14 DAY TRIAL // One of the new features that are currently being tested with help from insiders and projected to debut later this year in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is called color filters and is supposed to help people with color blindness use the operating system just like anyone else.
The new color filters are applied at system levels and include six different settings to make it easier for color-blind users to differentiate between colors like red and green.
Furthermore, Microsoft says that its filters can help people with light sensitivity to create and consume content, as they adjust all displayed images no matter if they are part of the operating system or not.
The available filters are Greyscale, Invert, Greyscale Inverted, Deuteranopia, Protanopia, and Tritanopia, and are placed under Settings > Ease of Access > Color and High Contrast. Setting them up does not require a system reboot and all changes are applied instantly.
Keep in mind that these features are only part of Windows 10 build 16215 shipped in the Windows Insider program, and they should become available for everyone in the fall.
Other Ease of Access improvements
Microsoft has also turned the Scan Mode on by default in Narrator, which means that the up and down arrow keys can be used to get through all the content of an app, the space button is the one button for interaction with simple controls, and the left and right arrows make it possible to move by character.
Narrator Input learning is also becoming available in this build to help users learn the keys on the device by telling which buttons have been pressed, while Narrator also includes Braille improvements like support for typing and reading using different translations and options to configure the duration of flash messages.
More on the accessibility side of Windows 10 will be revealed as the operating system gets closer to the Fall Creators Update, which, according to Microsoft’s own roadmap, is projected to be finalized in September.