How to Use Color in Your Apple Tech to Maximize Your Wellbeing

The theory of colors affecting your mental state is not a new idea. It dates back to ancient Egypt and Rome, where color was used as a form of healing treatment for illnesses.

Today, color psychology underpins all large companies' marketing and branding choices to attract you to their commercial products and services. It’s worth considering how you can use the same principles of color psychology to maximize your own well-being.

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Here’s what you should know about choosing colors and how to use them in your Apple technology.

What Is Color Psychology?

Color psychology is the study of hues and how they determine human behavior and mood. Years of study in this field have proved that colors do indeed have a significant impact on human mood associations.

A report published in theAnnual Review of Psychologyabout the effects of color on psychological functioning in humans made the point that “color can carry important meaning and can have an important impact on people’s affect, cognition, and behavior.”

A semi opened Mac laptop on a desk with colors showing

Although individual responses may differ, some mainstream conclusions can safely be drawn about the impact of different colors on people. Here are some examples:

Warm colors include:

Plutchik’s Color wheel of emotions

Cooler colors include:

The advertising materials for brands such as Apple have long employed color as a subtle but powerful communication tool to get you to choose their products. So let’s consider how you could incorporate it into your choices for the technology you use daily for work, leisure, and communication.

Screenshot of iPhone Add New Wallpaper menu

How You Can Use Technology Strategically in Your Apple Tech to Maximize Your Well-Being

Here’s how you can use tech to improve your wellbeing.

1. Change Your iOS Lock Screen Color

you may customize your iPhone lock screen with iOS 16 to show any color display, use the new Depth Effect to combine different shades and colors, and evenchange the iOS text coloron your iPhone lock screen.

It’s easy to create multiple lock screens and then switch between them easily on the go. Hold down the iPhone lock screen until the customization menu appears, then slide your screen to the left or right to change the screen until your preferred choice appears.

Screenshot of iPhone wallpaper color options

You can change your lock screen color according to your mood or situation. For example, you might use a red-toned screen to energize you to get going in the morning, a yellow-toned screen to keep you optimistic while at work, and a cooler green screen to help you unwind later in the day. Because there’s no limit to the number of screens you can save, you can experiment and see how the colors affect you in different situations.

2. Use Focus Modes to Adjust Wallpaper Color on iOS Devices Automatically

you may link your multiple iOS 16 lock screens to different Focus modes on your iPhone, automating the switch to different colored lock screens to match the Focus activity.

Again, it’s easy to set up and use Focus Modes. Go to your iPhone’sControl Center(swipe down from the upper right corner). TheFocusbutton is there, with a moon icon next to it by default. Tap it to reveal a range of profiles such asWork,Sleep,Nap, andFitness.

Select the Focus Mode you want to adjust, and tapSettingsto change the colors used for this focus mode and any other adjustments you require, such as silencing notifications. You can select patterns, emojis, and photos. Just make sure you adjust the color profile to give the desired effect. In the example pictured below, the snow scene is altered with red and blue washes just by using the built-in settings.

3. Change Website Background Colors in Your Internet Browser With the Color Changer Extension

Modifying your website background colors can have a positive psychological impact on you as you browse. Using a tool such as the Color Changer extension for Firefox and Chrome can make the color switch easy to manage. It’s one of several possible methods forchanging website background colors in Edge, Chrome, and Firefox.

Download the free Color Changer extension for your browser and use it to change the background color and adjust the contrast and brightness. You can also change the text and link colors to provide a suitable contrast to your modified color screen. Test the tool on the predominantly whiteGooglesearch engine home page first to see how effective your chosen colors are.

Download: Color Changer forGoogle Chrome|Firefox(Free)

4. Alter the Color Scheme of Your macOS

As an Apple user, you benefit from an extensive set of built-in tools to customize your Mac, including the color scheme used by macOS.

You can choose your background wallpaper, just as you can on your iPhone, within theSystem Settings. SelectWallpaperand choose from a Dynamic Desktop, a Light & Dark Desktop, a series of Desktop Pictures, and a Colors section, where you can select the exact color that suits your preference best.

it’s possible to also set up a whole custom color scheme for your Mac from theSystem Settings. To do so, head to theAppearancetab and choose your new colors in theAccent colorandHighlight colorsections. This will change the colors of your system’s menus, buttons, and boxes.

5. Choose the Color of Your Physical Device

It’s not just the display you need to consider. Apple has made color an essential element of its iconic physical devices throughout the company’s existence. Therefore, you have a variety of color choices available to you when you choose a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Picking your color is all part of the fun of choosing a new device, and you’re able to consider how your choices will enhance your mental well-being.

If you’re an iPhone user, we have a handy guide to help you choosewhich iPhone 14 color is best for you, and there’s also a guide tothe best iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max color. you’re able to also use the MUO guide as towhich color is best for your M2 MacBook Air.

6. Use Color Schemes Carefully in Your Physical Workspace

It pays to look around your physical space, too. Think about your desk, the walls, the floor, and any artwork nearby. Does the color palette add to your mood and help your well-being? If not, you can make simple color changes to enhance your mood. This can mean changing anything in your eyeline!

Again, tech can come in handy. Try one of the excellent 3D Light Panels available on the market, or for full compatibility with Apple Home, tryNanoleaf Lines to illuminate your room. The modular design means you can transform your workspace with color schemes you completely control via the Nanoleaf app.

Make Colors Work for You by Using Color Psychology in Your Apple Tech

Knowing a little about how color psychology works can enable you to use it to improve your well-being. Whether you’re trying to create a positive, productive environment for your job or you need to set a relaxing mood to help you unwind, color can be an ally in sending the right signals to your brain. If your Apple devices are an essential part of your life, use these tips to set them up to deliver the right color palette for your needs.

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