Soft-proof for color blindness

Color Universal Design (CUD) ensures that graphics communicate effectively to people with different types of color vision, including those with color blindness. Many countries have guidelines requiring CUD-compliant graphics in public spaces, making accessibility verification an essential part of the design process.

The color blindness soft-proofing of Photoshop simulates how your design appears to people with the two most common forms of color vision deficiency: protanopia (reduced sensitivity to red) and deuteranopia (reduced sensitivity to green).

About one-third of people with color blindness experience strong color vision deficiency, while the rest have milder forms. Check your designs against both protanopia and deuteranopia simulations to ensure CUD compliance.

Set up color blindness proofing

When soft-proofing is active, a checkmark appears next to Proof Colors, and the proof type name displays at the top of your document window. To verify full CUD compliance, test your design with both protanopia-type and deuteranopia-type proofs.

Select Window > Arrange > New Window to view the original document and a soft proof simultaneously, making it easier to identify problematic color combinations.

Adjust designs for color blindness

If elements in your design are difficult to distinguish in color blind proofs, try one or more of these adjustments:

Modify color choices

• Replace pure red with orange-red tones, which appear clearer in color blind vision.
• Use bluish green instead of yellowish green to reduce confusion.
• Avoid pairing red with green, yellow with bright green, light blue with pink, or dark blue with violet.
• Keep red elements away from dark backgrounds.
• Avoid placing white elements on yellow or orange-red backgrounds.
• Be aware that gray may appear similar to magenta, pale pink, pale green, or emerald green.

Add visual differentiation

• Apply distinct patterns or textures to adjacent colored areas.
• Use different shapes to convey information beyond color alone.
• Add white, black, or dark-colored borders between color boundaries to improve distinction.
• Vary font families or styles (such as bold versus regular weight) to create additional contrast.

After making adjustments, turn your soft proof on and off to compare the original and colorblind views. Make sure your changes improve accessibility without compromising your design intent. You can print color blindness proofs to evaluate how your design appears in physical form.