Introduction
Colour filters and high contrast modes are designed to make screens easier to view for people with visual impairments, light sensitivity, or colour vision differences and deficiency. These tools help improve readability, reduce glare, and support better focus – especially for people with migraines, dyslexia, or fatigue.
Many people find these built-in Windows tools helpful for everyday use, particularly when working in bright environments or with complex documents.
Who this can help
Colour filters and high contrast settings can be useful for:
Visual impairments
- Improves visibility of text and interface elements
- Makes it easier to distinguish between colours
Colour vision deficiency (colour blindness)
- Adjusts colours to make content easier to read and interpret
- Helps differentiate information that relies on colour
Dyslexia or visual stress
- Reduces visual discomfort caused by bright backgrounds or certain colour combinations
- Makes reading feel calmer and more manageable
Migraines or light sensitivity
- Softens harsh colours and brightness
- Helps reduce triggers caused by visual strain
Fatigue or eye strain
Makes screen use more comfortable over longer periods
What these tools can do
- Apply colour filters across your screen to change how colours appear
- Enable high contrast mode to increase the difference between text and background
- Make text, links, and buttons stand out more clearly
- Reduce visual clutter by simplifying colour combinations
- Provide different preset themes to suit individual needs
Tips for getting the best experience
- Try different colour filters and contrast themes to find what feels most comfortable
- Use high contrast if you need clear, strong readability
- Use colour filters if you want a softer, more personalised view
- Combine with other settings, such as:
- Text size and scaling
- Screen brightness
- Take breaks if you experience eye strain – settings can help, but rest is still important
How to use Windows colour filters
- Press Windows key + U to open Accessibility settings
- Select Colour filters from the Vision section
- Use the toggle to turn the feature on
- Choose from filters such as:
- Red-green (for deuteranopia or protanopia)
- Blue-yellow (for tritanopia)
- Grayscale
- Inverted colours
- You can also enable the shortcut Windows key + Ctrl + C to toggle filters on and off quickly
How to use Windows High Contrast Mode
Windows High Contrast Mode offers predefined themes with strong contrast between text and background. It is useful for users who need clearer separation of screen elements.
These settings apply system-wide and are compatible with most applications, including Microsoft 365, Teams, and Edge.
- Press Windows key + U to open Accessibility settings
- Select Contrast themes from the Vision section
- Use the Contrast themes dropdown under the preview tiles to choose your preferred theme and press Apply
- You can easily undo the change by using the dropdown to choose None and pressing Apply again
ColorVeil
For more advanced control, ColorVeil is another free software option, however it is not built into Windows so it needs to be downloaded. You may need permission from your IT team to do this.
ColorVeil adds a color filter over your screen and over any application you are using. It helps with eye strain, Dyslexia, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, or Visual Stress.
You can easily turn the filter on and off, and customize the filter color and opacity. Try any color or tint to see which one works best for you – for example, choose Orange that is known to block out the blue light responsible for sleep deprivation.
For more information visit the ColourVeil website.