Because Mac is designed for everybody to create amazing things. Voice Control Use your voice to make things happen. Now you can fully control your Mac using only your voice. 1 Quickly open and interact with apps, search the web, and write and edit more efficiently with rich text editing commands. Test and improve various characteristics of your display such as contrast, banding and gamma level! You can also test for dead pixels and try to repair burn-in! Features:. Tests and instructions on how to improve the contrast, gamma, sharpness, banding, white level and black level. C-MAP App maps are carefully crafted to highlight what is most important at any given time. We maintain accuracy and avoid having a cluttered view. The maps are smart too, adjusting the colours and contrast automatically, so you’ll always be able to read them clearly. The C-MAP App is powered by data from official hydrographic offices.
Introduction
![Contrast Check Mac App Contrast Check Mac App](/uploads/1/3/4/2/134251161/361928397.png)
This article outlines tools and techniques that can be used to evaluate contrast and color use. Before beginning evaluation, please review the previous page on understanding WCAG 2 contrast and color requirements.
There are several tools to help you evaluate contrast, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. This page will cover the following tools:
- WebAIM contrast checker
- WebAIM link contrast checker
- WAVE
- ColorZilla eyedropper
- Colour Contrast Analyser
- Accessibility Checker in Microsoft Office
The next page in this article will outline how to evaluate contrast using Chrome DevTools
WebAIM Contrast Checker
WebAIM offers an online contrast checker that will present the contrast difference between two colors, and will help you find a color that meets the desired level of contrast. To use our contrast checker, enter Hex color values in the Foreground Color and Background Color fields. You can also click the color box next to each field to select a color using a color picker window.
The tool will display the contrast ratio and show if you 'Pass' or 'Fail' Level AA and AAA requirements for both normal text and large text, and WCAG 2.1 Level AA non-text requirements—so there are five pass/fail possibilities.
If there is not enough contrast, use the Lightness sliders to change the foreground and/or background colors until you reach the desired contrast ratio.
Currently, this tool only accepts Hex color values and does not support alpha (transparency). If you are using a different color format like RGB, you may want to use a different contrast tool or use an online Hex color conversion tool.
WebAIM Link Contrast Checker
Unix apps on mac. If a link is only identified by a color difference (typically meaning that it is not underlined), WCAG requires a 3:1 contrast ratio between the link text and surrounding body text. This is in addition to the 4.5:1 contrast of the link text to the background, and the body text to the background. The WebAIM Link Contrast Checker lets you test these three contrast requirements at once. It is very similar to the contrast checker, but there are three color fields instead of two: Link Color, Body Text Color, and Background Color. The tool will then show if these colors pass or fail each of these three contrast requirements.
If one or more of these requirements fails, use the Lightness sliders to identify an acceptable color scheme. The best way to accomplish this is typically to darken the body text or lighten the background (assuming a dark on light color scheme). It may also be possible to lighten the text as well, but this will probably result in link text that is harder for everyone to read.
To keep the interface as simple as possible, this tool does not show Level AAA contrast requirements or contrast requirements for large text.
WAVE
The WAVE accessibility evaluation tool scans text and text background styles and identifies most instances of text that do not meet the WCAG 2.0 AA 4.5:1 contrast ratio. WAVE also checks 'Large Text' (as defined by WCAG) against the lower 3:1 contrast ratio requirement.
To use WAVE to find contrast issues:
- Go to wave.webaim.org, enter a webpage address, and run a WAVE scan, or use a WAVE browser extension to run WAVE directly in Chrome or Firefox.
- Select the Contrast button on the left-hand sidebar of the screen.
- An icon appears next to each instance of low-contrast text detected by WAVE.
- Click on an icon in the sidebar or within the page to see the contrast ratio for this text in the sidebar. The colors will appear in the Foreground color and Background color fields in the sidebar, followed by the contrast ratio.
- Use the lighter and darker options below each field to find a color combination that meets WCAG requirements.
WAVE cannot detect all contrast issues. It does not account for background images, gradients, transparency, etc. It also cannot detect text that is part of an image. A manual scan for these types of contrast issues is still necessary.
ColorZilla Eyedropper
Text often appears within images, or over images, gradients, and other backgrounds that are not a solid color. Testing contrast in these instances requires the use of an 'eyedropper' utility that allows you to select the color that appears in a specific place on the screen. ColorZilla is a popular eyedropper available for Chrome and Firefox.
After installing ColorZilla in your browser:
- Click the eyedropper icon that appears within the browser toolbar (). A crosshairs icon will appear.
- Center the crosshairs over the color you wish to select.
Click and the color value will be copied to your clipboard. - Paste this color into a contrast checker or into the WAVE contrast tool.
Enlarging the webpage sometimes makes it easier to select the desired color with an eyedropper. Use Ctrl (Windows) or command (Mac) and the + key to zoom in, the − key to zoom out, and 0 to reset the page size.
