# First colour in colour palette unusable in index mode
**URL:** https://community.aseprite.org/t/first-colour-in-colour-palette-unusable-in-index-mode/1062
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [February 26, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.aseprite.org/t/first-colour-in-colour-palette-unusable-in-index-mode/1062 "2018-02-26T18:15:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DanTechGuy](https://community.aseprite.org/u/DanTechGuy)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.aseprite.org/t/first-colour-in-colour-palette-unusable-in-index-mode/1062/1 "2018-02-26T18:15:03Z")
When switching colour mode to indexed, the first colour in the palette is unusable. Well, it pretty much just turns into an eraser which is a little useless. Can someone please help to explain either what its actual purpose is, and how to stop it from doing that?
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### Author:  [@dacap](https://community.aseprite.org/u/dacap)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://community.aseprite.org/t/first-colour-in-colour-palette-unusable-in-index-mode/1062/2 "2018-02-27T20:18:03Z")
Generally the first color in the palette (index 0) is used to specify the “transparent color” on indexed images, useful for [transparent layers](https://www.aseprite.org/docs/layers/#transparent-layers). The only kind of layer that doesn’t use the transparent color is the [background layer](https://www.aseprite.org/docs/layers/#background-layer), so you can draw with the first palette color only in a Background layer.
You can also change the index used for transparency from _Sprite \> Properties_ menu, but it looks like you want to draw just inside a background layer so you can convert your layer to a background using the _Layer \> Background From Layer_ option and then you will be able to paint with the first palette color.