Color Blindness Simulator
Simulate how your colors and designs appear to color-blind users in real-time.
Normal Vision
No color deficiencyProtanopia
Red-blind (1% of males)Deuteranopia
Green-blind (1% of males)Tritanopia
Blue-blind (Rare)Achromatopsia
Total color blindnessDesign tool guide · Color selection and accessibility
About Color Blindness Simulator
The Color Blindness Simulator previews how selected design colors may appear under several forms of color-vision deficiency. It can reveal color pairs that become harder to distinguish, but it is a design aid and not a clinical test or a complete accessibility assessment.
Color tools help inspect, compare, and create colors for an interface or graphic. A displayed HEX, RGB, HSL, palette, harmony, or contrast result describes specific color values; it does not automatically account for every font size, display, state, or accessibility need in a finished design.
How to Use This Tool
- 1.Load or select the design image or colors supported by the simulator.
- 2.Choose a simulation mode and compare the preview with the original appearance.
- 3.Look for information communicated only through color, then add labels, shapes, patterns, or contrast differences where needed.
Key Details About Color Blindness Simulator
1.Color formats describe the same color differently
HEX and RGB express channel values, while HSL describes hue, saturation, and lightness. Conversions can be rounded for display, so small differences in the final digits may occur without a meaningful visible change.
2.Palettes are design suggestions
Generated palettes and harmonies offer combinations based on color relationships. Use them as options, then decide which colors fit the brand, content hierarchy, and interaction states.
3.Contrast depends on the pair
A contrast ratio compares foreground and background colors. Check the actual text or control color against its surface; nearby colors in a palette do not tell you whether a particular pair is readable.
4.Simulation is an approximation
Color blindness simulations can help reveal possible perception differences, but they do not reproduce every person's vision or every display. Do not use color alone to convey important information.
How the Tool Works
A simulation applies a color transformation intended to approximate how color signals may be perceived under a selected deficiency model. Real vision varies between people, and a simulated image cannot represent every individual perception or viewing condition.
Example
Two chart lines that look distinct in the original may become similar in a red-green simulation. Adding different line patterns or labels can make the data easier to tell apart.
Where You Can Use Color Blindness Simulator
Review palettes, charts, interface states, maps, and visual assets before user testing.
Choosing interface colors
Explore a palette or harmony, then assign colors to clear roles such as background, text, border, and action.
Checking a text treatment
Enter the foreground and background values used by the design and review the ratio alongside the size and weight of the real text.
Matching an existing color
Use the picker or extracted palette to inspect a source color, then copy the format expected by your CSS, graphics, or design software.
Reviewing non-color cues
Use a simulation as one check, and make sure status, selection, errors, and charts also use labels, shapes, icons, or patterns.
Tips for Better Results
- Copy the exact color format your project expects and verify the value after pasting it.
- Check every important foreground and background pairing, including hover, disabled, and focus states.
- Review contrast with the actual font size and weight rather than judging by appearance alone.
- Do not communicate errors or status using color only; add text or another clear visual cue.
- Compare colors on more than one display when accurate brand matching matters.
Technical Limits and Review
The simulator does not diagnose a person, certify accessibility, or test text contrast. Use contrast tools, multiple visual cues, and feedback from people with varied vision. Do not treat one simulation mode as representative of everyone.
Color results are based on the values or pixels supplied and the calculation shown by the tool. Display calibration, transparency, surrounding colors, font rendering, and individual perception can affect the final experience. Treat contrast and simulation results as useful checks within a broader design review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this test whether someone is color blind?
No. It previews a design; clinical assessment requires an appropriate professional test.
If my design passes the simulation, is it accessible?
Not necessarily. Color is only one part of accessibility.
Should I use color alone to show errors?
No. Pair color with text, icons, patterns, or another clear cue.
Which color format should I copy?
Use the format required by the destination. CSS supports common HEX, RGB, and HSL forms, while other software may prefer a specific format.
Does a passing contrast result mean the whole page is accessible?
No. It applies to the tested pair and does not check labels, focus, states, layout, or all accessibility needs.
Why does an extracted color differ from the image?
Image compression, transparency, scaling, and nearby pixels can affect sampled values.
Are generated color harmonies guaranteed to look good?
They provide a mathematical relationship, but visual fit depends on context, content, and the design's purpose.