By ColorblindSimulator Team7/5/2024 • 5 min read

Best Color Blind Simulators for Designers (2025)

Color blindness affects millions of users worldwide, making it essential for designers to ensure their interfaces are accessible to everyone. Color blind simulators are invaluable tools that let you preview your designs as seen by people with various types of color vision deficiencies. Here’s a roundup of the best simulators and how to use them in your workflow.

Why Use a Color Blind Simulator?

• Preview real user experience for different types of color blindness.
• Catch accessibility issues early in the design process.
• Comply with accessibility standards like WCAG.
• Build empathy for users with color vision deficiencies.

Top Color Blind Simulators

• ColorblindSimulator.app – Our own Color Blind Simulator offers real-time simulation for Protanopia, Deuteranopia, Tritanopia, and Achromatopsia. Upload images, use your webcam, or check color palettes for accessibility.
• Coblis (Color Blindness Simulator) – A popular web tool that lets you upload images and see them through various color blindness filters. Try Coblis
• Sim Daltonism (Mac App) – A free Mac app that applies color blindness filters to any part of your screen in real time.
• Chrome DevTools – Chrome’s built-in DevTools includes emulation for different color vision deficiencies. Open DevTools → Rendering → Emulate vision deficiencies.
• Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator Proof Setup – Professional design tools like Photoshop and Illustrator offer proofing modes for color blindness.

How to Integrate Simulators Into Your Workflow

• Test early and often: Preview your designs with a simulator before finalizing. Try our Color Blind Simulator or Colorblind Test.
• Use Palette Checker: Ensure your color palettes are accessible for all users, or preview in real time with the Live Webcam Simulator.
• Share results: Show your team how your UI looks to color blind users.
• Iterate: Adjust colors, add patterns, and retest.

Key Takeaways

• Simulators help you design for everyone, not just the majority.
• Use multiple tools for the most accurate results, including Color Blind Simulator, Palette Checker, Live Webcam Simulator, and Colorblind Test.
• Combine simulators with accessibility guidelines like WCAG color contrast.