Readable in every theme.
Eight themes, from plain light to a green phosphor screen, in English and Polish. Every one meets WCAG 2.2 AA contrast, the 2 high-contrast ones meet AAA, and a script measures every color pair whenever a color changes.
- Themes
- 8
- Pairs measured in each
- 46
- Lowest text contrast
- 4.53:1
- At level AAA
- 2
Eight themes
Pick one in Settings › Appearance; each card there is drawn in its own colors. “Match Windows” switches between Light and Dark with the Windows setting.
Light
WCAG AAThe default when Windows is light. Cool greys, a blue accent.
- surface #ffffff
- panel #f3f5f8
- chrome #e8ebef
- fg #1a1e23
- muted #59636e
- accent #2453a6
- sel #d9e3f3
- flag #c2410c
Text ≥ 4.53:1 · icons and borders ≥ 3.04:1
Dark
WCAG AAThe default when Windows is dark. Soft on the eyes at night.
- surface #14171b
- panel #191c21
- chrome #1e2228
- fg #e2e6eb
- muted #9aa3ad
- accent #6f9de6
- sel #22324d
- flag #f08a4b
Text ≥ 4.68:1 · icons and borders ≥ 3.55:1
Paper
WCAG AATeleprinter paper and petrol ink, with a brick-red flag. Selected rows look highlighted.
- surface #fbf8f1
- panel #f2ede1
- chrome #e9e2d2
- fg #2a2620
- muted #5c5347
- accent #1d5b6c
- sel #f1e0b0
- flag #a5361b
Text ≥ 5.13:1 · icons and borders ≥ 3.27:1
Heather
WCAG AALavender greys, a violet accent and a raspberry flag.
- surface #fcfbfe
- panel #f1eef7
- chrome #e6e2ef
- fg #221d2e
- muted #5a5370
- accent #6034a6
- sel #e3d9f6
- flag #b0225a
Text ≥ 4.94:1 · icons and borders ≥ 3.14:1
Fjord
WCAG AAA deep blue-slate night with frost-cyan accents and an amber flag.
- surface #151e28
- panel #1a2430
- chrome #1f2a37
- fg #e3ebf3
- muted #a0b1c3
- accent #6cc4dc
- sel #1f3e52
- flag #f2a65a
Text ≥ 5.12:1 · icons and borders ≥ 3.31:1
Phosphor
WCAG AAA green phosphor terminal screen, with an amber flag.
- surface #08100b
- panel #0c150f
- chrome #0f1a14
- fg #c6f5d2
- muted #86c39a
- accent #4fe08a
- sel #143b24
- flag #ffc24d
Text ≥ 6.12:1 · icons and borders ≥ 3.48:1
High contrast light
WCAG AAABlack on white. Every text at 7:1 or more, borders you can’t miss.
- surface #ffffff
- panel #ffffff
- chrome #efefef
- fg #000000
- muted #2e2e2e
- accent #0033a0
- sel #cfe0ff
- flag #a11b00
Text ≥ 7.86:1 · icons and borders ≥ 5.90:1
High contrast dark
WCAG AAAWhite on black. Every text at 7:1 or more, borders you can’t miss.
- surface #000000
- panel #000000
- chrome #0d0d0d
- fg #ffffff
- muted #e3e3e3
- accent #8cc0ff
- sel #0a2b55
- flag #ffb366
Text ≥ 7.45:1 · icons and borders ≥ 7.45:1
Measured, not eyeballed
Every color in Telex is a named token, and every theme sets all of them. For each theme a script works out the contrast of every text color on every background it can appear on, including a row under the pointer, the selected row and the open folder: 46 pairs per theme.
- Text needs 4.5:1 for level AA (WCAG 1.4.3), 7:1 for AAA (1.4.6). That includes the quietest text: dates, sizes, addresses, hints.
- Icons, focus rings and field borders need 3:1 (1.4.11): the unread dot, the flag, the account dots and the outline of every field and button.
It runs on every change to the code, and a color that misses its level stops the build. Run it yourself: node scripts/check-contrast.mjs, in the Telex repository.
