Can I change white text in Contacts notes on iOS 26?

Turn off Reduce Transparency. Turning on Reduce Transparency makes it far worse. Also turn OFF Increase Contrast. To clearly see the text in the notes section of the Contact card, select Edit to edit the card and everything will look as it did before. This wasn't well tested before they released it or someone would have fixed it or given better options.

feindave1 wrote:

Totally agree with observations re: white text on unattractive background. Terrible graphic design choice; could we please have original “black type on white background” back or at least optional. It’s been working since Guttenberg started using it in the 16th Century!

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

If you mean Johannes Gutenberg, he invented the printing press in about 1450, not the sixteenth century.

Contacts are almost unusable at present with white text on a light background. Here's what I found:

>Selecting Edit on a record changes the text to black during the edit - but the text changes back to black when the record is saved.

>Toggling on "Reduce Transparency" in both IOS 26 and iPadOS 26 changes the text back to black on all fields EXCEPT the Notes field (which stay white). Interestingly, when making the same change on MacOS, all fields, including Notes, change to black text. Which adds further support to the conclusion that this is a bug in IOS and iPadOS.

X-RHEA wrote:

Since upgrading to iOS 26 all my notes in the Contacts app are white text on a pale background and very difficult to read; impossible to read outdoors. Bold text in settings doesn't help. Dark mode doesn't help. Apple please fix and allow black text in the notes section of Contacts!! Anyone else have this issue?

Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

One thing I would mention is that the Notes section in Contacts has had a long history of being very flakey. Maybe it's under control now; maybe it's not. But I still wouldn't trust it for anything important.

I totally agree that the contact notes now are EXTREMELY difficult to read! I have almost 9,000 contacts and rely on them heavily for work. The only way I have been make the background of the notes section black is by selecting "Edit". If I had known that iOS 26 had this effect on contact notes I likely would not have upgraded.

Yes, I am having this issue with contact app background and text color in notes. It’s very frustrating and completely unusable! I have to go to my contact, and then go into “Edit” mode just so I can see the information.

[Edited by Moderator]

Go to Accessibility. Choose Display and Test. Toggle Reduce Transparency

simty wrote:

Go to Accessibility. Choose Display and Test. Toggle Reduce Transparency

Ewww. No, it looks terrible. I really like Liquid Glass.

Same problem! White text in the notes of contacts is very difficult to see. Only way to see it to click "edit" and then it shows but it's a problem in need of a solution!

wreckedangles wrote:

If Notes in Contacts is a feature, it is implied that it is a solid feature, not flaky.

You can infer whatever you want.

That's not an answer to put on the user as a cautionary explanation. I suggest either solving the issue or making a readable feature, please.

So tell Apple. No one here can make any changes in Contacts.

Product Feedback - Apple

I was giving information based on my observations here in the forum. You're also free to ignore it.

If you wish to offer feedback to Apple, you can do so here: Product Feedback - Apple

I am older and find this white text very difficult to read. Increasing contrast also does not help.

I, too, think that black or dark text would be much easier to read, and believe that this change would be a significant improvement - The same information displayed on my iMac with Tahoe is in black, and gives a pleasant experience.

I note that the recommendations for Color in the human interface guidelines Color | Apple Developer Documentation

state: Avoid using colors that make it hard to perceive content in your app. For example, insufficient contrast can cause icons and text to blend with the background and make content hard to read...

I hope that this post is read as a request to help improve the product - My previous post was removed as "not constructive".

If Notes in Contacts is a feature, it is implied that it is a solid feature, not flaky. That's not an answer to put on the user as a cautionary explanation. I suggest either solving the issue or making a readable feature, please.

This is totally unacceptable and especially disrespectful to seniors or those with impaired vision.. I use contact notes extensively, and now I can't even read them. I do have "increase contrast" and "reduce transparency" turned on because without those settings, I can't read text in other areas. I remember when Apple was good with user interface and usability, but now it's gone to **** in favor of flashy design.