Apple UI Colors

iOS Tertiary System Background

UIColor.tertiarySystemBackground
Layout Canvas & Container Surfaces
Adaptive System Token•iOS 13.0+, iPadOS 13.0+, macCatalyst 13.0+

Complete technical specification and developer reference for Tertiary System Background in Apple's iOS & iPadOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX #FFFFFF; in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX #2C2C2E. Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.tertiarySystemBackground), AppKit bridge (NSColor.tertiarySystemBackground), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Mode#FFFFFF
Dark Mode#2C2C2E
Tertiary System Background Color Preview

A background color for content nested inside secondary surfaces.

ColorUIColor.tertiarySystemBackground
Copy:
Dynamic Asset
Layout Canvas & Container Surfaces
iOS 13.0+, iPadOS 13.0+, macCatalyst 13.0+
Initializers & Color Spaces
Color(r:g:b:)Color(red: 1.000, green: 1.000, blue: 1.000)
Color(r:g:b:op:)Color(red: 1.000, green: 1.000, blue: 1.000, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.000, saturation: 0.000, brightness: 1.000, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 1.000, green: 1.000, blue: 1.000, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 1.000, green: 1.000, blue: 1.000, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "#FFFFFF")
#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 1.000, green: 1.000, blue: 1.000, alpha: 1.00)
Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 1.000, green: 1.000, blue: 1.000, alpha: 1.00))
Active HEX: #FFFFFFP3 R: 1.000 G: 1.000 B: 1.000

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#FFFFFF#2C2C2EColor(hex: "#FFFFFF")
sRGB (0–255)rgb(255, 255, 255)rgb(44, 44, 46)(r: 1.000, g: 1.000, b: 1.000)
Display P3 (Wide Gamut)P3 (1.000, 1.000, 1.000)P3 (0.173, 0.173, 0.180)Color(.displayP3, ...)
HSL / HSBhsl(0, 0%, 100%)hsl(240, 2%, 18%)Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform BridgeUIKit: UIColor.tertiarySystemBackgroundAppKit: NSColor.tertiarySystemBackgroundColor(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme
HEX Code
#FFFFFF
RGB (0–255)
rgb(255, 255, 255)
HSL
hsl(0, 0%, 100%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 1.000, g: 1.000, b: 1.000)

Dark Appearance

Dark Theme
HEX Code
#2C2C2E
RGB (0–255)
rgb(44, 44, 46)
HSL
hsl(240, 2%, 18%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.173, g: 0.173, b: 0.180)

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/Tertiary System Background.colorset/
Includes Light + Dark Modes
Contents.json
{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "1.000",
          "green": "1.000",
          "blue": "1.000",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.173",
          "green": "0.173",
          "blue": "0.180",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.tertiary system background 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 Tertiary System Background accents.

Dynamic Headline in Tertiary System Background

.foregroundStyle(UIColor.tertiarySystemBackground)

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.tertiarySystemBackground

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

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

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

Contrast calculations of Tertiary System Background against pure white and iOS OLED dark surfaces.

Light Mode (#FFFFFF)on White (#FFF)
Contrast Ratio:1.00:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail
Dark Mode (#2C2C2E)on Dark (#1C1C1E)
Contrast Ratio:1.22:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail

Recommended HIG Use Cases

  • Root window backgrounds and view controllers
  • Card sheets, modal presentations, and grouped tables
  • Container layout backdrops

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

  • Direct typographic rendering
  • Fine line separators and icons

Browse More iOS & iPadOS Colors

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System Grouped Background

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

What is the HEX code for iOS Tertiary System Background in light and dark mode?

In light appearance, Tertiary System Background resolves to #FFFFFF. In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to #2C2C2E.

How do I bridge UIColor.tertiarySystemBackground into SwiftUI?

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

Does Tertiary System Background adapt automatically to dark appearance in iOS?

Yes, UIColor.tertiarySystemBackground 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.