Apple UI Colors

macOS Header Text

NSColor.headerTextColor
Typographic & Label Hierarchy
Adaptive System Token•macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit

Complete technical specification and developer reference for Header Text in Apple's macOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX #FFFFFF. Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.headerTextColor), AppKit bridge (NSColor.headerTextColor), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Modergba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)
Dark Mode#FFFFFF
Header Text Color Preview

The text of a header cell in a table.

ColorNSColor.headerTextColor
Copy:
Dynamic Asset
Typographic & Label Hierarchy
macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit
Initializers & Color Spaces
Color(r:g:b:)Color(red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000)
Color(r:g:b:op:)Color(red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, opacity: 0.85)
Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.000, saturation: 0.000, brightness: 0.000, opacity: 0.85)
Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, opacity: 0.85)
Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, opacity: 0.85)
Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)")
#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, alpha: 0.85)
Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, alpha: 0.85))
Active HEX: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)P3 R: 0.000 G: 0.000 B: 0.000

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 Codergba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)#FFFFFFColor(hex: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)")
sRGB (0–255)rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)rgb(255, 255, 255)(r: 0.000, g: 0.000, b: 0.000)
Display P3 (Wide Gamut)P3 (0.000, 0.000, 0.000)P3 (1.000, 1.000, 1.000)Color(.displayP3, ...)
HSL / HSBhsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.85)hsl(0, 0%, 100%)Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform BridgeUIKit: UIColor.headerTextColorAppKit: NSColor.headerTextColorColor(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme
HEX Code
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)
RGB (0–255)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)
HSL
hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.85)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.000, g: 0.000, b: 0.000)

Dark Appearance

Dark 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)

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/Header Text.colorset/
Includes Light + Dark Modes
Contents.json
{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.000",
          "green": "0.000",
          "blue": "0.000",
          "alpha": "0.850"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "1.000",
          "green": "1.000",
          "blue": "1.000",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.header text 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 Header Text accents.

Dynamic Headline in Header Text

.foregroundStyle(NSColor.headerTextColor)

Platform Implementation Snippets

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

AppKit (macOS Swift)
// AppKit (macOS)
let button = NSButton()
button.contentTintColor = NSColor.headerTextColor

// Custom Layer Tint
let layer = CALayer()
layer.backgroundColor = NSColor.headerTextColor.cgColor

// Bridging AppKit into SwiftUI
let swiftUIColor = Color(nsColor: .headerTextColor)

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

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

Light Mode (rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85))on White (#FFF)
Contrast Ratio:15.13:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Pass (AA)
Dark Mode (#FFFFFF)on Dark (#1C1C1E)
Contrast Ratio:17.01:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Pass (AA)

Recommended HIG Use Cases

  • Table view and outline view cells
  • Window title bar text and dialog headings
  • Form field captions and status labels

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

  • Full window background surfaces
  • Thick border fills

Browse More macOS Colors

Quickly jump to other Apple system colors and semantic tokens.

All 53 Colors →
System Red
System Orange
System Yellow
System Green
System Mint
System Teal
System Cyan
System Blue
System Indigo
System Purple
System Pink
System Brown
System Gray
Label
Secondary Label
Tertiary Label
Quaternary Label
Quinary Label

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use NSColor.headerTextColor in macOS AppKit apps?

In AppKit, assign NSColor.headerTextColor to NSView, NSTextField, or NSButton styling. In SwiftUI on macOS, bridge it using Color(nsColor: .headerTextColor).

What is the HEX code for macOS Header Text in light and dark mode?

In light appearance, Header Text resolves to rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85). In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to #FFFFFF.

How do I bridge NSColor.headerTextColor into SwiftUI?

In SwiftUI views on macOS, instantiate Color(nsColor: .headerTextColor) to access the native AppKit dynamic color token.

Does Header Text adapt to Dark Mode and vibrancy in macOS?

Yes, NSColor.headerTextColor is an appearance-aware NSColor that updates automatically when switching between light and dark modes or across vibrant desktop materials.

Why use AppKit system colors instead of hardcoded hex values?

NSColor system tokens adapt automatically to user accent color preferences, Dark Mode, and accessibility contrast settings.