diff --git a/Lib/argparse.py b/Lib/argparse.py
index 398825508f5..1d550264ae4 100644
--- a/Lib/argparse.py
+++ b/Lib/argparse.py
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@
 import os as _os
 import re as _re
 import sys as _sys
-
-from gettext import gettext as _, ngettext
+from gettext import gettext as _
+from gettext import ngettext
 
 SUPPRESS = '==SUPPRESS=='
 
@@ -191,10 +191,10 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._set_color(False)
 
-    def _set_color(self, color):
+    def _set_color(self, color, *, file=None):
         from _colorize import can_colorize, decolor, get_theme
 
-        if color and can_colorize():
+        if color and can_colorize(file=file):
             self._theme = get_theme(force_color=True).argparse
             self._decolor = decolor
         else:
@@ -1675,7 +1675,7 @@ def _get_optional_kwargs(self, *args, **kwargs):
         option_strings = []
         for option_string in args:
             # error on strings that don't start with an appropriate prefix
-            if not option_string[0] in self.prefix_chars:
+            if option_string[0] not in self.prefix_chars:
                 raise ValueError(
                     f'invalid option string {option_string!r}: '
                     f'must start with a character {self.prefix_chars!r}')
@@ -2455,7 +2455,7 @@ def _parse_optional(self, arg_string):
             return None
 
         # if it doesn't start with a prefix, it was meant to be positional
-        if not arg_string[0] in self.prefix_chars:
+        if arg_string[0] not in self.prefix_chars:
             return None
 
         # if the option string is present in the parser, return the action
@@ -2717,14 +2717,16 @@ def _check_value(self, action, value):
     # Help-formatting methods
     # =======================
 
-    def format_usage(self):
-        formatter = self._get_formatter()
+    def format_usage(self, formatter=None):
+        if formatter is None:
+            formatter = self._get_formatter()
         formatter.add_usage(self.usage, self._actions,
                             self._mutually_exclusive_groups)
         return formatter.format_help()
 
-    def format_help(self):
-        formatter = self._get_formatter()
+    def format_help(self, formatter=None):
+        if formatter is None:
+            formatter = self._get_formatter()
 
         # usage
         formatter.add_usage(self.usage, self._actions,
@@ -2746,9 +2748,9 @@ def format_help(self):
         # determine help from format above
         return formatter.format_help()
 
-    def _get_formatter(self):
+    def _get_formatter(self, file=None):
         formatter = self.formatter_class(prog=self.prog)
-        formatter._set_color(self.color)
+        formatter._set_color(self.color, file=file)
         return formatter
 
     def _get_validation_formatter(self):
@@ -2765,12 +2767,26 @@ def _get_validation_formatter(self):
     def print_usage(self, file=None):
         if file is None:
             file = _sys.stdout
-        self._print_message(self.format_usage(), file)
+        formatter = self._get_formatter(file=file)
+        try:
+            usage_text = self.format_usage(formatter=formatter)
+        except TypeError:
+            # Backward compatibility for formatter classes that
+            # do not accept the 'formatter' keyword argument.
+            usage_text = self.format_usage()
+        self._print_message(usage_text, file)
 
     def print_help(self, file=None):
         if file is None:
             file = _sys.stdout
-        self._print_message(self.format_help(), file)
+        formatter = self._get_formatter(file=file)
+        try:
+            help_text = self.format_help(formatter=formatter)
+        except TypeError:
+            # Backward compatibility for formatter classes that
+            # do not accept the 'formatter' keyword argument.
+            help_text = self.format_help()
+        self._print_message(help_text, file)
 
     def _print_message(self, message, file=None):
         if message:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_argparse.py b/Lib/test/test_argparse.py
index 7c5eed21219..ab5382e41e7 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_argparse.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_argparse.py
@@ -7558,6 +7558,40 @@ def test_error_and_warning_not_colorized_when_disabled(self):
         self.assertNotIn('\x1b[', warn)
         self.assertIn('warning:', warn)
 
+    def test_print_help_uses_target_file_for_color_decision(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG', color=True)
+        parser.add_argument('--opt')
+        output = io.StringIO()
+        calls = []
+
+        def fake_can_colorize(*, file=None):
+            calls.append(file)
+            return file is None
+
+        with swap_attr(_colorize, 'can_colorize', fake_can_colorize):
+            parser.print_help(file=output)
+
+        self.assertIs(calls[-1], output)
+        self.assertIn(output, calls)
+        self.assertNotIn('\x1b[', output.getvalue())
+
+    def test_print_usage_uses_target_file_for_color_decision(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG', color=True)
+        parser.add_argument('--opt')
+        output = io.StringIO()
+        calls = []
+
+        def fake_can_colorize(*, file=None):
+            calls.append(file)
+            return file is None
+
+        with swap_attr(_colorize, 'can_colorize', fake_can_colorize):
+            parser.print_usage(file=output)
+
+        self.assertIs(calls[-1], output)
+        self.assertIn(output, calls)
+        self.assertNotIn('\x1b[', output.getvalue())
+
 
 class TestModule(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_deprecated__version__(self):
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-10-23-06-38-35.gh-issue-139946.HZa5hu.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-10-23-06-38-35.gh-issue-139946.HZa5hu.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fb479317284
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-10-23-06-38-35.gh-issue-139946.HZa5hu.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Distinguish stdout and stderr when colorizing output in argparse module.