Building fitness experiences that work for all bodies and all abilities — including the visual accessibility that makes your app usable for everyone.
Fitness is for everyone, and your app's color design should reflect that. Users with low vision, color blindness, and age-related visual changes all use fitness apps. Key workout data — timers, rep counts, weight values — must meet WCAG AAA contrast (7:1) because they're often viewed in challenging conditions: dim gyms, bright outdoor settings, or at arm's length. Use ColorArchive's WCAG auditor to verify these critical text elements.
Exercise categorization (strength, cardio, flexibility, recovery) is often color-coded. For color-blind users, supplement each color with an icon or label. Choose colors that differ in luminance, not just hue: a dark blue for strength, a light green for cardio, a medium amber for flexibility. These remain distinguishable even for users with deuteranopia or protanopia, which affect about 8% of men.
Outdoor fitness (running, cycling, outdoor classes) means screens in direct sunlight. Offer a high-contrast mode with pure black text on white backgrounds for maximum readability in bright conditions. This isn't a dark mode or light mode — it's an accessibility mode that maximizes contrast above all aesthetic considerations. Let users toggle it easily from workout screens.
Move from the guide into a concrete palette lane
Guides explain the use case. Collections prove the taste. Pro handles the export and implementation layer.
