How do I use color filters to distinguish items on my screen?

Start by identifying one or two specific things that are hard to tell apart—for example, two colored status indicators or lines on a chart. Turn on a filter, then look at those same items again. A filter changes the screen’s color palette and can help distinguish items that differ only by color, but it is not a guarantee that every app or item will become easier to see. [S1]

Try the filter options one at a time rather than choosing based on the option name alone. The useful test is whether the particular labels, indicators, or graphics you care about are easier to distinguish.

In Windows 11, open Settings > Accessibility > Color filters. In Windows 10, open Settings > Ease of Access > Color filters. Turn the feature on, then choose an option from the list and check the result on your screen. [S1]

A practical way to compare options is to keep the same page or app open while you try them. Check more than one example if possible: a setting that helps with a chart might not make a small status icon clearer. When finished, return to the same setting and turn the feature off if you prefer the original colors.

For the macOS version covered by Apple’s guide, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Accessibility > Display > Color Filters. Turn on Color Filters, choose a filter type, and adjust its intensity. The Color Tint option also lets you choose a tint color. Apple notes that filters can change how images and video look, so include those in your check if they matter to your work. [S2]

Apple also describes Accessibility Shortcuts as a way to toggle Color Filters. The exact instructions and interactions may differ on other macOS versions, so if the labels or route on your Mac do not match, use the controls shown on your device rather than assuming the steps are identical. [S2]

Use a short, repeatable comparison. Note the item you are checking, try one filter, and ask whether you can distinguish the items more easily without losing useful detail elsewhere on the screen. Check ordinary content you use, such as a chart, app controls, images, or video. If one choice helps one example but makes another harder to read, record that trade-off; you can turn filters off or try another option.

Copy and fill in this note:

Device/version: [ ] Screen or app tested: [ ] Items I want to distinguish: [ ] Filter tried: [ ] Easier / unchanged / harder: [ ] Other content affected: [ ] Keep this setting? [ ]

This is a personal comparison, not a promise that a filter will work across every screen or app. The instructions explain how to enable and adjust filters; they do not establish which option will suit a particular person or interface.