Colour Contrast Analyser
The Colour Contrast Analyser, or CCA, is a downloadable program for Windows and macOS that allows you to test contrast within any program. The program allows you to enter colors using RGB, hex, and HSL formats, and it supports testing of colors with alpha (transparency). But the main feature that sets it apart is its ability to use the eyedropper tool to measure the contrast of anything on the screen.
To do this, select the eyedropper in the Foreground colour section and use the eyedropper to select the text or foreground color. If the background is any color other than white, do the same with the Background colour eyedropper. CCA will notify you if the color combination meets AA and AAA requirements for text as well as WCAG 2.1 AA requirements for non-text content.
CCA's greatest strength may also be its greatest weakness—it is separate from the web browser. If an evaluator is comfortable digging into the HTML and CSS of a webpage, it is usually more efficient to use WAVE and Chrome DevTools to check contrast. But CCA is an excellent tool evaluating text in images, and it really shines when evaluating electronic documents, such as Word and PDF files.
An earlier version, called 'CCA Classic', is also available for download. The new version is more refined and useful overall, but the earlier version has a couple notable advantages:
- Better keyboard accessibility, including the ability to use the arrow keys with the color picker. This makes it much easier to select colors from small areas such as a text character.
- The ability to change just the lightness or luminance of a color. This is an important feature when trying to find a darker shade that meets WCAG contrast requirements with less change to the color itself. To enable this, select Options > Show Colour sliders > and check HSV. Then use the Value slider toward the bottom of the window to lighten or darken the color.
Microsoft Office 365 Accessibility Checker
Microsoft Office recently started identifying low-contrast text within its built-in accessibility checker. This feature is currently only available in Office 365 for Windows, but it is a welcome addition that will hopefully be included in future versions of Office for Mac as well.
https://zcmfjl.weebly.com/blog/photo-app-on-mac-wont-quit. To check for low-contrast text in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, select the Review tab > Check Accessibility. Text with low contrast is identified in the checker results as 'Hard-to-read text contrast'.
Click on a result to jump directly to that issue within the document.
It evaluates both text and background color, and it automatically applies the lower 3:1 contrast ratio to large text. However, like other tools, a manual scan for text in images, or text over images/gradients/etc. is still necessary.
Contrast Check Mac App Installer
Finding Your Own Process
There is no one 'best' tool for testing contrast. The tools you use will depend on the content being evaluated and on personal preference. Likewise, there is no single testing process that is best for all content. But most contrast evaluations will include at least these three 'steps' (although the order may vary):
- A preliminary scan for potential issues like:
- Color reliance (common in links and forms)
- Low contrast text
- Text in images
- Graphical objects or user interface components, as defined in WCAG 2.1
- Mouse hover and keyboard focus states
- When possible, an automated scan using WAVE or the accessibility checker in Microsoft Office (only available in Office 365 for Windows).
- A manual test of other potential issues using contrast checkers, ColorZilla, DevTools, Colour Contrast Analyser, or any combination of these.
Evaluating contrast and color use can take considerable time and effort, but this process will become more natural with time. Your preferred tools and methods will likely change with experience and may grow beyond what is outlined in this article, but applying the principles and steps in this article will provide a solid foundation of what is required in WCAG 2 and how to test for it.
Every Mac is built with assistive technologies to support people who are blind or have low vision. The VoiceOver screen reader describes exactly what’s happening on your screen. Hover Text lets you instantly magnify a selection of text. And Display Accommodations support color blindness and other vision needs.
Hover TextGet a quick size boost of what you’re reading.
Hover Text makes it easier to view text on your display. If a paragraph, caption, or headline is too small to read, just hover over it with your cursor and press Command. You’ll get a dedicated window with a large, high-resolution version of your selection. You can even choose the fonts and colors that work best for you.
VoiceOverHear what’s happening on your screen.
VoiceOver does more than tell you what’s happening on your Mac. It helps you make things happen. It gives you auditory descriptions of each onscreen element and provides helpful hints along the way — whether you prefer using gestures, a keyboard, or a braille display. And it supports more than 35 languages, including multiple voice options.
VoiceOverIntegrated throughout macOS and every built-in app.
VoiceOver is unique because it’s not a standalone screen reader. It’s deeply integrated in macOS and all the built-in apps on Mac. And as developers update their apps to take advantage of the accessibility interfaces provided by Apple, their apps can start working with VoiceOver right away.
VoiceOverImproved PDF, web, and messages navigation.
Contrast Check Mac App Download
We’ve refined VoiceOver to make it easier to navigate PDFs, websites, and messages. In Safari, improved conformance with HTML5 accessibility standards allows for more consistent navigation of websites. VoiceOver is now better at reading aloud tagged PDFs and email messages. If you start reading a website in a different language, VoiceOver can switch to the voice for that language automatically.¹ And you can add custom commands and workflows to your MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.
Audio DescriptionsHear the details in every scene.
Watch movies with detailed audio descriptions of every scene on your Mac. Movies with audio descriptions are displayed with the AD icon in the iTunes Store.
VoiceOverNavigate VoiceOver with simple gestures.
