# Increase contrast

> 'Increase contrast' mode makes everything feel normal again.

A couple of weeks ago I had a Zoom chat with Decimal Jade,[^decimal] and noticed that her screen looked really really cool. _What's that?_, I asked her.

[^decimal]: Friends-of-the-system are bestowed with the honorific 'Decimal'.

It was macOS' [increase contrast](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/unac089/mac) accessibility mode, and it's changed my life.

Here's how a modern mail window looks.

<JDImage
  alt="A new mail in macOS' Mail.app."
  folder="blog"
  src="0075A-Mail_new_low_contrast--light-1120x678.png"
  width={560}
  height={339}
  caption="Figure 22.00.0075A. That's not a button…"
/>

And here's how it looks with increased contrast. (And Berkeley Mono set as the display font.)

<JDImage
  alt="A new mail in macOS' Mail.app. High contrast mode is on so every button has a border; every area of the window is delimited from the others with a strong line. Suddenly you know where you are again."
  folder="blog"
  src="0075B-Mail_new_high_contrast--light-1120x678.png"
  width={560}
  height={339}
  caption="Figure 22.00.0075B. …that's a button!"
/>

This difference is startling to my eyes and it's changing how I use my computer.

I use windows – lowercase – heavily, as in I have lots of overlapping windows open. As well as making each individual app easier to use, it makes my entire desktop more cohesive.

Here's the before. (Full size [light](/blog/0075C-Desktop_low_contrast--light-4178x2832.png), [dark](/blog/0075C-Desktop_low_contrast--dark-4178x2832.png).)

<JDImage
  alt="My desktop, with a handful of windows open, overlapping each other. Low contrast mode; everything just kinda blends together."
  folder="blog"
  src="0075C-Desktop_low_contrast--light-4178x2832.png"
  width={2089}
  height={1416}
  caption="Figure 22.00.0075C. Low-contrast desktop."
/>

And after. (Full size [light](/blog/0075D-Desktop_high_contrast--light-4178x2832.png), [dark](/blog/0075D-Desktop_high_contrast--dark-4178x2832.png).)

<JDImage
  alt="My desktop, with a handful of windows open, overlapping each other. High contrast mode; everything just kinda pops."
  folder="blog"
  src="0075D-Desktop_high_contrast--light-4178x2832.png"
  width={2089}
  height={1416}
  caption="Figure 22.00.0075D. High-contrast desktop."
/>

To my eyes we've gone from a kinda-pleasing-I-guess? _smush_ of windows to a version where everything _pops_. Windows have an identity now. You might not find it as visually pleasing, but functionally it's night and day.

And, after running it for a few weeks, I _do_ find it more aesthetically pleasing. What made us so afraid of a border around an icon? (A: [Jony Ive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jdPKi5i030).)

Modern apps have embraced this squishy-edge mentality, to their detriment. Here's Slack on my iPad. Honestly I look at that and I've no idea what I'm meant to do. I hate it.

<JDImage
  alt="Screenshot of Slack. Meh."
  folder="blog"
  src="0075E-Slack_ipad--light-640x447.png"
  width={640}
  height={447}
  caption="Figure 22.00.0075E. Slack on iPad. A big meh sandwich."
/>

There are whole threads of information hidden behind 8-point blue text. It's ridiculously un-discoverable.

## Try it

Give this a go for a couple of days. It's a single toggle in your system's `Settings` → `Accessibility` → `Display` → `Increase contrast`.

I don't think I'll ever go back.