Everyday neutralsMaximum clarity
Black and White Color Combination
Black on white is the strongest contrast the eye can read — 21:1, the ceiling of the WCAG scale. Because neither color carries a hue, the pair never dates and never fights a logo.
Hex codes #000000 and #FFFFFF — a maximum clarity pair with a 21.00:1 contrast ratio between the two colors.
Values for this combination
- RGB
- rgb(0, 0, 0)
- HSL
- hsl(0, 0%, 0%)
- Hex
- #000000
- RGB
- rgb(255, 255, 255)
- HSL
- hsl(0, 0%, 100%)
- Hex
- #FFFFFF
Contrast between Black and White
Contrast ratio 21.00:1. This only decides whether one color of the pair can carry text on the other — the colors themselves always work side by side.
White text on a Black surface, at 21.00:1.
Black text on a White surface, at 21.00:1.
Where this pair works
- Editorial layout
- Print documents
- Minimal interfaces
Give Black (#000000) roughly 60% of the surface, White (#FFFFFF) about 30%, and leave the last 10% for the neutral below. That split is what keeps a two-color combination from turning into a fight.
A five-color set from this pair
Black and White as a working palette: a pale tint of the lighter color for backgrounds, both colors as they are, a deep shade of the darker color for text and a neutral for everything in between.
- Pale tint#efebebbackgrounds and large surfaces · closest to Isabelline
- Primary#000000the dominant color · closest to Black
- Secondary#FFFFFFthe accent color · closest to White
- Deep shade#292323text, borders and icons · closest to RaisinBlack
- Neutral#f6f4f4dividers and quiet surfaces · closest to WhiteSmoke
Explore Black and White on their own
Black
More color combinations
Black and Gold
#000000 · #FFD700Luxury contrastOpen combinationNavy and White
#000080 · #FFFFFFCorporate and calmOpen combinationGray and White
#808080 · #FFFFFFQuiet structureOpen combinationBlack and Beige
#000000 · #F5F5DCWarm minimalismOpen combinationWhite and Gold
#FFFFFF · #FFD700Festive eleganceOpen combinationRed and Black
#FF0000 · #000000Bold and decisiveOpen combinationBlack and White are a maximum clarity pair: black on white is the strongest contrast the eye can read — 21:1, the ceiling of the WCAG scale. Because neither color carries a hue, the pair never dates and never fights a logo.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — this pair is used for editorial layout, print documents, minimal interfaces. The two colors measure 21.00:1 against each other, which is enough for body text in either direction.
Good to know
- Every value on this page is calculated from #000000 and #FFFFFF — nothing is hardcoded.
- Build a longer palette out of Black or White in the palette generator, or test your own text pair in the contrast checker.
Put this combination to work
Turn Black and White into a full palette, a gradient or a set of shades — or check the pair against WCAG.
