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How can I invert all the screen display colors in Windows Vista?

The majority of my screen is white and I would prefer it the other way round.

The closest I could get is using High Contrast [Left-Alt + Left Shift + PrntScrn], but it doesn't quite work how I expect; the Windows features are mostly made black, but for example web pages still load in their original color, which again, is mostly white.

Is there a way I can just make the colors invert on the whole screen on a laptop?

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6 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

PowerStrip is the solution (not free though)

Right click the PowerStrip tray icon and select Color > Configure.

Check the Invert Gamma Ramp (negative image) box. If Write Directly to Palette DAC is not enabled, check that as well.

Optional: tweak the brightness, contrast, gamma, and temperature of the global colors or of the different components.

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if it would have just been free :( –  Lazer Sep 14 '09 at 23:17
it's shareware, try before you buy. Inversion is only a gimmick, the program does far more than that. :) –  Molly7244 Sep 14 '09 at 23:19
It does do a lot more, but is sort of overkill for just this one function. However, I don't know if there is another option. –  Joshua Nurczyk Sep 14 '09 at 23:50
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I recently asked myself the same question: "how can I invert my screen's colors easily" (on 7) and I was so disappointed to find there was no solution except the Magnifier trick, that I developed my own.

It is a simple but complete program written in C# (sources open)

You can try it out here.

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This is now my daily application. I am even considering compiling it for ARM on my Surface RT. –  Maurice Stam Feb 21 '13 at 16:15
@Aphelion: Can you upload and share the ARM-compatible version if it works after jailbreaking the Surface RT? –  Karan Feb 22 '13 at 3:45
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Just to explain: all browsers will render web pages in the colours specified by the page author - unless you override this.

Johannes has explained where the option is in IE.

In Firefox it's at Tools > Content > Colours > Allow pages to choose their own colours, instead of my selection above.

Uncheck this option and set the text and background colours you like.

I can't seem to find the equivalent option in Google Chrome.

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I fear, though, that the browser is just one example of things where it doesn't quite work. –  Јοеу Sep 14 '09 at 22:25
from the answers, i dont think that there is an application that can do what I want :( –  Lazer Sep 15 '09 at 18:13
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. –  ChrisF Sep 15 '09 at 20:46
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You could use the Windows Magnifier, set to 1x magnification, with invert enabled.

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Yes, the simple way, I hope he has some steel-eyes :D –  Revolter Sep 15 '09 at 3:56
that does it for only half of the screen :( –  Lazer Sep 15 '09 at 18:10
eSKay: You can resize it using the mouse. –  tsilb Sep 15 '09 at 19:17
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For web pages you can usually set custom colors in your browser. In IE you can find this in Internet Options > General > Colors.

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Google Chrome has a high contrast extension that inverts colors on most text things on web pages while maintaining appropriate colors on most pictures and things. I use it constantly.


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