Fix OneNote Text Highlighting Problem in Windows 10 High Contrast Mode
Question details
Users experience unreadable text in OneNote when selecting content, as it displays black text against a blue highlight when High Contrast Black mode is active.
- Product
- OneNote
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Using OneNote with Windows 10 High Contrast Black mode enabled for accessibility purposes.
- Observed behavior
- When text is selected or highlighted, it renders as black text on a blue background, making it extremely difficult to read for users relying on high contrast visuals.
Ensure your Windows 10 operating system and OneNote applications are updated to their latest versions, as Microsoft periodically releases patches for known accessibility and rendering bugs.
Change the Font Color of the Selected Text
Manually adjusting the text color ensures it remains visible against the problematic blue highlight background in High Contrast mode.
Since the High Contrast Black mode forces a specific highlight color that clashes with the default text color, changing the font color to something brighter can act as a reliable temporary workaround.
Carefully highlight the affected text block in your OneNote document.
Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the top ribbon and locate the 'Font Color' dropdown menu.
Choose a bright color, such as white or yellow, that provides enough contrast against the dark background and the blue selection highlight.
Submit Feedback to the Microsoft Product Team
Report the rendering conflict directly to Microsoft so their development team can investigate and issue a permanent fix.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does High Contrast mode cause highlighting issues in OneNote?
This is a known rendering bug in certain versions of OneNote where the application fails to properly invert or adjust the text color against the high contrast background highlight, resulting in unreadable black-on-blue text.
Does this rendering issue affect all versions of OneNote?
This specific bug has been primarily reported in OneNote for Windows 10 and OneNote 2016 when the Windows 10 High Contrast Black accessibility theme is applied.
Are there alternative high contrast themes that work better with OneNote?
Yes, trying different high contrast themes built into Windows 10, such as High Contrast White, may bypass the specific blue-highlight rendering bug found in the High Contrast Black theme.
