Adjust Display Contrast and Color Filters in macOS 13

macOS 13 Ventura includes built-in accessibility features designed to improve on-screen readability for users with visual impairments, color vision deficiencies, or light sensitivity. Through the redesigned System Settings menu, you can quickly increase interface contrast, reduce transparency, or apply dedicated color filters such as Grayscale, Protanopia, Deuteranopia, and Tritanopia presets.

Access the Display Accessibility Menu

  1. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of the screen.
  2. Select System Settings.
  3. In the left sidebar, click Accessibility.
  4. In the right pane, select Display.

Adjust Display Contrast

Within the Display section, you can modify contrast settings to make borders, buttons, and UI elements easier to distinguish:

  • Increase Contrast: Turn this toggle on to increase the contrast of UI elements (such as borders and backgrounds) without altering the colors of images or web content.
  • Reduce Transparency: Turn this toggle on to replace translucent window backgrounds with solid colors, significantly improving text readability against desktop wallpapers.
  • Display Contrast Slider: Drag the slider toward the right to manually increase overall screen contrast. Dragging it too far may cause fine details to clip, so adjust it gradually to find a comfortable level.
  • Differentiate without color: Turn this toggle on to use shapes alongside colors to convey status or information across macOS.

Enable and Customize Color Filters

Color filters alter the entire display palette to assist with specific types of color blindness or eye strain:

  1. Scroll down to the Color Filters section within the Display settings.
  2. Turn on the toggle switch next to Color Filters.
  3. Click the Filter type dropdown menu and choose the option that fits your visual needs:
    • Grayscale: Removes all color, rendering the screen in black, white, and gray tones.
    • Red/Green filter (Protanopia): Assists users with reduced sensitivity to red light.
    • Green/Red filter (Deuteranopia): Assists users with reduced sensitivity to green light.
    • Blue/Yellow filter (Tritanopia): Assists users with difficulty distinguishing blue and yellow shades.
    • Color Tint: Covers the entire screen in a specific hue of your choice.
  4. If you select a color-blindness filter or Color Tint, use the Intensity slider below the dropdown to increase or decrease the filter's strength.

Quickly Toggle Filters with Accessibility Shortcuts

To turn these settings on or off without opening System Settings each time:

  1. Press Option + Command + F5 (or triple-click Touch ID / power button) to open the Accessibility Shortcuts panel.
  2. Select or deselect Invert Colors or Display options as needed to toggle adjustments instantly.