   return (
-    <MacroPaper>
+    <MacroPaper backcolor='#FF980030'>
       <Stack
         direction='column'
         divider={<Divider variant='middle' sx={{ opacity: 0.8 }} />}
diff --git a/src/renderer/HAL/Components/MacroPaper.tsx b/src/renderer/HAL/Components/MacroPaper.tsx
index fe0cc96..66915a8 100644
--- a/src/renderer/HAL/Components/MacroPaper.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/HAL/Components/MacroPaper.tsx
@@ -8,20 +8,30 @@
 import { Paper } from '@mui/material';
 import React from 'react';
 import { useAutoPilotMacroName } from 'renderer/HAL/AutoPilot';
+import { useStore } from 'renderer/hooks';
 import useIsMacroRunning from 'renderer/hooks/useIsMacroRunning';
 
-export default function MacroPaper(props: React.PropsWithChildren) {
-  const { children } = props;
+interface MacroPaperProps {
+  backcolor?: string;
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+}
+
+export default function MacroPaper(props: MacroPaperProps) {
+  const { backcolor, children } = props;
 
   const autoPilotMacroName = useAutoPilotMacroName();
   const autoIsRunning = useIsMacroRunning(autoPilotMacroName);
 
+  const [useBackcolor] = useStore<boolean>('hal.useColours');
+
+  console.log(useBackcolor);
   return (
     <Paper
       variant='outlined'
       sx={{
         pointerEvents: autoIsRunning ? 'none' : 'inherit',
         opacity: autoIsRunning ? 0.6 : 'inherit',
+        backgroundColor: useBackcolor && backcolor ? backcolor : 'inherit',
       }}
     >
       {children}
diff --git a/src/renderer/HAL/Expose.tsx b/src/renderer/HAL/Expose.tsx
index 5f48ebe..ba23dac 100644
--- a/src/renderer/HAL/Expose.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/HAL/Expose.tsx
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ export default function Expose() {
 
   return (
     <>
-      <MacroPaper>
+      <MacroPaper backcolor='#448AFF30'>
         <Stack
           direction='column'
           divider={<Divider variant='middle' sx={{ opacity: 0.8 }} />}
diff --git a/src/renderer/HAL/GotoField.tsx b/src/renderer/HAL/GotoField.tsx
index 5fb2d70..97d47bf 100644
--- a/src/renderer/HAL/GotoField.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/HAL/GotoField.tsx
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export default function GotoField() {
   }, [configurationLoadedKw, isExposing]);
 
   return (
-    <MacroPaper>
+    <MacroPaper backcolor='#F4433630'>
       <Stack
         direction='column'
         divider={<Divider variant='middle' sx={{ opacity: 0.8 }} />}
diff --git a/src/renderer/HAL/Scripts.tsx b/src/renderer/HAL/Scripts.tsx
index adddc93..33e2136 100644
--- a/src/renderer/HAL/Scripts.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/HAL/Scripts.tsx
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export default function Scripts() {
   }, [runningScriptsKw, handleScriptChange]);
 
   return (
-    <MacroPaper>
+    <MacroPaper backcolor='#9C27B030'>
       <Stack
         alignItems='baseline'
         direction='row'
diff --git a/src/renderer/Preferences/Panes/Tools/HALPane.tsx b/src/renderer/Preferences/Panes/Tools/HALPane.tsx
index 600fbe9..765848a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Preferences/Panes/Tools/HALPane.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/Preferences/Panes/Tools/HALPane.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,16 @@ function SyncStages() {
   );
 }
 
+function UseColours() {
+  return (
+    <BooleanOption
+      param='hal.useColours'
+      title='Use colours'
+      description='Use different colours for the background of the HAL macros'
+    />
+  );
+}
+
 export default function LogWindowPane() {
   return (
     <Pane title='HAL'>
@@ -38,6 +48,7 @@ export default function LogWindowPane() {
           <Stack width='100%' direction='column' spacing={2.5}>
             <GotoAutoMode />
             <SyncStages />
+            <UseColours />
           </Stack>
         </Grid>
       </Grid>