macOS Unemphasized Selected Content Background

NSColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor

Window & Surface Canvas

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

Complete technical specification and developer reference for Unemphasized Selected Content Background in Apple's macOS design system. In light appearance, it resolves to HEX #DCDCDC; in dark appearance, it dynamically adapts to HEX #464646. Features wide-gamut Display P3 values, UIKit bridge (UIColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor), AppKit bridge (NSColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor), WCAG contrast audit, and Xcode drop-in initializers.

Light Mode#DCDCDC

Dark Mode#464646

Unemphasized Selected Content Background Color Preview

The selected content in a non-key window or view.

ColorNSColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor

Copy:

Dynamic Asset

Window & Surface Canvas

macOS 10.10+ / 10.14+, AppKit

Initializers & Color Spaces

Color(r:g:b:)Color(red: 0.863, green: 0.863, blue: 0.863)

Color(r:g:b:op:)Color(red: 0.863, green: 0.863, blue: 0.863, opacity: 1.00)

Color(hue:sat:bri:)HSBColor(hue: 0.000, saturation: 0.000, brightness: 0.863, opacity: 1.00)

Color(.displayP3)Wide GamutColor(.displayP3, red: 0.863, green: 0.863, blue: 0.863, opacity: 1.00)

Color(.sRGB)Color(.sRGB, red: 0.863, green: 0.863, blue: 0.863, opacity: 1.00)

Color(hex:)ExtensionColor(hex: "#DCDCDC")

#colorLiteralXcode#colorLiteral(red: 0.863, green: 0.863, blue: 0.863, alpha: 1.00)

Color(uiColor:)iOSColor(uiColor: UIColor(red: 0.863, green: 0.863, blue: 0.863, alpha: 1.00))

Active HEX: #DCDCDCP3 R: 0.863 G: 0.863 B: 0.863

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	#DCDCDC	#464646	Color(hex: "#DCDCDC")
sRGB (0–255)	rgb(220, 220, 220)	rgb(70, 70, 70)	(r: 0.863, g: 0.863, b: 0.863)
Display P3 (Wide Gamut)	P3 (0.863, 0.863, 0.863)	P3 (0.275, 0.275, 0.275)	Color(.displayP3, ...)
HSL / HSB	hsl(0, 0%, 86%)	hsl(0, 0%, 27%)	Color(hue:sat:bri:)
Platform Bridge	UIKit: `UIColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor`	AppKit: `NSColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor`	Color(uiColor:) / Color(nsColor:)

Light Appearance

Light Theme

HEX Code

#DCDCDC

RGB (0–255)

rgb(220, 220, 220)

HSL

hsl(0, 0%, 86%)

Normalized Swift Literal:

(r: 0.863, g: 0.863, b: 0.863)

Dark Appearance

Dark Theme

HEX Code

#464646

RGB (0–255)

rgb(70, 70, 70)

HSL

hsl(0, 0%, 27%)

Normalized Swift Literal:

(r: 0.275, g: 0.275, b: 0.275)

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/Unemphasized Selected Content Background.colorset/

Includes Light + Dark Modes

Contents.json

{
  "colors": [
    {
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.863",
          "green": "0.863",
          "blue": "0.863",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    },
    {
      "appearances": [
        {
          "appearance": "luminosity",
          "value": "dark"
        }
      ],
      "color": {
        "color-space": "srgb",
        "components": {
          "red": "0.275",
          "green": "0.275",
          "blue": "0.275",
          "alpha": "1.000"
        }
      },
      "idiom": "universal"
    }
  ],
  "info": {
    "author": "xcode",
    "version": 1
  }
}

Live UI Component Sandbox

Preview Color.unemphasized 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 Unemphasized Selected Content Background accents.

Dynamic Headline in Unemphasized Selected Content Background

.foregroundStyle(NSColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor)

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.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor

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

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

WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Contrast Audit

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

Light Mode (#DCDCDC)on White (#FFF)

Contrast Ratio:1.37:1

Normal Text (4.5:1 AA): Fail

Dark Mode (#464646)on Dark (#1C1C1E)

Contrast Ratio:1.80:1

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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

In light appearance, Unemphasized Selected Content Background resolves to #DCDCDC. In dark appearance, it automatically adapts to #464646.

How do I bridge NSColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor into SwiftUI?

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

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

Yes, NSColor.unemphasizedSelectedContentBackgroundColor 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.