Keep controls visible in the phone or computer's contrast settings

What to change

Ask your supplier to test important choices and actions using a supported system contrast setting, respecting the visitor's chosen colours while preserving usable cues.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A checked contact-preference option retains a visible check marker, and the focused Continue button remains identifiable when the system changes the page colours.

Healthcare website design showing connected desktop and mobile service and enquiry layouts. — Make the service and next step clear on every screen.

Healthcare website accessibility illustrated by a focus outline, keyboard key, contrast samples and form. — Review keyboard access, contrast and understandable form fields.

Why this matters to your practice

Some visitors use a system setting that increases contrast and replaces the website's usual colours. Important controls should remain recognisable in that view. Ask your supplier to demonstrate the main journey using a supported contrast setting, paying attention to outlines, selected options and icons. Your team does not need to reproduce the technical setup to judge the result. Look for controls that disappear or states that become indistinguishable, then ask for those specific problems to be corrected.

A practical review example

A visitor's device may replace the site's usual colours to make information easier to see. Custom check marks or button outlines can disappear in that view. Ask your supplier to complete a fictional form with the setting active, identifying the selected answers and current keyboard position at each stage. Review the correction message too. A screenshot of the website's own dark theme is a different test and should not be presented as evidence that the operating system's contrast behaviour has been checked.

How to check the result

Accept when essential controls and their states remain operable in the agreed contrast setting without needing to revert to the original theme.

A mistake to avoid

A screenshot of dark mode is not a substitute for testing the operating system's own contrast behaviour.

Turn reading into a next step

Your action checklist

Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.

Checks to discussAsk your supplier to demonstrate this check with you: enable the setting in a suitable test device and inspect checkboxes, radio choices, focus outlines and icon buttons. Look for missing boundaries or selection markers.Complete a short form using the keyboard. Confirm that the current focus, selected answers and error states remain distinguishable throughout the task.Ask the supplier to demonstrate any adjusted rendering. The design should respect the user's chosen colours rather than forcing decorative backgrounds to remain unchanged.

Your answers and notes

Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.

What happens next, and who will do it?

Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.

Related guides

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