How to Use New Windows 11 Screen Tint Feature

Quick Tips

• The Microsoft “Screen tint” feature allows users to add a color overlay to their screen and customize the color and strength.
• It’s currently only available to Windows Insiders with build 26300.8497.
• There are other features, like Night Light and Color Filters, to adjust colors in Windows.

Microsoft is continuing to improve its services for users, and this also extends to accessibility. If you have visual impairments or just need to give your eyes a break from the screen glare, then Night Light isn’t your only way to go anymore. In this article, we’ll be talking about the new Windows 11 screen tint feature and how to use it.

Testing the Tint

The screen tinting feature is brand new to Windows 11. So new, in fact, that many users won’t have it available on their machines just yet. Only those with build 26300.8497 will be able to use it for now. If this seems way above your current build number, that’s because you need to be a member of the Windows Insider Program to be able to test this feature.

If all goes well, this feature will likely be rolled out to all users a bit later.

What Does Screen Tinting Entail?

Screen tinting is a little different from the color filters you currently find in the Accessibility section of Settings. It adds a color as an overlay to your whole screen, which can go a long way to reducing eye strain during long sessions or just making colors seem more muted. Like the Night Light feature that’s kinder to your eyes, the “Screen tint” feature functions as an accessibility tool, but with more choice for color and tint strength.

Using the Windows 11 Screen Tint Feature

If you have the build and are part of the Insider Program, here’s what to do if you want to turn on (and customize) your screen tinting:

Step 1. Open “Settings” (Win + I) and then click the “Accessibility” tab in the sidebar.

Step 2. Under the “Vision” subsection, click “Screen tint” in the main window.

Step 3. In the “Screen tint” window, drag the “Show a color overlay” toggle to “On” to enable the tint.

Step 4. If you want to change the color of the tint overlay, simply click a “Tint color” preset, or hit “View colors” next to “Custom tint” for more options.

Step 5. Drag the “Strength” slider up and down to adjust the overlay intensity.

Screen Tint Alternatives

Even though “Screen tint” is a great feature to have, it’s not the only way of adjusting the colors on your screen. Let’s look at two alternatives.

Night Light

This feature removes the blue light from your screen, aiding with sleep and reducing eye strain. It can even be set to automatically turn on at a certain time. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1. Open “Settings” (Win + I) and head to “System.”

Step 2. Click on “Display.”

Step 3. Click the “Night light” option under “Brightness & color.”

Step 4. Click “Turn on now” to activate the feature and drag the “Strength” slider for intensity.

Step 5. Toggle the “Schedule night light” option to “On” to manually choose the start and end times for the feature.

Color Filters

For forms of color blindness or visual impairment, Windows has the “Color filter” feature. It’s not a screen overlay per se, but it does adjust colors. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1. Open “Settings” and then click “Accessibility.”

Step 2. Click the “Color filters” option.

Step 3. Toggle the “Color filters” slider to “On” and choose your color setting.