Custom Color Vision (Official Website)
Contents:
Turn any Windows 11 (and conditionally Windows 10) desktop into the color-lab of your dreams. Custom Color Vision lets you drop in a simple 1D spectrum or 2D image and instantly remap every pixel on the chosen monitor. Simulate any color vision deficiency, highly modifiably daltonise games and apps that forgot about accessibility, or even craft an altered or “better-than-normal” trichromacy for yourself—all at full-screen, real-time speed.
Use Custom Color Vision at your own risk. While designed to be a powerful tool for visual exploration and accessibility, the developer is not liable for any issues that may arise from its use. Please ensure your system meets the minimum requirements. Note that the application may not be compatible with all exclusive full-screen applications due to how they handle screen rendering.
Easily simulate color vision deficiencies. Drop in a customized 1D spectrum or 2D image and experience protanopia/-omaly, deuteranopia/-omaly, tritanopia/-omaly, monochromacy in every possible severity and freely selectable colors, for example.
Original image (Minecraft).
Original image with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. This is a protanopia simulation.
Drag-and-drop customization. Your color profile is an image (any size). Design it, share it, reload it in seconds—no scary matrices.
Easy global daltonisation. If you are color vision deficient, shift confusing hues to something you can better tell apart across every running program, including games (apart from exclusive full screen applications).
Original image (Kingdome Come: Deliverance II). Image source.
Original image with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. This is a protanopia simulation.
Original image with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. This is a unique Daltonisation applied.
Beyond ordinary sight. Design and drop in a more nuanced trichromatic hue spectrum and better differentiate hues.
Original image (Stardew Valley).
Original image with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. This custom spectrum allows you to distinguish 4-times more trichromatic hues.
Real-time performance. Can capture and remap a 1080p desktop at 40-60 FPS on an i7-8700 + GTX 1070 Ti, leaving enough headroom to play Elden Ring alongside it at 30-45 FPS without major lags, for example. Games like The Binding of Issac, Sacred Gold, Stardew Valley, etc. can be played with almost no FPS drops at 40-60 FPS (depending on your PC setup).
Live overlay applies to the entire screen (excluding some exclusive full screen applications)
Per-monitor control & hot-swappable quality presets (360p → 1080p), lower quality settings improve the FPS
Instant spectrum drag & drop interface without any loading time
Screenshot button for before/after comparisons and sharing
Starter spectra, plus free 1D/2D Color Texture Designer for creating your own custom spectra and textures
Designers & Educators who need to see and want to experiment with every type and severity of color vision deficiency, dichromacy and monochromacy—for testing and teaching.
Original image (Minecraft).
Original image with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. This is a blue-cone monochromacy simulation.
Gamers & Professionals living with color vision deficiencies who want universal, system-wide daltonisation, or just show curious others how they're actually seeing colors. And normal trichromats who want to experience what it's like to have color vision deficiency (coll.: "colorblindness"). Easy color accessibility for games, maps, apps, spreadsheets, images, etc.
Red-Green Map Reader Spectrum:
Red-green map reader Daltonisation spectrum. The red-green color channel has been replaced with the yellow-blue color channel, and all the other hues are black or blackish. Red is yellow, pure yellow is white, and green is blue in order to simulate the distinctiveness of these hues for people with a red-green color vision deficiency. If you couldn't distinguish the colors of a red-green color-coded map before because the designers forgot about color vision deficiencies, now you can easily distinguish red-green with this custom spectrum. Spectrum created with the 1D Color Texture Designer (Multi-Spectrum) application.
Original Image: Red-yellow-green color coded map. Image source.
Original image but with a protanopia spectrum applied.
Original image but with the red-green map reader Daltonisation spectrum from above applied.
Artists & Art-Enthusiasts who want to see their and other works of art with completely new eyes—with less, altered and/or more colors. As well as Color Nerds chasing a better than average trichromacy or wanting to experiment with inter-/exchanging, dimming, omitting, multiplying, decreasing (etc.) hues and colors in general.
Original image (Pintrest). Image Source.
Original image but with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. This custom spectrum allows you to distinguish 8-times more trichromatic hues.
And generally those who want to watch videos, series and play games with freely customizable color settings.
