Apple Dark Color Psychology & Meaning
Apple's dark mode palette is a masterclass in near-black. True black only on OLED. Dark grays for layering. The blue shifts slightly warmer to remain visible.
#000000
#0A84FF
#1C1C1E
#EBEBF5
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Apple Dark Color Palette
#000000 · #0A84FF · #1C1C1E · #EBEBF5
AAA
WCAG Grade
17.7:1
Contrast Ratio
5,800
Saves
16,400
AI Copies
Use #000000 as the background. Use #0A84FF as the primary accent. Use #1C1C1E as secondary. Use #EBEBF5 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Apple Dark — night, minimal, cool.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Apple Dark color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 0.0% | 0, 0, 0 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 100% | 0°, 0%, 0% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 23.8% | 10, 132, 255 | 96%, 48%, 0%, 0% | 210°, 100%, 52% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 1.2% | 28, 28, 30 | 7%, 7%, 0%, 88% | 240°, 3%, 11% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 83.7% | 235, 235, 245 | 4%, 4%, 0%, 4% | 240°, 33%, 94% |
Apple Dark Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Apple Dark palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#000000 neutral gray
#0A84FF saturated cyan-blue
#1C1C1E neutral gray
#EBEBF5 gently saturated blue
Apple Dark Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #EBEBF5 on #000000 |
Aa Sample Text
| 17.73:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #000000 on #EBEBF5 |
Aa Sample Text
| 17.73:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #EBEBF5 on #1C1C1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 14.37:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1C1C1E on #EBEBF5 |
Aa Sample Text
| 14.37:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #0A84FF on #000000 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.76:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #000000 on #0A84FF |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.76:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1C1C1E on #0A84FF |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.66:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #0A84FF on #1C1C1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.66:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #EBEBF5 on #0A84FF |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.08:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #0A84FF on #EBEBF5 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.08:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1C1C1E on #000000 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #000000 on #1C1C1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Triadic Scheme
The Apple Dark palette is built using a triadic relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A triadic palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Apple Dark Mode launched with macOS Mojave in 2018 and iOS 13 in 2019. The dark palette drove OLED adoption significantly.
Best Design Use Cases
Pure black for OLED, dark gray (#1C1C1E) for card surfaces. The blue must remain accessible — test contrast ratios carefully.
Industries This Palette Suits
Technology, premium apps, creative tools, developer tools.
Colors That Pair Well With Apple Dark
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
orange
directly opposite #0A84FF on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
blue
30° beside #0A84FF — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Apple Dark Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #0A84FF for buttons and links — it scores 5.8:1 against the #000000 background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #EBEBF5 — 17.7:1 against #000000 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #1C1C1E carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a deep lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #0A84FF.
How to Implement the Apple Dark Color Scheme
To use this Apple Dark color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #000000 for the main background and #0A84FF for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #EBEBF5 and #000000 is 17.73:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Apple Dark Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Apple Dark color palette?
The Apple Dark palette contains #000000, #0A84FF, #1C1C1E, #EBEBF5. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Apple Dark color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #EBEBF5 on #000000 reaches 17.7:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Apple Dark palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #FF850A, #1616F3, #EEECEC extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Apple Dark palette create?
Apple Dark reads as night, minimal, cool. Saturated cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Apple Dark color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Apple Dark palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Apple Dark palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Apple Dark's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.