Apple UI Colors

macOS Selected Content Background

NSColor.selectedContentBackgroundColor
Window & Surface Canvas
Adaptive System Token•macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit

Complete technical specification and developer reference for Selected Content Background in Apple's macOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX #0064E1; in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX #0059D1. Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.selectedContentBackgroundColor), AppKit bridge (NSColor.selectedContentBackgroundColor), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Mode#0064E1
Dark Mode#0059D1
Selected Content Background Color Preview

The background for selected content in a key window or view.

ColorNSColor.selectedContentBackgroundColor
Copy:
Dynamic Asset
Window & Surface Canvas
macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit
Initializers & Color Spaces
Color(r:g:b:)Color(red: 0.000, green: 0.392, blue: 0.882)
Color(r:g:b:op:)Color(red: 0.000, green: 0.392, blue: 0.882, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.593, saturation: 1.000, brightness: 0.882, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 0.161, green: 0.384, blue: 0.851, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 0.000, green: 0.392, blue: 0.882, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "#0064E1")
#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 0.000, green: 0.392, blue: 0.882, alpha: 1.00)
Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 0.000, green: 0.392, blue: 0.882, alpha: 1.00))
Active HEX: #0064E1P3 R: 0.161 G: 0.384 B: 0.851

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#0064E1#0059D1Color(hex: "#0064E1")
sRGB (0–255)rgb(0, 100, 225)rgb(0, 89, 209)(r: 0.000, g: 0.392, b: 0.882)
Display P3 (Wide Gamut)P3 (0.161, 0.384, 0.851)P3 (0.141, 0.345, 0.792)Color(.displayP3, ...)
HSL / HSBhsl(213, 100%, 44%)hsl(214, 100%, 41%)Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform BridgeUIKit: UIColor.selectedContentBackgroundColorAppKit: NSColor.selectedContentBackgroundColorColor(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme
HEX Code
#0064E1
RGB (0–255)
rgb(0, 100, 225)
HSL
hsl(213, 100%, 44%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.000, g: 0.392, b: 0.882)

Dark Appearance

Dark Theme
HEX Code
#0059D1
RGB (0–255)
rgb(0, 89, 209)
HSL
hsl(214, 100%, 41%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.000, g: 0.349, b: 0.820)

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/Selected Content Background.colorset/
Includes Light + Dark Modes
Contents.json
{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.000",
          "green": "0.392",
          "blue": "0.882",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.000",
          "green": "0.349",
          "blue": "0.820",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.selected content 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 Selected Content Background accents.

Dynamic Headline in Selected Content Background

.foregroundStyle(NSColor.selectedContentBackgroundColor)

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.selectedContentBackgroundColor

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

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

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

Contrast calculations of Selected Content Background against pure white and iOS OLED dark surfaces.

Light Mode (#0064E1)on White (#FFF)
Contrast Ratio:5.37:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Pass (AA)
Dark Mode (#0059D1)on Dark (#1C1C1E)
Contrast Ratio:2.71:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail

Recommended HIG Use Cases

  • Standard NSWindow background canvas
  • Document scroll view wells and split view panes
  • Inspector sidebars and toolbar panels

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

  • Foreground text content
  • Hairline icon strokes

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.selectedContentBackgroundColor in macOS AppKit apps?

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

What is the HEX code for macOS Selected Content Background in light and dark mode?

In light appearance, Selected Content Background resolves to #0064E1. In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to #0059D1.

How do I bridge NSColor.selectedContentBackgroundColor into SwiftUI?

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

Does Selected Content Background adapt to Dark Mode and vibrancy in macOS?

Yes, NSColor.selectedContentBackgroundColor 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.