iOS Separator

UIColor.separator
Visual Boundaries & Hairlines
Adaptive System Token•iOS 13.0+, iPadOS 13.0+, macCatalyst 13.0+

Complete technical specification and developer reference for Separator in Apple's iOS & iPadOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX #3C3C434A; in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX #54545899. Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.separator), AppKit bridge (NSColor.separatorColor), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Mode#3C3C434A
Dark Mode#54545899
Separator Color Preview

A separator that allows some underlying content to show through.

ColorUIColor.separator
Copy:
Dynamic Asset
Visual Boundaries & Hairlines
iOS 13.0+, iPadOS 13.0+, macCatalyst 13.0+
Initializers & Color Spaces
Color(r:g:b:)Color(red: 0.235, green: 0.235, blue: 0.263)
Color(r:g:b:op:)Color(red: 0.235, green: 0.235, blue: 0.263, opacity: 0.29)
Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.667, saturation: 0.104, brightness: 0.263, opacity: 0.29)
Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 0.235, green: 0.235, blue: 0.259, opacity: 0.29)
Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 0.235, green: 0.235, blue: 0.263, opacity: 0.29)
Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "#3C3C434A")
#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 0.235, green: 0.235, blue: 0.263, alpha: 0.29)
Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 0.235, green: 0.235, blue: 0.263, alpha: 0.29))
Active HEX: #3C3C434AP3 R: 0.235 G: 0.235 B: 0.259

Technical Color Specifications

Exact resolved HEX codes, sRGB 8-bit components, HSL, and normalized Swift floating-point decimals for Light and Dark modes.

Color Metric / SpaceLight AppearanceDark AppearanceSwift Code Literal
HEX Code#3C3C434A#54545899Color(hex: "#3C3C434A")
sRGB (0–255)rgba(60, 60, 67, 0.29)rgba(84, 84, 88, 0.6)(r: 0.235, g: 0.235, b: 0.263)
Display P3 (Wide Gamut)P3 (0.235, 0.235, 0.259)P3 (0.329, 0.329, 0.345)Color(.displayP3, ...)
HSL / HSBhsla(240, 6%, 25%, 0.29)hsla(240, 2%, 34%, 0.6)Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform BridgeUIKit: UIColor.separatorAppKit: NSColor.separatorColorColor(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme
HEX Code
#3C3C434A
RGB (0–255)
rgba(60, 60, 67, 0.29)
HSL
hsla(240, 6%, 25%, 0.29)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.235, g: 0.235, b: 0.263)

Dark Appearance

Dark Theme
HEX Code
#54545899
RGB (0–255)
rgba(84, 84, 88, 0.6)
HSL
hsla(240, 2%, 34%, 0.6)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.329, g: 0.329, b: 0.345)

Drop-In Developer Snippets

Ready-to-paste code blocks for Xcode asset catalogs and Swift files.

Xcode Location: Save as Contents.json inside Assets.xcassets/Separator.colorset/
Includes Light + Dark Modes
Contents.json
{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.235",
          "green": "0.235",
          "blue": "0.263",
          "alpha": "0.290"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.329",
          "green": "0.329",
          "blue": "0.345",
          "alpha": "0.600"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.separator inside standard Apple interface components.

Interactive Controls
Active TagBadge 99+
Toggle Tint
Container & Typography Styling

●SwiftUI Notification

Just now

Demonstrates how Apple designers pair system background tints with dynamic Separator accents.

Dynamic Headline in Separator

.foregroundStyle(UIColor.separator)

Platform Implementation Snippets

Ready-to-use Swift code for SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit applications.

UIKit (Swift)
// UIKit (iOS, tvOS, watchOS)
let view = UIView()
view.backgroundColor = UIColor.separator

// Label Tinting
let label = UILabel()
label.textColor = UIColor.separator

// Bridging UIKit into SwiftUI
let swiftUIColor = Color(uiColor: .separator)

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

Contrast calculations of Separator against pure white and iOS OLED dark surfaces.

Light Mode (#3C3C434A)on White (#FFF)
Contrast Ratio:1.71:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail
Dark Mode (#54545899)on Dark (#1C1C1E)
Contrast Ratio:1.60:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail

Recommended HIG Use Cases

  • Table view row separators and list dividers
  • Card outlines and section boundaries
  • Navigation bar hairline rules

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

  • Readable body text or icons
  • Solid button backgrounds

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use UIColor.separator in iOS and iPadOS apps?

In UIKit, assign UIColor.separator directly to properties like view.backgroundColor, label.textColor, or tintColor. In SwiftUI, bridge it using Color(uiColor: .separator).

What is the HEX code for iOS Separator in light and dark mode?

In light appearance, Separator resolves to #3C3C434A. In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to #54545899.

How do I bridge UIColor.separator into SwiftUI?

In SwiftUI views on iOS 15+, initialize Color(uiColor: .separator) to utilize this system color with full appearance dynamism.

Does Separator adapt automatically to dark appearance in iOS?

Yes, UIColor.separator is an appearance-aware dynamic UIColor that automatically responds to UITraitCollection changes between light and dark appearances.

Why use UIKit system colors instead of hardcoded hex values?

System colors dynamically adapt to Dark Mode, Accessibility Increase Contrast mode, and future iOS visual refinements without manual color bookkeeping.