Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Guides

How to invert colors on an iPhone

By

The iPhone offers users a wide variety of display options, making it accessible to a similarly wide variety of needs and preferences. Chief among these is the ability to invert the colors displayed on its touchscreen, something that helps those who benefit from viewing text and images against a darker background. It’s not immediately obvious how to make use of this feature, so in this article, we explain how to invert colors on an iPhone.

This covers the Smart Invert and Classic Invert functions, while it also includes a section on Dark Mode and on how to set either Smart or Classic Invert as an accessibility shortcut. If you want further info on other accessibility options offered by the iPhone, you can check out our guide for iOS 14.

Recommended Videos

How to invert colors on an iPhone

You have two options when it comes to inverting colors on an iPhone: Smart Invert and Classic Invert.

Related

Smart Invert inverts your overall display but leaves all images, media, and certain apps (which already use darker color schemes) as they are. In practice, this means your iPhone’s wallpaper and lock screen image will remain normal, but the backgrounds used on windows and tabs will be inverted, as will text and icons.

By contrast, Classic Invert inverts absolutely everything, including images and videos.

Regardless of which you prefer, you can activate either in the following way: Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Once on the Display & Text Size screen, tap the slider for either Smart Invert or Classic Invert, so that it turns green. You’ll notice a difference immediately (unless you choose Smart Invert and are already using Dark Mode).

Dark Mode

Dark Mode represents a kind of middle ground between Smart Invert and Classic Invert. While Smart Invert leaves some backgrounds white (or light), Dark Mode turns all backgrounds and windows black, but without inverting images and videos like Classic Invert.

If you want to switch on Dark Mode, simply go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Dark. Tapping Dark switches on Dark Mode, which is designed for low-light environments but can also be used during the day by anyone who prefers darker display colors.

As noted above, turning on Smart Invert doesn’t do anything when you already have Dark Mode on. However, if you have Dark Mode on and then activate Classic Invert, your iPhone’s display and background colors will then flip back to white (although images will still be inverted).

Setting Smart or Classic Invert as an accessibility shortcut

If you like to be able to invert colors on an iPhone at short notice, you can set either Smart or Classic Invert as an accessibility shortcut.

To do this, go to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut. Then tap either Classic Invert or Smart Invert. From now on, you can triple-lick the Side button (or Home button on the iPhone 8/iPhone SE 2020 and earlier models) to activate either invert option.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Simon Chandler
Simon Chandler
Mobile Writer
Simon Chandler is a journalist based in London, UK. He covers technology and finance, contributing to such titles as Digital…
How to watch Apple’s big iPad event on May 7
iPad Air 5 back in hand.

After what seems like forever, Apple is finally holding an iPad-focused press event. The "Let Loose" event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7.

The online-only event is expected to reveal new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, as well as tablet accessories, including a new Apple Pencil. Here's more about the event and how to watch it.
How to watch Apple's May 7 event
Apple Event - May 7

Read more
Are you having iPhone alarm problems? A fix is coming soon
A person holding the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

If you’ve slept through an important meeting or missed your alarm lately, it may not be entirely your fault if you’re an iPhone user. For weeks now, iPhone users have been reporting on social media that their devices are no longer ringing.

Today, The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern finally confirmed this. According to Stern, Apple has confirmed that it’s aware of the issue causing some alarms not to play a sound and is working on a fix.
iPhone alarm issues explained
The iPhone alarm problem seems to be tied to Apple’s Attention Aware features. For those unfamiliar, it’s a feature that lowers the volume sound of your alerts and alarms if you’re looking at your device and avoids dimming the screen, similar to how Samsung phones keep the screen on if they see you looking at your screen.

Read more
Best iPhone 14 deals: Unlocked and refurbished
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro's camera module

While the iPhone 15 may be Apple’s most recent iPhone release, that only makes the iPhone 14 a better way to save. The iPhone 14 isn’t far removed from being among the best phones on the market, and it’s still a powerhouse option for most smartphone users. There are a lot of ways to save on an iPhone 14, with shopping refurbished models being one of the best. You'll get a good warranty and a large return window shopping refurbished with most major retailers, which makes them some of the best iPhone 14 deals you'll find. With so many to take advantage of right now, we thought we’d do the heavy lifting and put all of the best iPhone 14 deals together in one place. Reading onward you’ll find some impressive savings on all models of the Apple iPhone 14.
Apple iPhone 14 -- from $479, was $699

With the Apple iPhone 14 you’re getting what is still one of the most popular smartphones on the market. This is the iPhone 14 model that’s meant for everyone. It holds back a few features you can only get on the Pro model, but it still has an impressive 6.1-inch display, an impressive camera, and dozens of ways to personalize your iOS experience with widgets and fonts. The phone can reach up to 26 hours of battery life on a single charge, and it’s powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip. Face ID, emergency SOS via satellite, and super fast 5G cellular connectivity round out the top features of the Apple iPhone 14.
Buy Refurbished at Amazon — from $479

Read more