Grayscale: How to Make iPhone Black & White

What to Know

  • Via Accessability Settings, you can change your phone screen from color to grayscale.
  • Putting your iPhone in grayscale is said to extend battery life and help with phone addiction.
  • Additionally, setting your phone screen to black & white may make the display more readable for individuals who are color blind.

* This article is from our Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

Did you know Apple's iOS has an option to set your phone screen to grayscale? There are a few reasons you might want to see your mobile screen in black and white mode. iPhone grayscale can make the display more readable for those who are color blind. Second, if your battery is running low and you know that it will be a while before you have the opportunity to charge it, grayscale can extend battery life. Third, some experts say that using grayscale on your iPhone might help reduce or break phone addiction. Here’s how to turn on grayscale mode on your iPhone or iPad.

How to Change from a Color to Black & White Display on Your iPhone 

Since a lot of the iPhone's buttons and apps are color-based, using your iPhone in grayscale can make it easier for color-blind users. If you like learning cool tips about your Apple devices, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day!

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  1. Open the Settings app.

    grayscale iphone
  2. Tap Accessibility.

    why is my phone black and white
  3. Select Display & Text Size.

    iphone grayscale
  4. Tap on Color Filters.

    how to make iphone black and white
  5. Toggle on Color Filters.

    why is my phone in black and white
  6. Tap Grayscale.

    how to make phone black and white

Everything on your iPhone will now appear in only black and white coloring. If you're color blind, you can select the filter or tint that works best for your vision and adjust the levels accordingly. 

Interestingly, when you do a screen capture of grayscale, the resulting image is still colored. The picture immediately above is misleading because it shows grayscale turned on, but the screen is still colored. In actuality, it will appear gray as soon as you turn on the setting.

FAQ

  • Does Grayscale reduce dopamine? Research suggests that brightly colored phone screens can stimulate dopamine release, which can be addictive. You can reduce the amount of dopamine released by your brain while looking at your iPhone by turning on grayscale.
  • Does Grayscale save battery? Normally, your iPhone can produce up to 17 million color possibilities. In grayscale, however, it can only produce 256. This is how your iPhone saves battery when you put it in black-and-white mode.
  • Does Grayscale stop Bluelight? Bluelight is a specific type of light that is emitted by backlit devices with colored screens. By turning your iPhone into grayscale, you will reduce the amount of blue light emitted from your iPhone.
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Author Details

Jim Karpen's picture

Author Details

Jim Karpen

Jim Karpen holds a Ph.D. in literature and writing, and has a love of gizmos. His doctoral dissertation focused on the revolutionary consequences of digital technologies and anticipated some of the developments taking place in the industry today. Jim has been writing about the Internet and technology since 1994 and has been using Apple's visionary products for decades.