To turn on a high-contrast display in Windows, open Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes in Windows 11, or Settings > Ease of Access > High contrast in Windows 10. Choose a theme and apply it. To quickly toggle the feature, press Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen. Windows 11 calls the feature “Contrast themes”; Windows 10 uses “High contrast.”
If the colors make the screen difficult to use, press the same shortcut to turn the feature off, or use the Windows-specific Settings steps below.
What Windows high-contrast themes change
A contrast theme uses distinct colors for interface elements such as backgrounds, text, hyperlinks, inactive or disabled text, selected text, and button labels. The aim is to make controls and their states easier to distinguish—not simply to make the screen dark. The feature can affect Windows and many compatible applications, including Microsoft 365 apps, but individual programs may override system colors or support only some of them. See Microsoft’s Windows contrast-theme instructions and Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 accessibility guidance.
Turn on a theme
Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Accessibility > Contrast themes.
- Open the Contrast themes menu and choose a preset.
- Select Apply. Windows may briefly show a “Please wait” screen while it changes the colors.
Windows 10
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Ease of Access > High contrast.
- Turn on Turn on high contrast, then choose a theme under Choose a theme.
- Select Apply.
These labels and controls differ by Windows version. For either version, Windows key + U opens Accessibility settings. The full paths are also listed in Microsoft’s Windows instructions and accessibility keyboard shortcuts.
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Choose and customize colors that work for you
There is no universally best preset: visibility depends on your eyes, display, lighting, and the applications you use. Try each relevant preset in your everyday apps. Check that ordinary text is comfortable to read; links stand apart from surrounding text; focus indicators, selected text, and disabled controls are recognizable; and icons, charts, images, and status indicators remain understandable.
Customize in Windows 11
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes and choose a preset.
- Select Edit, then select the colored rectangle for the interface element you want to change.
- Choose a color and adjust its brightness. The editor supports RGB, HSV, and hexadecimal color values.
- Select Done. To keep the customized colors as a theme, select Save as, enter a name, then select Save and apply.
Customize in Windows 10
- Go to Settings > Ease of Access > High contrast and choose a theme.
- Select a colored rectangle beneath the theme selector and change the color for that interface element.
- Select Done, then Apply.
The editor’s options and labels vary between Windows 10 and Windows 11. For guidance on the Windows 11 color controls and testing the result in frequently used apps, see Microsoft’s color and contrast guidance.
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What the color settings mean
| Setting | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Background | The background behind much of the text and interface. |
| Text | Ordinary text. |
| Hyperlinks | Links in Windows and application interfaces that honor this setting. |
| Inactive text / Disabled text | Labels or controls that are unavailable or de-emphasized. |
| Selected text | Text or items currently selected. |
| Button text | Text shown on buttons. |
Names and results can vary by version and app. Changing a color does not guarantee that every program will use it.
Turn the theme off or recover from hard-to-read colors
- Windows 11: Open Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes, choose None, then select Apply.
- Windows 10: Open Settings > Ease of Access > High contrast and turn off Turn on high contrast.
- Either version: Press Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen to toggle the selected contrast theme on or off.
- Before signing in: At the sign-in screen, select the accessibility control in the lower-right corner to change the high-contrast option. See Microsoft’s sign-in-screen guidance.
The shortcut may appear on your keyboard as PrtSc, PrtScn, or Print Scr. Some laptops require Fn with Print Screen, and some do not have a dedicated key; if it does not work, use Settings.
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Choose the accessibility feature that fits the problem
| Feature | Best suited to | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast themes | Text, links, and controls that blend into their backgrounds. | Multiple foreground and background colors, including selected and inactive states. |
| Dark mode | A preference for darker surfaces when existing text and controls are already clear. | Primarily Windows and app surface colors; it is not the same as a comprehensive contrast theme. |
| Color filters | Difficulty distinguishing colors that look similar, including some color-vision deficiencies. | The display’s color palette rather than just interface foreground and background contrast. |
| Magnifier or text scaling | Content that is too small or fine detail that is hard to inspect. | Magnifier enlarges content; text-size settings enlarge text rather than changing color contrast. |
For color filters, open Settings > Accessibility > Color filters in Windows 11 or Settings > Ease of Access > Color filters in Windows 10. Some older Windows 10 builds place the control under Color & high contrast. Filters and contrast themes can be used together, but test the combined result because colors may look unexpected; Microsoft describes the distinction in its Windows color-filter guide.
If the goal is darker colors rather than stronger distinctions, open Settings > Personalization > Colors. Windows lets you choose light or dark modes for Windows and apps independently under Custom; these appearance settings do not replace a contrast theme when controls need clearer separation. See Microsoft’s Windows color-personalization guide.
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Magnifier can help with small content: press Windows key + Plus (+) to turn it on or zoom in, Windows key + Minus (-) to zoom out, or Windows key + Esc to close it. While Magnifier is active, Ctrl + Alt + I inverts colors. These shortcuts are listed in Microsoft’s accessibility keyboard-shortcut guide. Contrast themes do not automatically enlarge text or solve needs that call for pointer customization, a more visible text cursor, reduced transparency, or Narrator.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot themes that do not look right
The shortcut does nothing
Check that you used the left Alt and left Shift keys, and that the selected contrast theme is configured in Settings. If your keyboard requires Fn for Print Screen, try Fn + Print Screen with the shortcut. Laptop keyboards and manufacturer utilities may handle the key differently; use the Settings path if the shortcut remains unavailable.
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Some text or controls keep their old colors
An app may ignore or override some Windows system colors. Compare with another app and check whether the affected program has its own theme or accessibility setting. The result can also differ between a browser and a website; websites may apply their own colors, images, or styles. Microsoft documents high-contrast support in Edge, but that does not mean every site will render identically.
A theme works in one app but not another
Test links, keyboard focus, hover and selected states, disabled controls, buttons, menus, dialogs, and error messages in the apps you rely on. A color choice that improves one program can make another harder to read, and display brightness, night-light settings, and room lighting can affect what you see. Change individual colors if needed, then check the result in those same apps.
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