iOS System Gray 6

UIColor.systemGray6
Semantic Accent & Interactive Tint
Adaptive System Token•iOS 13.0+, iPadOS 13.0+, macCatalyst 13.0+

Complete technical specification and developer reference for System Gray 6 in Apple's iOS & iPadOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX #F2F2F7; in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX #1C1C1E. Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.systemGray6), AppKit bridge (NSColor.systemGray6), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Mode#F2F2F7
Dark Mode#1C1C1E
System Gray 6 Color Preview

The lightest adaptable gray.

ColorUIColor.systemGray6
Copy:
Dynamic Asset
Semantic Accent & Interactive Tint
iOS 13.0+, iPadOS 13.0+, macCatalyst 13.0+
Initializers & Color Spaces
Color(r:g:b:)Color(red: 0.949, green: 0.949, blue: 0.969)
Color(r:g:b:op:)Color(red: 0.949, green: 0.949, blue: 0.969, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.667, saturation: 0.020, brightness: 0.969, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 0.949, green: 0.949, blue: 0.969, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 0.949, green: 0.949, blue: 0.969, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "#F2F2F7")
#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 0.949, green: 0.949, blue: 0.969, alpha: 1.00)
Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 0.949, green: 0.949, blue: 0.969, alpha: 1.00))
Active HEX: #F2F2F7P3 R: 0.949 G: 0.949 B: 0.969

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#F2F2F7#1C1C1EColor(hex: "#F2F2F7")
sRGB (0–255)rgb(242, 242, 247)rgb(28, 28, 30)(r: 0.949, g: 0.949, b: 0.969)
Display P3 (Wide Gamut)P3 (0.949, 0.949, 0.969)P3 (0.110, 0.110, 0.118)Color(.displayP3, ...)
HSL / HSBhsl(240, 24%, 96%)hsl(240, 3%, 11%)Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform BridgeUIKit: UIColor.systemGray6AppKit: NSColor.systemGray6Color(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme
HEX Code
#F2F2F7
RGB (0–255)
rgb(242, 242, 247)
HSL
hsl(240, 24%, 96%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.949, g: 0.949, b: 0.969)

Dark Appearance

Dark Theme
HEX Code
#1C1C1E
RGB (0–255)
rgb(28, 28, 30)
HSL
hsl(240, 3%, 11%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.110, g: 0.110, b: 0.118)

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/System Gray 6.colorset/
Includes Light + Dark Modes
Contents.json
{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.949",
          "green": "0.949",
          "blue": "0.969",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.110",
          "green": "0.110",
          "blue": "0.118",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.system gray 6 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 System Gray 6 accents.

Dynamic Headline in System Gray 6

.foregroundStyle(UIColor.systemGray6)

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.systemGray6

// Label Tinting
let label = UILabel()
label.textColor = UIColor.systemGray6

// Bridging UIKit into SwiftUI
let swiftUIColor = Color(uiColor: .systemGray6)

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

Contrast calculations of System Gray 6 against pure white and iOS OLED dark surfaces.

Light Mode (#F2F2F7)on White (#FFF)
Contrast Ratio:1.12:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail
Dark Mode (#1C1C1E)on Dark (#1C1C1E)
Contrast Ratio:1.00:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail

Recommended HIG Use Cases

  • Primary action buttons and tint accents
  • Status alerts, badges, and notification tags
  • Active tab bar icons and control highlights

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

  • Full background fills behind body copy
  • Unstyled plain paragraph text

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use UIColor.systemGray6 in iOS and iPadOS apps?

In UIKit, assign UIColor.systemGray6 directly to properties like view.backgroundColor, label.textColor, or tintColor. In SwiftUI, bridge it using Color(uiColor: .systemGray6).

What is the HEX code for iOS System Gray 6 in light and dark mode?

In light appearance, System Gray 6 resolves to #F2F2F7. In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to #1C1C1E.

How do I bridge UIColor.systemGray6 into SwiftUI?

In SwiftUI views on iOS 15+, initialize Color(uiColor: .systemGray6) to utilize this system color with full appearance dynamism.

Does System Gray 6 adapt automatically to dark appearance in iOS?

Yes, UIColor.systemGray6 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.