Original image (YouTube via Opera). Video source.
Original image but with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. This is a cusom spectrum that focuses on the yellow hue range.
Minimum
OS: Windows 11 64-bit. With Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) the overlay functionality doesn't work: you have to uncheck the isOverlay toggle and can only use the pop-up overlay (with 2 physical/virtual screens).
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 @ 2.5 GHz or AMD FX-6300 (4 hardware threads)
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: DirectX 11–compatible GPU with ≥2 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 660, Radeon HD 7870, or newer integrated Intel UHD 630)
DirectX: Version 11 (feature level 11_0)
Storage: 500 MB available space
Display: 1× monitor up to 1920 × 1080 at 60 Hz
Delivers roughly 20–60 FPS at 1080p with one overlay active and no other applications running concurrently.
Recommended
OS: Windows 11 64-bit (23H2); Window 11 is highly recommended because the overlay functionality only works on Windows 11!
Processor: Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti / RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 590 / 6600 (≥4 GB VRAM)
DirectX: Version 12 (feature level 12_0 – fully backward compatible)
Storage: 1 GB available space
Display: Up to 2560 × 1440 @ 75 Hz, multiple-monitor 1080p setups (a higher native screen resolution will cost more performance)
Holds 40–60+ FPS at “Maximum (1080p)” with one overlay active and no other applications running concurrently.
Using the following example setup Custom Color Vision will run at an average of 45-60 FPS at 1080p with no other performance intensive application(s) running concurrently.
Articles
Visit this accompanying article for more information on how the Custom Color Vision application works.
Tools
Free online 1D/2D Color Texture Designer. Here you can design your custom spectra.
Starter Spectra
The many starter spectra include: color vision deficiencies (CVD), monochromacies daltonisations, enhanced/altered trichromacies, and a lot more!
General Information
Custom Color Vision is the predecessor of the soon to be published PC/VR applicaton Color in Color. Color in Color will allows its user to set a custom 1D spectrum or a custom 3D color space for each eye independently and view the resulting impossible color combinations in either stereo (two smaller screens) or Virtual Reality (VR). Color in Color will be the first technology that can functionally correct mild, moderate and severe anomalous color visions (color vision deficiencies, CVD, "colorblindess" or "color blindness") and all dichromacies towards trichromatic vision. Visit Color in Color for more information.
Coding Language/Engine: Python
Version History
V1.20 (released ??.??.2025): First publicly available version of Custom Color Vision.
Purchase the app - (currently only available on itch.io)
Download and unpack the .zip file
Carefully read the Readme.txt file
Start the .exe file "Custom Color Vision" - (no additional installations required)
Main Application
Number Explanation (Main Application)
1: logo and application name
2. minimize application
3: close appliaction (closes all related windows)
4: drag & drop in custom texture (1D spectrum, 2D image), hover to see file name of dropped in image; when an image is dropped in there appears a line that you can drag up and down to select the specific horizontal hue line, there's a limit of 32 horizontal segments (i.e. 32 spectra in one image, minimum vertical size per spectrum is 4 pixels)
5: segment display (shows which segment of the dropped in image has been selected)
6: auto-scroll speed display, from 0 (none/inactive) to 100 (very fast auto-scrolling)
7: auto-scroll speed slider (adjust left to right to change auto-scroll speed
8: start/stop button (starts or stops the application's (pop-up) overlay and color conversion
9: screen selection dropdown (lists all the active screens)
10: quality selection dropdown, 1080p (slowest but high quality) to 360p (fastest but low quality)
11: screenshot button (can only be pressed while the application is running)
12: main information display (shows loading, running, overlay, simulation and line state)
13: overlay FPS display (shows the current FPS, updates every second)
14: FPS limit (1-240, the value represents the frames per second)
15: FPS limit toggle (if set to false it's limited to the native FPS)
16: overlay toggle (true = overlay; false = pop-up window)
17: opens the info pop-up window
Info Pop-Up
Number Explanation (Info Pop-Up)
1: logo and application name
2. close appliaction (only closes this window)
3: application information (app name, studio, developer/copyright, version, website, etc.)
