How to Invert Colors on Your Mac Screen
Want to make your Mac easier to read or reduce eye strain at night? Inverting colors on macOS is a simple accessibility feature that can help. Follow these easy steps to turn screen color inversion on or off.
Method 1: Quick Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest Method)
Press Control + Option + Command + 8
This instantly toggles color inversion on or off. Works on macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and newer versions.
Method 2: Turn On Invert Colors via System Settings
- Click the Apple Menu () in the top-left corner.
- Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs).
- Go to Accessibility > Display.
- Toggle Invert Colors and select the type of inversion:
- Classic Invert: Inverts all colors, including images and videos.
- Smart Invert: Leaves photos and videos normal while inverting the interface.
Set Up a Custom Shortcut (Optional)
- Open the Shortcuts app from the Applications folder or via Spotlight search.
- Create a new shortcut with the Invert Colors action.
- Click the + (plus) button, at the top of the Shortcuts window, to create a new shortcut.
- Give the shortcut a Title, like “Invert Colors Toggle“.
- In the Search field, above the list of actions, search for “Invert“.
- Drag the desired Classic Invert or Smart Invert action rom the right sidebar into the editor to build your workflow.
- Click the highlighted word “Turn” and elect “Toggle” from the dropdown list.
- Pin shortcut to menu bar (Optional).
- Click on the Shortcut Details button (ⓘ). On the Details tab check Pin in Menu Bar.
- Click the close button (red dot) when you are finished. The updated shortcut will be saved in the main Shortcuts window.
- Close the Shortcuts app.
Execute the Custom Shortcut
You can now quickly toggle invert colors on and off by clicking the Invert Colors Toggle shortcut icon in the Menu Bar.
Why Invert Colors on Mac?
- Reduces eye strain in low light
- Improves visibility for users with visual impairments
- Gives a dark mode-like effect in apps that don’t support dark mode
