Color Blind Test

Color blind test: Which numbers can you spot in the dots?

Start the Color Blind Test

No sign-up · share anywhere

Twelve circles full of coloured dots, each hiding a number. Most people read them instantly. People with red-green colour vision deficiency see a different number, or no number at all. This color blind test shows you the twelve plates one by one; you tap the number you see or choose Nothing, and your result tells you whether your colour vision looks normal or whether a visit to an optician would be worth it.

The plates follow the idea of the classic Ishihara test used by opticians, but on a screen the colours depend on your display and the light in the room, so treat the result as a first impression rather than a diagnosis. It takes about two minutes, is free and keeps no data.

Many people take it after a friend called a green shirt grey, before applying for a job with colour requirements, or because they were never tested as a child.

1 Look at the dotted plate
2 Tap the number you see, or Nothing
3 Get your result and compare with friends

What is a color blind test and who should take one?

Colour vision deficiency, usually called colour blindness, affects roughly one in twelve men and one in two hundred women, and the red-green form is by far the most common. Many people reach adulthood without knowing, because their brain has quietly learned workarounds. A plate test exposes the gap in seconds.

Take it if you have ever argued about whether something is green or brown, if you struggle with traffic lights at dusk, if a job you want asks for normal colour vision, or simply out of curiosity.

Color blind test illustration with a rainbow, an artist palette, an eye and a face with a monocle

How does the online color blind test work?

Each plate is a circle of dots in varying sizes and shades. A number is drawn in dots of one colour family against a background of another, chosen so that someone with normal colour vision sees the number and someone with a red-green deficiency sees it faintly, differently or not at all. You answer with the number buttons or Nothing.

After twelve plates you get a score. Ten or more correct suggests normal colour vision, seven to nine means a few plates were tricky, six or fewer points towards a possible red-green deficiency.

What do the plates in the test look like?

The twelve plates vary in difficulty and in which colour pair they test. Among them you will meet:

  • A clear control plate that almost everyone reads, to check your screen is showing colours at all
  • A number in orange dots on a green field, the classic red-green check
  • A faint number that only appears with full colour contrast, which night mode will hide
  • A plate with two overlapping numbers where colour vision decides which one you notice
  • A plate that hides nothing, to see whether you are guessing

Can a screen test really detect colour blindness?

It can raise a strong suspicion, not confirm anything. Phone screens shift colours, brightness settings and blue-light filters flatten reds and greens, and sunlight on the display does the rest. Take the test in a normally lit room with night mode off and brightness up, and if you miss several plates, let an optician repeat it with printed plates.

Why do people take the color blind test online first?

Because it is the fastest way to find out whether a lifelong hunch is worth a proper appointment. Parents try it with children who mix up crayons; designers and developers use it to understand why a colleague cannot read their red-on-green chart; pilots, electricians and train drivers in training check themselves before the official medical. It is also a classic school science demonstration, where a class takes it together and three or four pupils discover for the first time why they could never see the hidden number in the textbook. Once you know your colour vision is fine, the reaction time test and the country flag quiz on this site are good next challenges for your eyes.

Color blind test: questions and answers

Is this an official Ishihara test?

No. The plates follow the same principle as the Ishihara plates opticians use, with numbers hidden in coloured dots, but they are generated for a screen and have not been clinically validated. A real Ishihara examination uses printed plates under controlled lighting.

What does it mean if I cannot see the numbers?

Missing several plates, especially the orange-on-green ones, suggests a red-green colour vision deficiency, the most common type. It could also be your screen: night mode, low brightness or a colour filter can hide numbers from anyone. Retake it in good light before concluding anything.

Can colour blindness be cured?

The inherited kind cannot be cured, but it rarely limits daily life. Special glasses can increase contrast between some colours for some people, and apps can name colours for you. Most colour-blind adults manage by learning positions, labels and context, such as the top light being red.

Can I take the color blind test on a phone?

Yes, and most people do. Turn brightness up, switch off night mode and any blue-light filter, and avoid direct sunlight on the screen. Phones differ in how they show reds and greens, so a borderline result on one device is worth checking on another.

Do I need this test for a job application?

Some jobs require normal colour vision: pilots, train drivers, certain electrical and medical roles. Employers use official tests for that, not this one. The online test tells you in advance whether there might be an issue, so a surprise at the medical is less likely.

Are children able to do the test?

From the age they can recognise numbers, roughly five or six. Keep it playful and sit beside them. If a child consistently sees different numbers from you, mention it to the school and an optician; knowing early helps with colour-coded learning materials.

Is my result stored or shared?

No. The twelve answers stay on your device and nothing is uploaded. You see your score and band on screen, and sharing the result card with friends is entirely optional. Many people do, because it makes an excellent group chat argument.

Discover our other tests

All quizzes →