diff --git a/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/color.py b/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/color.py
index 83e8316914..a468d19634 100644
--- a/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/color.py
+++ b/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/color.py
@@ -107,6 +107,64 @@ def __init__(self, message):
 _force_color = None
 
 
+def try_enable_terminal_color_on_windows():
+    """Turns coloring in Windows terminal by enabling VTP in Windows consoles (CMD/PWSH/CONHOST)
+    Method based on the link below
+    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/console/console-virtual-terminal-sequences#example-of-enabling-virtual-terminal-processing
+
+    Note: No-op on non windows platforms
+    """
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        import ctypes
+        import msvcrt
+        from ctypes import wintypes
+
+        try:
+            ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING = 0x0004
+            DISABLE_NEWLINE_AUTO_RETURN = 0x0008
+            kernel32 = ctypes.WinDLL("kernel32")
+
+            def _err_check(result, func, args):
+                if not result:
+                    raise ctypes.WinError(ctypes.get_last_error())
+                return args
+
+            kernel32.GetConsoleMode.errcheck = _err_check
+            kernel32.GetConsoleMode.argtypes = (
+                wintypes.HANDLE,  # hConsoleHandle, i.e. GetStdHandle output type
+                ctypes.POINTER(wintypes.DWORD),  # result of GetConsoleHandle
+            )
+            kernel32.SetConsoleMode.errcheck = _err_check
+            kernel32.SetConsoleMode.argtypes = (
+                wintypes.HANDLE,  # hConsoleHandle, i.e. GetStdHandle output type
+                wintypes.DWORD,  # result of GetConsoleHandle
+            )
+            # Use conout$ here to handle a redirectired stdout/get active console associated
+            # with spack
+            with open(r"\\.\CONOUT$", "w") as conout:
+                # Link above would use kernel32.GetStdHandle(-11) however this would not handle
+                # a redirected stdout appropriately, so we always refer to the current CONSOLE out
+                # which is defined as conout$ on Windows.
+                # linked example is follow more or less to the letter beyond this point
+                con_handle = msvcrt.get_osfhandle(conout.fileno())
+                dw_orig_mode = wintypes.DWORD()
+                kernel32.GetConsoleMode(con_handle, ctypes.byref(dw_orig_mode))
+                dw_new_mode_request = (
+                    ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING | DISABLE_NEWLINE_AUTO_RETURN
+                )
+                dw_new_mode = dw_new_mode_request | dw_orig_mode.value
+                kernel32.SetConsoleMode(con_handle, wintypes.DWORD(dw_new_mode))
+        except OSError:
+            # We failed to enable color support for associated console
+            # report and move on but spack will no longer attempt to
+            # color
+            global _force_color
+            _force_color = False
+            from . import debug
+
+            debug("Unable to support color on Windows terminal")
+
+
 def _color_when_value(when):
     """Raise a ValueError for an invalid color setting.
 
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/main.py b/lib/spack/spack/main.py
index b95a8562eb..8153839abc 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/main.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/main.py
@@ -605,6 +605,10 @@ def setup_main_options(args):
     for config_var in args.config_vars or []:
         spack.config.add(fullpath=config_var, scope="command_line")
 
+    # On Windows10 console handling for ASCI/VT100 sequences is not
+    # on by default. Turn on before we try to write to console
+    # with color
+    color.try_enable_terminal_color_on_windows()
     # when to use color (takes always, auto, or never)
     color.set_color_when(args.color)