Color Vision Simulator
See how any color appears under different types of color vision deficiency. Part of Paletta.
Quick answer: Roughly 8% of males and 0.5% of females have some form of color vision deficiency (CVD). The most common types involve reduced sensitivity to red (protanopia) or green (deuteranopia).
Original | Protanopia Reduced red sensitivity | Deuteranopia Reduced green sensitivity | Tritanopia Reduced blue sensitivity | Achromatopsia No color perception |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#3B82F6 | #6262E1 | #5E58DC | #41CECA | #858585 |
How it works
Enter one or more colors
Paste hex codes or use the color picker.
View simulations
See how each color appears under four types of color vision deficiency.
Check for conflicts
Colors that look distinct to you may appear identical to others.
What is color vision simulation?
Roughly 8% of males and 0.5% of females have some form of color vision deficiency (CVD). The most common types involve reduced sensitivity to red (protanopia) or green (deuteranopia). Less common are blue deficiency (tritanopia) and complete absence of color perception (achromatopsia).
A color vision simulator applies mathematical transformations to show how colors appear under each condition. This reveals problematic combinations like red and green indicators that become indistinguishable for roughly 2% of users.
Testing for CVD is a core part of accessible design. WCAG 1.4.1 requires that color is never the sole means of conveying information. The European Accessibility Act, enforceable since June 2025, makes accessibility compliance a legal requirement for digital products sold in the EU.
Cross-check the simulated pairs with the WCAG contrast checker, sample real source colors using extract palette from image, or upgrade to Paletta Pro for all five accessibility lens modes.
Common use cases
Pre-flight a brand palette
Preview how a 5-color brand reads under deuteranopia and protanopia before shipping the guideline.
Validate chart legibility
Confirm series colors stay distinguishable across red-green and blue-yellow vision.
Sanity-check a status system
Make sure success, warning, and error stay separable for users with color vision differences.
Sell accessibility internally
Show stakeholders the real impact of a palette choice, not just a contrast number. Tie the result back to a system view with the shade scale generator.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The tool simulates the three most common dichromacies: deuteranopia (green-deficient, the most prevalent type), protanopia (red-deficient), and tritanopia (blue-yellow-deficient). Together these cover roughly 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women.
The simulation uses the Brettel-Viénot model, which is the academic reference used by Chrome DevTools and most accessibility tools. It is accurate enough for design review but it approximates an average case. Real perception varies between individuals.
Run any palette through each simulation and check whether status colors stay distinguishable. If success and warning collapse into the same hue under deuteranopia, add a non-color signal like an icon or a label. Pair color with shape or text whenever the message is critical.
Simulation is one signal, not a guarantee. Anomalous trichromacy (partial loss) is more common than full dichromacy and produces softer effects the simulator does not capture. Treat the tool as a starting point and validate with real users when color carries meaning.
Simulating individual colors is a start.
Paletta's accessibility lens validates your entire color system across all CVD types simultaneously.