How to enable grayscale for visual accessibility on your iPhone or iPad

By Allyson Kazmucha, Mick Symons
last updated

Grayscale mode is a new accessibility feature available in iOS 8 that allows folks with a visual impairment, such as color blindness, disable colors that make the display even harder for them to see. Since some colors are harder to pick out than others for people that are color blind, grayscale mode may make reading menus and viewing images more detailed.

How to enable grayscale mode in iOS 8

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap on General.
  3. Tap on Accessibility.
  4. Turn On the option for Grayscale.

You should now notice that everything on the screen is altered to show only shades of gray instead of varied colors. This should work through iOS and in apps, whether they're built by Apple or from the App Store.

If you have a visual impairment, do you think grayscale mode will help you navigate and use iOS more efficiently? Let me know in the comments!

Allyson Kazmucha
Allyson Kazmucha

iMore senior editor from 2011 to 2015.

4 Comments
  • Wow. And no dark mode + keyboard? I can't believe they didn't implement the option. Just imagine a dark mode with the FaceTime UI! I know MANY gets sore eyes due to the white point in iOS 7, even if the white point is reduced!! Sent from the iMore App
  • This mode could save your power too!! Sent from the iMore App
  • From my point of view as a teacher, huge benefits in the classroom for pupils with additional support needs, plus Guided Access now having a timer feature.
  • This is the best option ever! I just discovered it in church, which is ironic. But I'm a colour blind female and it has been a struggle navigating through the colourful iPhone 5 software. This grayscale helps me play certain games and I don't miss as many things as I used to. Thank you so much, Apple.