| Theme | Level | Lowest text | Lowest icon or border |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | AA | 4.53:1 | 3.04:1 |
| Dark | AA | 4.68:1 | 3.55:1 |
| Paper | AA | 5.13:1 | 3.27:1 |
| Heather | AA | 4.94:1 | 3.14:1 |
| Fjord | AA | 5.12:1 | 3.31:1 |
| Phosphor | AA | 6.12:1 | 3.48:1 |
| High contrast light | AAA | 7.86:1 | 5.90:1 |
| High contrast dark | AAA | 7.45:1 | 7.45:1 |
Every pair in Light (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 16.75:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 15.33:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 14.01:1 | 4.5:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 14.90:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 12.95:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 6.11:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 5.60:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 5.11:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 5.44:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 4.73:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 4.94:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 4.53:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 7.34:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 6.72:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 6.13:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 5.67:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 7.34:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 4.74:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 7.11:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 7.50:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 9.17:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 6.98:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 6.02:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 7.79:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 3.32:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 3.04:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 7.34:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 6.72:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 6.13:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 6.52:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 5.67:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 5.18:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 4.61:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 4.00:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 6.72:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 7.34:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 4.54:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 4.96:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 4.55:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 4.97:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 5.66:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 6.18:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 5.51:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 6.02:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 5.02:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 5.48:1 | 3:1 |
Every pair in Dark (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 14.34:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 13.63:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 12.74:1 | 4.5:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 12.62:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 10.27:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 7.03:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 6.68:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 6.25:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 6.19:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 5.04:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 5.41:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 5.14:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 6.54:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 6.22:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 5.81:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 4.68:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 6.81:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 6.87:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 9.81:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 8.89:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 10.37:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 7.77:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 7.09:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 9.44:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 3.73:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 3.55:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 6.54:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 6.22:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 5.81:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 5.76:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 4.68:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 7.23:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 6.36:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 5.17:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 6.22:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 6.54:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 7.75:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 8.15:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 6.87:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 7.23:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 6.30:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 6.64:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 6.37:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 6.70:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 7.03:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 7.40:1 | 3:1 |
Every pair in Paper (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 14.18:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 12.87:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 11.65:1 | 4.5:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 12.55:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 11.48:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 7.11:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 6.46:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 5.85:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 6.30:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 5.76:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 5.65:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 5.13:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 7.16:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 6.50:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 5.89:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 5.80:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 7.16:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 5.72:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 7.03:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 7.01:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 8.64:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 7.35:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 6.82:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 7.82:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 3.61:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 3.27:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 7.16:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 6.50:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 5.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 6.34:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 5.80:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 6.30:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 5.58:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 5.10:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 6.50:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 7.16:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 4.53:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 4.99:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 4.34:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 4.79:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 6.40:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 7.05:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 5.62:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 6.19:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 5.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 6.48:1 | 3:1 |
Every pair in Heather (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 15.87:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 14.27:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 12.85:1 | 4.5:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 13.86:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 12.10:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 7.01:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 6.30:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 5.67:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 6.12:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 5.34:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 5.49:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 4.94:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 8.02:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 7.21:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 6.49:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 6.11:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 8.27:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 5.68:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 7.44:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 7.14:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 8.76:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 8.17:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 7.00:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 9.22:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 3.49:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 3.14:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 8.02:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 7.21:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 6.49:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 7.00:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 6.11:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 6.32:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 5.52:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 4.82:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 7.21:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 8.02:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 4.57:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 5.08:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 4.57:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 5.08:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 5.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 6.55:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 5.68:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 6.32:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 6.06:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 6.74:1 | 3:1 |
