Accessible Chart Palette Generator
Generate categorical color palettes and verify their distinguishability under various forms of color vision deficiency (CVD).
Accessible Palette Settings
5
250°
Color Vision Simulations
If adjacent colors appear identical in any of the simulated rows, you should adjust the lightness/chroma or reduce the number of colors. Alternatively, rely on patterns (see below).
Distinguishability Preview
Preview how non-color differentiation improves accessibility.
Designing Accessible Charts
Data visualization accessibility involves more than just ensuring text has a 4.5:1 contrast ratio. When designing charts:
- Don't rely on color alone: Always provide a secondary visual cue. Use patterns, textures, or different line styles (dashed, dotted).
- Direct labeling: Whenever possible, label data points and lines directly instead of forcing users to match colors back and forth with a legend.
- Whitespace and borders: Ensure adjacent colored areas (like slices in a pie chart or stacked bars) have a high-contrast border (often white or the background color) separating them to help define shapes.
- Limit categories: The more colors you need, the harder it is to make them distinct for color-blind users. Try to limit categories to 4-5 and group the rest into "Other".