4: screenshot directory display/input field
5: screenshot directory button/browser (opens the native Windows file browser, select a valid directory, automatic saving if valid)
6: "ok" button (closes this pop-up window)
Overlay Pop-Up (isOverlay = false)
Number Explanation (Overlay Pop-Up)
1: logo and application name
2. minimize application (cannot be recorded if minimized)
3: maximize window
4: close overlay pop-up window (IMPORTANT: Don't close this window! Rather stop the application and set isOverlay to true to disable this window. Bugs can occur if the overlay pop-up window is closed in any other way.)
5: screen capture display with color conversion applied
6: right click on window: opens context menu for selecting the scale of the window (aspect ratio: 16:9)
Custom Color Vision allows you to adjust the selected screen's colors through a customizable spectrum. Exchange any hue of the trichromatic hue spectrum with any color desired. The color conversion will be applied in real time. Below you can see comparison images. A Minecraft screenshot, with an added circular hue spectrum below, was used as a classic example.
Design and drop in your own custom 1D spectra and 2D images to personalize your digital color vision.
Large view:
Original Image (Minecraft).
Above image with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. Click on the arrows on both sides of the image roundabout to switch through different color adjustments.
Side by side view:
Original Image (Minecraft).
Left image with color adjustments via Custom Color Vision. Click on the arrows on both sides of the image roundabout to switch through different color adjustments.
A customizable color vision only limited by your imagination:
Various different color adjustments of the original Minecraft screenshot in a collage. These custom spectrum exampels are only a very small percentage of what's possible with Custom Color Vision.
Customize the colors of photographs:
Original photograph: Red-yellow-green fruits and vegetables.
Original photograph but with a deuteranopia spectrum applied.
Original photograph but with the red-green map reader Daltonisation spectrum applied for those with red-green color vision deficiencies. Red is yellow, yellow is white, and green is blue.
You can personalize spectra to your specific needs. As someone with a color vision deficiency you can specifically address you confusion colors.
Color Conversion for Windows 10 Users:
If you have Window 10 the overlay functionality does not work. You have the following two options if you still want to use Custom Color Vision.
(1) If you only have a single screen, you can partition it into two areas. The first area will be the overlay pop-up, and the second area can be anything else. Naturally, this will create recursion and distortion.
(2) If you have more than one physical/virtual screen you can place the overlay pop-up on your second screen and let it record the first screen.
You can use Virtual Display to simulate a virtual monitor/display/screen (if you only have one physical screen). Once this virtual screen is setup correctly, you can automatically switch to it in the Custom Color Vision application via the screen selection dropdown. For the new physical/virtual screen to appear as an option in the screen selection dropdown you have to restart the application.
Adjust the auto-scroll slider above 0 to enable auto-scrolling. The line selection will start to automatically move from top to bottom at the set speed. Once it has reached the bottom, it will start from the top again.
This functionality allows you to implement temporal colors into your color vision. Temporal colors might seem instable and odd at first, but you can get used to them. Read more about temporal colors here:
WARNING: Flashing colors! Use this temporal colors functionality cautiously and at your own discretion!
Two instances of Custom Color Vision have been openend at the same time. Both are set to isOverlay = false. The red-green dichromacy correction 2D image has been selected.
Here are the two overlay pop-ups created by the two Custom Color Vision instances. Put them horizontally besides each other on your second (physical/virtual) visible screen. Use stereo viewing techniques like cross- or parellel-eye-viewing to overlap the two differently colored images. The above example simulates a fully functional trichromacy for red-green dichromats via impossible dichromatic color combinations. This functionality allows you to individually customize the color vision of each of your two eyes in order to tap into the human potential for hexachromacy (as a normal trichromat; for dichromats it's the "dichromatic human potential for tetrachromacy").
Important note: Stably and consistently seeing impossible (binocular/non-retinal) color combinations is a skill that you have to train over a longer period of time! Some people pick it up quickly and for others it'll take longer and more training. Don't worry if you can't adequately see impossible color combinations as a beginner. Some impossible color combinations are more stable than others. Visit my YouTube channel Ooqui for more information about impossible color combinations.
Combine the temporal colors and impossible color combinations functionalities to view impossible temporal color combinations.