Every pair in Fjord (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 13.97:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 13.03:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 12.08:1 | 4.5:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 12.11:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 9.33:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 7.67:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 7.15:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 6.63:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 6.64:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 5.12:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 6.04:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 5.63:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 8.47:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 7.89:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 7.31:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 5.65:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 9.25:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 7.75:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 9.34:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 8.63:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 9.91:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 8.02:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 6.54:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 9.22:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 3.55:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 3.31:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 8.47:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 7.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 7.31:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 7.34:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 5.65:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 8.31:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 7.20:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 5.55:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 7.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 8.47:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 8.65:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 9.28:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 7.75:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 8.31:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 7.14:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 7.66:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 6.92:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 7.42:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 7.32:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 7.85:1 | 3:1 |
Every pair in Phosphor (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 15.97:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 15.39:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 14.76:1 | 4.5:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 13.49:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 10.35:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 9.44:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 9.10:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 8.73:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 7.98:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 6.12:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 7.05:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 6.80:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 11.35:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 10.94:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 10.49:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 7.35:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 11.14:1 | 4.5:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 11.57:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 10.71:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 9.15:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 11.03:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 10.28:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 7.60:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 12.22:1 | 4.5:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 3.61:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 3.48:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 11.35:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 10.94:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 10.49:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 9.59:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 7.35:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 12.00:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 10.14:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 7.78:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 10.94:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 11.35:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 10.23:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 10.62:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 11.57:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 12.00:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 9.36:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 9.71:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 9.57:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 9.92:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 10.34:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 10.72:1 | 3:1 |
Every pair in High contrast light (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 21.00:1 | 7:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 21.00:1 | 7:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 18.26:1 | 7:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 18.18:1 | 7:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 15.76:1 | 7:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 13.58:1 | 7:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 13.58:1 | 7:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 11.81:1 | 7:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 11.76:1 | 7:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 10.19:1 | 7:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 9.59:1 | 7:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 9.59:1 | 7:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 10.60:1 | 7:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 10.60:1 | 7:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 9.22:1 | 7:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 7.95:1 | 7:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 10.60:1 | 7:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 7.86:1 | 7:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 12.29:1 | 7:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 10.24:1 | 7:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 12.61:1 | 7:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 11.71:1 | 7:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 9.52:1 | 7:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 12.78:1 | 7:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 8.86:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 8.86:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 10.60:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 10.60:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 9.22:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 9.18:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 7.95:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 7.86:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 6.80:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 5.90:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 10.60:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 10.60:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 6.63:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 6.63:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 7.70:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 7.70:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 9.39:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 9.39:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 8.22:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 8.22:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 10.86:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 10.86:1 | 3:1 |
Every pair in High contrast dark (46)
| Where | Color on background | Contrast | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message text, list rows | fg on surface | 21.00:1 | 7:1 |
| Folder names, dialogs | fg on panel | 21.00:1 | 7:1 |
| Toolbar and status bar | fg on chrome | 19.44:1 | 7:1 |
| A row under the pointer | fg on hover | 17.40:1 | 7:1 |
| The selected row and folder | fg on sel | 14.10:1 | 7:1 |
| Dates and sizes | muted on surface | 16.36:1 | 7:1 |
| Labels and notes in dialogs | muted on panel | 16.36:1 | 7:1 |
| Column headings, status bar | muted on chrome | 15.14:1 | 7:1 |
| Dates under the pointer | muted on hover | 13.56:1 | 7:1 |
| Dates in the selected row | muted on sel | 10.98:1 | 7:1 |
| Placeholders, image stand-ins | faint on surface | 12.68:1 | 7:1 |
| Account addresses, small notes | faint on panel | 12.68:1 | 7:1 |
| Links in messages | accent on surface | 11.10:1 | 7:1 |
| Unread counts, links in dialogs | accent on panel | 11.10:1 | 7:1 |
| Sort arrows | accent on chrome | 10.27:1 | 7:1 |
| Unread count of the open folder | accent on sel | 7.45:1 | 7:1 |
| Selected row in the focused list, main buttons | accent-fg on accent | 11.10:1 | 7:1 |
| The Flagged label | flag on panel | 11.89:1 | 7:1 |
| Blocked images bar | warn-fg on warn-bg | 12.40:1 | 7:1 |
| Errors, rule notes in Spam | note-fg on note-bg | 11.27:1 | 7:1 |
| Delete buttons | note-fg on surface | 13.90:1 | 7:1 |
| Rule notes, tags, the update chip | chip-fg on chip-bg | 11.25:1 | 7:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-a | 8.44:1 | 7:1 |
| Loaded image stand-ins | chip-fg on img-b | 13.12:1 | 7:1 |
| Field and button borders | field on surface | 8.63:1 | 3:1 |
| Field borders in dialogs | field on panel | 8.63:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring, unread dot | accent on surface | 11.10:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring in dialogs | accent on panel | 11.10:1 | 3:1 |
| Focus ring on the toolbar | accent on chrome | 10.27:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot under the pointer | accent on hover | 9.20:1 | 3:1 |
| Unread dot in the selected row | accent on sel | 7.45:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon | flag on surface | 11.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon under the pointer | flag on hover | 9.86:1 | 3:1 |
| Flag icon in the selected row | flag on sel | 7.98:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in the folder tree | acct-0 on panel | 11.10:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 1's dot in All mail | acct-0 on surface | 11.10:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in the folder tree | acct-1 on panel | 13.23:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 2's dot in All mail | acct-1 on surface | 13.23:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in the folder tree | acct-2 on panel | 11.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 3's dot in All mail | acct-2 on surface | 11.89:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in the folder tree | acct-3 on panel | 10.70:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 4's dot in All mail | acct-3 on surface | 10.70:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in the folder tree | acct-4 on panel | 10.94:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 5's dot in All mail | acct-4 on surface | 10.94:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in the folder tree | acct-5 on panel | 13.62:1 | 3:1 |
| Account 6's dot in All mail | acct-5 on surface | 13.62:1 | 3:1 |
Beyond color
Every action on a key
Reading, replying, flagging, deleting, filtering and the settings themselves work from the keyboard. Ctrl+, opens Settings; arrow keys move through its tabs and choices.
All shortcutsA focus ring you can see
Two pixels in the theme’s accent color, at 3:1 or more against what surrounds it. Around main buttons it sits outside the button, so it never disappears into the button’s own color.
Text up to 200%
Settings › Appearance, or Ctrl+= and Ctrl+− (Ctrl+0 for normal). Everything grows together, and the layout reflows: at large sizes the folder pane turns into a menu.
Windows contrast themes
When a Windows contrast theme is on, Windows picks every color and Telex steps aside: the selection, the open folder and pressed choices take the system highlight, so they stay visible.
Less motion on request
If Windows is set to show fewer animations, nothing in Telex spins or slides.
Fields you can find
The border of every text field, menu and button is at least 3:1 against its background (WCAG 1.4.11), not the faint hairline many apps use.
Named for screen readers
Icon buttons have names, the settings use real tabs, radio buttons and dialogs, the list says how it is sorted, and the status bar and the message pane announce changes.
English and Polish
Telex follows the Windows display language, or the one you pick. The page’s language changes with it, so a screen reader reads with the right voice.
Not there yet
- Moving through the message list with the arrow keys isn’t announced row by row yet; the message pane reads out the message that opens.
- HTML mail keeps its sender’s colors on a white page, so its contrast is the sender’s. Press H for the plain text in your theme.
- Messages from the mail servers (errors, refusals) come through as the servers word them, usually in English.
- These are our own measurements and checks. Telex hasn’t had an outside accessibility audit yet.
Something in Telex hard to use with your setup? Write to admin@telexmail.app.