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

Question

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?

Solution 1

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.

Solution 2

I recently asked myself the same question: "how can I invert my screen's colors easily" (on Windows 7) and I was so disappointed to find there was no solution except the Magnifier trick, that I developed my own.

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

You can try it out here.

Solution 3

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.

Solution 4

You could use the Windows Magnifier, set to 1x magnification, with invert enabled.

Solution 5

For web pages you can usually set custom colors in your browser. In IE you can find this in Internet Options > General > Colors.

View more solutions

Comments

[Joey]

I fear, though, that the browser is just one example of things where it doesn't quite work.

[user882903]

if it would have just been free :(

[Admin]

it's shareware, try before you buy. Inversion is only a gimmick, the program does far more than that. :)

[Joshua Nurczyk]

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.

[Admin]

Yes, the simple way, I hope he has some steel-eyes :D

[user882903]

that does it for only half of the screen :(

[user882903]

from the answers, i dont think that there is an application that can do what I want :(

[Sergio]

eSKay: You can resize it using the mouse.

[ChrisF]

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

[Myrtle]

This is now my daily application. I am even considering compiling it for ARM on my Surface RT.

[Karan]

@Aphelion: Can you upload and share the ARM-compatible version if it works after jailbreaking the Surface RT?