Discord
Connect with many other like-minded people here on the Ooqui Sensory Lab Discord server and share your custom spectra, textures, images, screenshots, theories and projects!
Studio: Ooqui Sensory Lab (not yet founded)
Developer/Copyright: Kilian-Roy Lachner (alias: "Ooqui")
Version: CustomColorVision V1.20
Website: www.color-in-color.info
Business & Support E-Mail: ooquisensorylab@gmail.com
Please only write me e-mails for important matters. I may or may not answer e-mails.
List of Known Issues
On some PCs the custom taskbar icon might not be set/visible. (26.05.2025, Version 1.20)
FPS will waver/decrease while other CPU-intensive applications are running, depending on how good your PC setup is. (26.05.2025, Version 1.20)
If you're running the overlay pop-up on a second screen and recording the first screen, but the first screen has no pixel changes, then temporal colors will not work. Currently, there have to be pixel changes for the temporal colors to work in this specific case. (31.05.2025, Version 1.20)
The mouse cursor isn't visible in the overlay pop-up display. (01.06.2025, Version 1.20)
Does this app work for non Windows 11 operating systems?
No, currently not. Other OS support isn't planned yet.
Why does the overlay functionality not work for Windows 10?
It's because of a weird Windows 10 quirk. Sadly, it currently seems impossible to make the overlay functionality work for Windows 10. I've tried a lot to make it work, but it seems to be a persistent and currently unsolvable bug. Essentially, when excluding a window from capture, instead of capturing the pixels behind that window like in Windows 11, Windows 10 returns black for the same area. This makes it impossible to create the overlay functionality on Windows 10 using reasonable strategies.
Can I drop in any image?
Yes, you can drop in just a 1D or a 2D texture/image. In the latter case, you can choose which horizontal line of the 2D texture will be taken as the current custom spectrum. Drag the selection line up and down to select a specific horizontal segment.
Why is the FPS so low?
See the minimum and recommended system requirements. Naturally, the better your setup, the higher the FPS. Select a lower quality in the quality dropdown list for better FPS—it's a tradeoff.
If the screen is relatively still and not a lot of pixels change, then the FPS might decrease until enough pixels change again in order to save resources. This will cause the FPS to fluctuate naturally.
Does the app also work with just one screen?
Yes (with Windows 11). You can run the app with any number of active screens, including just a single screen.
Does this app save the custom spectrum/image once it's closed and re-opened again at a later time?
No, the loaded texture that you've dropped in before closing the app will be lost.
Can I record the color adjusted screen overlay?
No, you can't record the overlay because it's excluded from capture. However, you can take screenshots of it. Alternatively, you can record the pop-up overlay when the isOverlay toggle is set to false. To optimally record the overlay pop-up you need at least two phyiscal or virtual screens and a PC setup that can handle both recording and color conversion without causing lags or FPS drops.
Will the app cause performance issues for other apps while being stopped?
No, the app won't cause any performance issues while being stopped. It will be on standby, with minimal resource usage.
The app or an element of it crashed/froze/is unresponsive/is recursive. What do I do now?
Don't worry. Just close and restart the app.
I have a bad PC setup. Can I still use Custom Color Vision (CCV)?
Yes. As long as you don't have a "potato PC" you can also use this app on a relatively low-end PC setup, as long as it's Windows 11. Select a lower quality in the quality dropdown list for better FPS—it's a tradeoff.
I have a fullscreen app/game open and the screen's colors aren't being adjusted anymore. Why does this happen?
The overlay of Custom Color Vision doesn't work for some exclusive fullscreen windows. In this case, try to use different window settings (e.g. borderless fullscreen, borderless window, windowed).
Why is the earliest version of Custom Color Vision "1.20"? Are the older version?
Version 1.20 is the first official and publicly released version of Custom Color Vision. The version system that I use is a way for me to keep track of the many development instances of Custom Color Vision that I have already made.
My screen doesn't have an 16:9 aspect ratio. Does Custom Color Vision also work for other aspect ratios?
Yes. Almost any aspect ratio is suitable.
My screen is 4k, bigger/smaller than 1080p. Does Custom Color Vision also work for other resolutions?
Yes. Generally, the lower your native screen resoltions, the higher the FPS will be. The higher your native resolution, the lower the FPS will be. FPS also depend on your specific PC setup.
