macOS Secondary Label

NSColor.secondaryLabelColor

Typographic & Label Hierarchy

Adaptive System Token•macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit

Complete technical specification and developer reference for Secondary Label in Apple's macOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55). Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.secondaryLabel), AppKit bridge (NSColor.secondaryLabelColor), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Modergba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)

Dark Modergba(255, 255, 255, 0.55)

Secondary Label Color Preview

The text of a label of lesser importance than a primary label.

ColorNSColor.secondaryLabelColor

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: 0.50)

Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.000, saturation: 0.000, brightness: 0.000, opacity: 0.50)

Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, opacity: 0.50)

Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, opacity: 0.50)

Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)")

#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, alpha: 0.50)

Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 0.000, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000, alpha: 0.50))

Active HEX: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)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 / Space	Light Appearance	Dark Appearance	Swift Code Literal
HEX Code	rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)	rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55)	Color(hex: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)")
sRGB (0–255)	rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)	rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55)	(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 / HSB	hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.5)	hsla(0, 0%, 100%, 0.55)	Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform Bridge	UIKit: `UIColor.secondaryLabel`	AppKit: `NSColor.secondaryLabelColor`	Color(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme

HEX Code

rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)

RGB (0–255)

rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)

HSL

hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.5)

Normalized Swift Literal:

(r: 0.000, g: 0.000, b: 0.000)

Dark Appearance

Dark Theme

HEX Code

rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55)

RGB (0–255)

rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55)

HSL

hsla(0, 0%, 100%, 0.55)

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/Secondary Label.colorset/

Includes Light + Dark Modes

Contents.json

{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.000",
          "green": "0.000",
          "blue": "0.000",
          "alpha": "0.500"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "1.000",
          "green": "1.000",
          "blue": "1.000",
          "alpha": "0.550"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.secondary label 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 Secondary Label accents.

Dynamic Headline in Secondary Label

.foregroundStyle(NSColor.secondaryLabelColor)

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.secondaryLabelColor

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

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

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

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

Light Mode (rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5))on White (#FFF)

Contrast Ratio:3.95:1

Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail

Dark Mode (rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55))on Dark (#1C1C1E)

Contrast Ratio:5.98:1

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

What is the HEX code for macOS Secondary Label in light and dark mode?

In light appearance, Secondary Label resolves to rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5). In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55).

How do I bridge NSColor.secondaryLabelColor into SwiftUI?

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

Does Secondary Label adapt to Dark Mode and vibrancy in macOS?

Yes, NSColor.secondaryLabelColor 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.