macOS System Indigo

NSColor.systemIndigo
Accent & Semantic Highlights
Adaptive System Token•macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit

Complete technical specification and developer reference for System Indigo in Apple's macOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX #6155F5; in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX #6D7CFF. Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.systemIndigo), AppKit bridge (NSColor.systemIndigo), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Mode#6155F5
Dark Mode#6D7CFF
System Indigo Color Preview

An indigo color that automatically adapts to the current appearance.

ColorNSColor.systemIndigo
Copy:
Dynamic Asset
Accent & Semantic Highlights
macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit
Initializers & Color Spaces
Color(r:g:b:)Color(red: 0.380, green: 0.333, blue: 0.961)
Color(r:g:b:op:)Color(red: 0.380, green: 0.333, blue: 0.961, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.679, saturation: 0.653, brightness: 0.961, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 0.373, green: 0.333, blue: 0.925, opacity: 1.00)
Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 0.380, green: 0.333, blue: 0.961, opacity: 1.00)
Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "#6155F5")
#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 0.380, green: 0.333, blue: 0.961, alpha: 1.00)
Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 0.380, green: 0.333, blue: 0.961, alpha: 1.00))
Active HEX: #6155F5P3 R: 0.373 G: 0.333 B: 0.925

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#6155F5#6D7CFFColor(hex: "#6155F5")
sRGB (0–255)rgb(97, 85, 245)rgb(109, 124, 255)(r: 0.380, g: 0.333, b: 0.961)
Display P3 (Wide Gamut)P3 (0.373, 0.333, 0.925)P3 (0.439, 0.486, 0.969)Color(.displayP3, ...)
HSL / HSBhsl(245, 89%, 65%)hsl(234, 100%, 71%)Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform BridgeUIKit: UIColor.systemIndigoAppKit: NSColor.systemIndigoColor(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme
HEX Code
#6155F5
RGB (0–255)
rgb(97, 85, 245)
HSL
hsl(245, 89%, 65%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.380, g: 0.333, b: 0.961)

Dark Appearance

Dark Theme
HEX Code
#6D7CFF
RGB (0–255)
rgb(109, 124, 255)
HSL
hsl(234, 100%, 71%)
Normalized Swift Literal:
(r: 0.427, g: 0.486, 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/System Indigo.colorset/
Includes Light + Dark Modes
Contents.json
{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.380",
          "green": "0.333",
          "blue": "0.961",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.427",
          "green": "0.486",
          "blue": "1.000",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.system indigo 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 Indigo accents.

Dynamic Headline in System Indigo

.foregroundStyle(NSColor.systemIndigo)

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.systemIndigo

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

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

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

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

Light Mode (#6155F5)on White (#FFF)
Contrast Ratio:5.09:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Pass (AA)
Dark Mode (#6D7CFF)on Dark (#1C1C1E)
Contrast Ratio:4.84:1
Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Pass (AA)

Recommended HIG Use Cases

  • AppKit accent highlights and badges
  • State indicators and notification tags
  • Sidebar icons and custom accessory views

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

  • Unstyled plain paragraph text
  • Full window backgrounds

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

What is the HEX code for macOS System Indigo in light and dark mode?

In light appearance, System Indigo resolves to #6155F5. In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to #6D7CFF.

How do I bridge NSColor.systemIndigo into SwiftUI?

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

Does System Indigo adapt to Dark Mode and vibrancy in macOS?

Yes, NSColor.systemIndigo 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.