More questions and answers will be added in the future based on your feedback.
EULA - IMPORTANT - READ CAREFULLY!
Last Updated: May 26, 2025
This End User License Agreement ("EULA") is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity, hereinafter "You" or "Licensee") and Kilian-Roy Lachner (alias: "Ooqui") / Ooqui Sensory Lab (hereinafter "Licensor" or "Developer") for the software application "Custom Color Vision" and any associated media, printed materials, and "online" or electronic documentation (collectively, the "Software").
By installing, copying, downloading, accessing, or otherwise using the Software, You agree to be bound by the terms of this EULA. If You do not agree to the terms of this EULA, do not install or use the Software.
1. Grant of License
a. The Licensor grants You a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited license to install and use one copy of the Software on a compatible Windows-based computer device that You own or control, solely for your personal, educational, or internal professional purposes as described in the Software’s documentation.
b. You may make one backup copy of the Software solely for archival purposes.
2. Restrictions on Use
You agree not to, and You will not permit others to:
a. Modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise attempt to discover the source code of the Software or create derivative works based on the Software.
b. Rent, lease, sell, sublicense, assign, distribute, publish, transfer, or otherwise make the Software available to any third party for any reason.
c. Use the Software for any direct commercial purpose (e.g., reselling the Software, offering its core functionality as a paid service, or bundling it with a commercial product for sale) without the prior express written consent of the Licensor.
Clarification: Use of the Software for educational demonstration purposes or as a tool within your professional design work (e.g., to test accessibility or create visual effects for a project) is permitted under this license, provided this use does not constitute direct commercial exploitation or redistribution of the Software itself.
d. Remove or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices or labels contained on or within the Software.
e. Use the Software for any purpose that is illegal or prohibited by this EULA or any applicable law.
f. Use the Software in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair its functionality or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of the Software.
3. Intellectual Property Rights
a. The Software is licensed, not sold, to You. The Licensor retains all ownership, title, copyright, and other intellectual property rights in and to the Software (including, but not limited to, any images, photographs, animations, video, audio, music, text, and "applets" incorporated into the Software), the accompanying printed materials, and any copies of the Software.
b. All rights not expressly granted to You under this EULA are reserved by the Licensor.
4. Disclaimer of Warranties
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b. THE LICENSOR DOES NOT WARRANT AGAINST INTERFERENCE WITH YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THE SOFTWARE, THAT THE FUNCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE SOFTWARE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, THAT THE OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT DEFECTS IN THE SOFTWARE WILL BE CORRECTED. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY THE LICENSOR OR AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY.
c. YOU EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT USE OF THE SOFTWARE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.
5. Limitation of Liability
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b. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE LICENSOR'S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES (OTHER THAN AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW IN CASES INVOLVING PERSONAL INJURY) EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF FIFTY U.S. DOLLARS ($50.00) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR THE SOFTWARE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER. THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS WILL APPLY EVEN IF THE ABOVE STATED REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.
6. Termination
a. This EULA is effective until terminated. Your rights under this EULA will terminate automatically without notice from the Licensor if You fail to comply with any term(s) of this EULA.
b. Upon termination of this EULA, You shall cease all use of the Software and destroy all copies, full or partial, of the Software in Your possession or control.
c. Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 shall survive any termination of this EULA.
7. Governing Law
This EULA shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Licensor is based without regard to its conflict of law principles. You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or related to this EULA shall be brought exclusively in the competent courts of the jurisdiction in which the Licensor is based.
8. Entire Agreement & Severability
a. This EULA constitutes the entire agreement between You and the Licensor relating to the Software and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous understandings, communications, or agreements, whether oral or written, regarding such subject matter.
b. If any provision of this EULA is held to be unenforceable or invalid, such provision will be changed and interpreted to accomplish the objectives of such provision to the greatest extent possible under applicable law, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
9. Contact Information
If You have any questions concerning this EULA, or if You desire to contact the Licensor for any reason, please write to:
Ooqui Sensory Lab / Kilian-Roy Lachner
Email: ooquisensorylab@gmail.com
Website: www.color-in-color.info