Allow Wallpaper Tinting in Windows

In this video, we’re going to look at a new setting we have with macOS Big Sur – Allow Wallpaper Tinting in Windows. Basically, what this does is it tints the window on your Mac. It’s a subtle change, but when you do turn it off, it does make your Mac easier to read in some cases. So you may want to have this off. Let’s take a look at this Allow Wallpaper Tinting in Windows setting. Let’s go to my Mac.

So I’m looking at macOS Big Sur here, and let’s go and open up a window. I’m going to go to my Apple menu and then go over to my System Preferences. Now when we’re looking at this window here, my System Preferences window, it has a slight tint based on what is in the background. It is very subtle, but in some cases, you may find, when you turn it off, it makes your Mac more comfortable to read. I like to have it off because it provides more contrast; it removes that tinting.

To see the difference, all you have to do is just go to General here. This is where we have our setting, and you’re going to see we have Allow Wallpaper tinting in Windows. We can see that this is turned on. Now, what I’m going to do is turn this off. When I turn this off, you’re going to see that my screen will brighten up or the window is going to brighten up. I’m going to have slightly more contrast. I click on it, and we can see it’s just a little brighter. I have a little better contrast.

In my case, it makes the text easier to read. Now, these results are not going to be the same across the board. It could depend on the monitor that you’re using. I’m using an older monitor here. It is not a retina display. And I also need readers. If you have a better display, you may want to leave this on.

I’m going to turn this on, and you’re going to see it has a slight reddish tint to it because the background is red. I turn it back off. That tint is removed.

Now, what I’m going to do is turn this on, and then I’m going to split the screen. So then we can see these results side by side, on the left side, I’m going to have it without tinting, and on the right side, I’m going to have it with tinting. And now I bring this in from the right side, and now you can see it’s a subtle difference, but for some people, it may make a big difference.

So that is how Allow Wallpaper Tinting in Windows works. It just tints your windows; it tints all of the windows on the Mac. What you may want to do is just turn this off to see if your Mac is easier to read. Again, there are different variables for why this may work or not work for you. But in my case, I’m using an older monitor; I have to wear readers. So I prefer to have this off. ` So that’s Allow Wallpaper Tinting in Windows in macOS Big Sur.