# Mac book question - display is negative **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 21, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272 "2013-04-21T00:39:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/1 "2013-04-21T00:39:46Z")
I left the Mac open while helping Mrs Piper in the kitchen - came back and the colours are all reversed, like an old colour negative. PiperCub must have been tinkering. Any idea how to get the colours back to normal? I re-started, but it didn’t make a differences. ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/2 "2013-04-21T00:42:51Z")
Try control-option-command 8 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/3 "2013-04-21T00:53:40Z")
Worked - thanks much! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/4 "2013-04-21T01:46:43Z")
Doesn’t work in 10.8. You have to go to Preferences -\> Accessibility -\> Display and check the “Invert colors” checkbox. Why would people want to invert the colours? Why is this available under “Accessibility”? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/5 "2013-04-21T06:44:30Z")
yes - why is there this option? and how did you know the command, **Bag of Mostly Water**? seems very obscure. ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/6 "2013-04-21T11:14:46Z")
I found a [discussion](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3692576?start=0&tstart=0) on the Apple boards addressing this. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/7 "2013-04-21T14:03:03Z")
Thanks! It appears from that discussion that this function is primarily used by young’uns. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/8 "2013-04-21T14:41:25Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Doesn’t work in 10.8. You have to go to Preferences -\> Accessibility -\> Display and check the “Invert colors” checkbox. > > Why would people want to invert the colours? Why is this available under “Accessibility”? I think it’s an attempt to increase contrast. White on black seems to have a slightly higher contrast than black on white. Still, I’d agree it’s mostly useless without also changing other colors to make them high contrast. And no one benefits form seeing an image in negative. Just make it bright. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/9 "2013-04-21T15:30:25Z")
From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > Color Inversion. Many people with visual impairments prefer to invert the colors, typically turning text from black-on-white to white-on-black. This can reduce screen glare and is useful for elderly people suffering from age-related macular degeneration. This is confirmed by a friend of mine who works with visually-impared people. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-book-question-display-is-negative/656272/10 "2013-04-21T19:55:33Z")
Ah, that makes sense. I’ve heard before that text is easier to read if it’s white on black; didn’t occur to me when I asked for help, because the app I had open when the Cub worked his magic was full of images.