How to use color filters on Windows 10 April 2018 Update

By Mauro Huculak
published

Here are the steps to get started with color filters on Windows 10 with the options available starting version 1803.

In order to make Windows 10 more accessible, Ease of Access is getting a bunch of improvements with the April 2018 Update (version 1803), including with a dedicated settings page to manage the "color filters" feature.

Color filters is a feature that Microsoft has built to help users to improve the visualization of elements on the screen, and to aid users with color blindness to see the difference between colors while working on apps or viewing content.

Furthermore, color filters work at a system level, meaning that it's a feature that will work with the elements of Windows 10 as well as with apps, including Microsoft Store apps and classic (win32) programs.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started and manage color filters settings in the spring update.

How to manage color filters on Windows 10

In order to apply a color filter on Windows 10, use the following steps:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Click on Ease of Access.
  3. Click on Color filters.
  4. Under "Use color filters," turn on the toggle switch.
  5. Check the Allow the shortcut key to toggle filter on or off option. (It's recommended to enable this feature to turn the feature on or off using the keyboard more quickly.)

Once you've enabled the feature, you'll be able to select the color filter that best suits your needs grouped by filters that let you improve the visualization of elements on the screen, and filters specifically created to help color blindness users.

Color filters:

  • Inverted (reverse colors on the display).

  • Grayscale.

  • Grayscale inverted.

Color blindness filters:

  • Red-green (green weak, deuteranopia).

  • Red-green (red weak, protanopia).

  • Blue-yellow (tritanopia).

Also at the bottom of the page, you'll find a color wheel that helps users to test the filter.

The color filters feature was initially introduced with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, but the experience has been updated with the release of version 1803.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

Mauro Huculak
Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community.

8 Comments
  • Cool. Didn't know this exists, thanks.
  • is this a insider version? o real
  • Xbox should add this. I sometimes have trouble in Halo with the colours. And there's no option in the game itself.
  • Standing ovation for MS differentiating between deuteranopia and protanopia on the red-green filters. We protanopes are grateful.
  • Fun fact: Bill Gates is color blind so he may have had a lot of input to give for this.
  • That's really great to see them making this change. Where can I get that wallpaper?
  • I used to work with a person with badly impaired vision, so I am sure she and many others will greatly appreciate these features. Cool seeing so many improvements in Windows 10. You really cannot appreciate all the goodness unless you really dig into the OS itself.
  • This feature has been around since 1709. This isn't new. I'm happy that people are getting visibility over it but it isn't new to 1803 which the headline implies. I know the article clarifies this but perhaps the title should be updated also.