“In most operating systems and on some websites there is a high contrast mode, intended for use by visually impaired people. I have doubts, however, whether using such mode makes any sense – from what I know, such people usually decrease their screen resolution to make everything bigger… do you know anyone that uses this mode?”

— From a site versed in end-user experience

Tactful. The responses are good and civil, though.

Playing video games as a job: can’t wear a moustache; must wear a suit jacket.

With companies establishing “Pro Gamer Compounds”, competitive players now operate under abrasive fluorescent lights and bright monitors. High Contrast mode is not for disabled people, but everyone who uses computers.

This guide teaches you how to manage Windows OS’ High Contrast Mode.

 

Table of Cataracts

Dilemma
Basics
Setup (Windows)
Tips & Tricks
Ironing Out Issues
Closing & Shout-Out

Basics

High Contrast Mode declutters graphical elements, letting you use certain programs without killing your eyesight–ideal for productivity suites and casual net-browsing.  Our advice on prolonged computer use remains in effect.

Microsoft’s OS versions’ High Contrast Mode eliminates flowery “viz-bang”.  Windows 10 lets you set colors to seven elements:

Text
Highlighted Text
Disabled/Unclickable Text
Internet Hyperlinks
Button Dimensions
Button Text,
and Background.

#1A*: Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors (or Themes).
Right-Click the Start Button or the Desktop.

#1B: Go to Settings > Ease of Access > High Contrast (under Vision).

* You can stumble upon High Contrast settings via “Related Settings”; scroll to the bottom.

#2: Click “High Contrast Settings”.
Windows 10 includes prefabricated setups.

#3: Click an Element (e.g. Text).
The color selector should appear.  You can adjust color via RGB [Red, Green, Blue] or HSV [Hue, Saturation, Value] and adjust brightness with a slider.

#4: Click and drag about to adjust different values, then hit Apply.

You can type:
A) Hexadecimal numbers for R, G, & B (0-255 / 00-FF); or # & six hex digits.
B) 0-360 for Hues:
001-060: Red
061-120: Yellow
121-180: Green
181-240: Cyan
241-300: Blue
301-360: Magenta
C) 0-100 for Saturation & Value each.
D) A hexadecimal RGB sequence.

Or, just click and drag around the boxy rainbow.

#5: Repeat for each element.

#6: Type a name for your tailored version and press enter.
You may now select your setup.

#7: Experiment with your setup, changing whatever isn’t visible without straining.

The procedure for Windows 11 is identical to 10’s.

For Windows 7:

#1A: Right-Click Desktop > Personalize (very bottom)

#1B: Start > Control Panel
Find Ease of Access, then Click “Optimize Visual Display” > “Choose a High Contrast Theme”.

#2: Scroll to the Bottom of “High Contrast Themes” (Windows 7 features four prefabricated configurations).

#3: Click “Window Color” at the bottom of the Personalization panel to adjust the colors on display.

Tips & Tricks

Err towards low-light text–60-80% brightness for prominent and three-quarters that for disabled/unclickable text.

Black backgrounds, while ideal, can coexist with the Desktop background if you hate staring into voids.  Try to use a background picture that is neither bright nor rife with contrasts.

Brightness strains eyes not just but also monitors. If you use televisions, toggle brightness to the lowest-possible level, then adjust your configuration.  If your game’s sewers are pitch black, use gamma correction (where available).

When using the hexadecimal codes, the latter two digits represent Blue.  Gray and White contain it.  Yet, low-number Red & Green produces Brown/Sepia for marginally pleasant aesthetics.  These hexadecimal numbers produce a “fiery charcoal” setup:

#E67300 (Text)
#FFFF00 (Hyperlinks)
#800000 (Disabled Text)
#000000 (Selected Text A)
#FFB000 (Selected Text B)
#FFFFFF (Button Text A)**
#404040 (Button Text B)
#1A1A1A (Background)
** #00FF00 creates green buttons.

HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) better reflects how humans perceive color.  Hue is tint; Saturation is color compared to gray; Value is brightness (Adobe Photoshop semantically calls it HSB).  Designers use HSV more than the better-known computerized version, RGB.

Ironing-Out Issues

If your work-related machine’s settings are not handled locally, explain your situation to the IT dept. or manager.  They should sympathize with their employees’ ability to see.

Not every net browser plays nice with High Contrast.  Microsoft’s native fleet supports it; Firefox is touchy; anything Chrome-based flat-out rejects it.

Old blogs, sites, and Windows-based programs may use image, text, and assets that extend beyond and grind against High Contrast Mode’s presentation.  Some adopt signature, native settings (e.g. LibreOffice).  Others are niche curiosities, independently cobbled together without regard for user experience (e.g. WhackEd4).

Until agreed-upon design asset construction standards exist, use traditional Theme configurations and turn off High Contrast Mode to assuage discomfort when using such programs.

If all else fails, have acetaminophen nearby.

Closing

High Contrast Mode can reduce strain and tension headaches from excessive computer use.

Now that you can set it up, I can see you are well-skilled.

Good hunting.

Shout-Out: NintendoComplete

Punching viewers since 2013.  And without vocal commentary.

First, I watched him play Konami’s The Goonies II for the NES [Nintendo Entertainment System].  His original video on the Nintendo port of Gyruss cinched my subscribing.

Look at his playlists!  YouTube video game players are dime-a-dozen, but name one who finishes myriad video games of several genres across countless systems quite like this.

Alex takes pride in showing optimal strategies for tricky games, from arcade coin-ops to CD-based full-motion videos.  His console role-playing videos lean towards grinding, but arcade games display delicious spatial awareness and lightning-fast cunning.

In the comments, I asked about his release schedule comfortably coinciding with the news cycle (e.g. Disney games as their company keeps appearing in the news).  Like any channel, Alex stores footage months in advance.  His playthrough of Will Harvey’s The Immortal (Nintendo port), a dark fantasy dungeon crawler, debuted in October.  Anyone who played that one knows everybody needs months of practice.

In one video, Alex had Mega Man die immediately multiple times.  I had never seen him do this and felt crushed.  For Alex, it was business as usual.  Mega Man 5 for the Game Boy Color lets players fail a stage four times so Dr. Light provides a “consolation prize power-up”.  It’s the game’s “Easy Mode” after suffering many crushing game overs on one stage.  You can see Capcom’s borderline condescension in games like Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry, too.

Some of Alex’s videos make for great background noise, like those for Vasteel, the TGCD’s sci-fi mecha strategy game with smooth, swinging jazz.  Nowadays, his YouTube videos’ descriptions include reviews and trivia to inform viewers of whether a vintage game is worth purchasing (they all look easy when Alex plays them).

Links:

https://ux.stackexchange.com/questions/27992/is-high-contrast-mode-really-useful
https://www.youtube.com/@NintendoComplete/featured