You can control VoiceOver using many of the same gestures you use with iOS. Touch the trackpad to hear a description of the item under your finger, drag to hear items continuously, and flick to move to the next item. Enable the VoiceOver Trackpad Commander, and the trackpad surface will represent the current window or document, so you can navigate quickly to any corner or edge with a tap.
VoiceOverA virtual controller with customizable commands.
VoiceOver features a virtual control called the rotor. Turning the rotor — by rotating two fingers on the trackpad as if you were turning an actual dial — lets you access an array of fully customizable commands. Use it to browse web pages more efficiently and intuitively. The rotor lists common elements like “headings,” “links,” and “images,” and lets you navigate directly to the element of your choosing.
VoiceOverPlug-and-play support for braille displays.
VoiceOver is the first screen reader to provide plug-and-play support for refreshable braille displays. Plug in or sync one of over 100 compatible displays, supporting more than 80 international tables, and the VoiceOver description is presented to you in braille. You can edit seamlessly in Grade 2 Braille, viewing your edits in the context of the actual line of text. Optimized for fast braille typists, VoiceOver makes working in braille easy and efficient. Converting between braille and text happens automatically so you see only Grade 2 Braille. And for sighted users who sit alongside you, there’s an onscreen braille panel that displays both braille and plain-text versions of the descriptions spoken by VoiceOver.
Dark ModeWorking hard gets easier on the eyes.
Dark Mode transforms the desktop and built-in apps with a dark color scheme that helps you focus on your work.2 The fine points of your content take center screen as toolbars and menus recede into the background. Light text against darker backdrops in Mail, Safari Reader, Calendar, and more makes everything easier to read in low lighting conditions. And the Accessibility preferences for increased contrast and reduced transparency work with Dark Mode enabled.
DictationYou say it. Mac types it.
Dictation lets you talk where you would type — and it works in over 40 languages. So you can reply to an email, search the web, or write a report using just your voice. Navigate to any text field, activate Dictation, then say what you want to write. macOS also comes with more than 50 editing and formatting commands. So you can turn on Dictation and tell your Mac to bold a paragraph, delete a sentence, or replace a word. You can also use Automator workflows to create your own Dictation commands.
SiriStreamline the things you do every day.
Siri helps you do more with your desktop.³ Ask Siri to send messages, track down files, create reminders, search the web, and even turn on and off VoiceOver and Invert Colors, without interrupting what you’re doing on the keyboard. And because Siri is integrated with VoiceOver, you can ask it to find a file and hear the answer read out loud. If you prefer to communicate by typing, you can easily set Siri to “Type to Siri” mode.
ZoomMake your screen up to 20 times bigger.
Zoom is a powerful built-in magnifier that lets you enlarge your screen up to 20 times, so you can better see what’s on the display. You can zoom using full screen or picture-in-picture, allowing you to see the zoomed area in a separate window while keeping the rest of the screen at its native size. A shortcut key lets you pan the screen without moving the pointer while zoomed in. macOS can also flash the screen for notifications offscreen or speak text under your pointer. The hardware acceleration engine lets you boost the size of anything on your screen — text on a web page, family photos, or a place on a map.
Zoom DisplaySee content up close and at a distance simultaneously.
Now with macOS Catalina, if you have two displays, you can keep one zoomed in close while the other stays at a standard resolution. https://zcmfjl.weebly.com/flowchart-mac-app-store.html. So you can tackle everyday work or give a presentation more efficiently.
Cursor SizeMagnify your cursor so it’s easier to use.
macOS lets you magnify your cursor so it’s easier to see where you are and follow along as you move around your Mac. Set the cursor size once and it stays magnified even when its shape changes. And when you swipe back and forth on your trackpad or quickly shake your mouse, the pointer grows so it’s easier to locate.
Contrast and Color OptionsInvert colors or enable color filters.
![App App](/uploads/1/3/4/2/134251161/649020757.png)
macOS lets you invert colors, enable grayscale, or choose from a range of color filters to support different forms of color blindness or other color vision deficiencies. You can select a common preset or fine-tune the color tint and hue to customize a display setting that works for you.
Reduce MotionDecrease the movement of onscreen elements.
If you’re affected by the motion of screen elements, you can turn on Reduce Motion to decrease movement in areas like Spaces, Notification Center, and the Dock.
Music, Podcasts, Books and TVNavigate and play with VoiceOver.
The Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, and Apple TV apps are compatible with VoiceOver, so you can navigate and play all your content even if you can’t see the screen. Browse the apps as VoiceOver reads out headers, links, and other elements on the page.
Resources
Support
User Guides
Download Unified English Braille version of macOS VoiceOver User Guide
Or order an embossed copy of macOS VoiceOver User Guide
Or order an embossed copy of macOS VoiceOver User Guide
External Resources
Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Explore instructional videos with tips on using vision accessibility features in macOS.
Learn more about the Hadley Institute instructional videos at their websiteJoin a community of blind and low-vision users of Apple products.
Learn more about AppleVis.com at their websiteGet information on the use of Apple products by those who are blind or low vision.