A simple yet handy design and image tool, Color Decoder can help you identify colors in any application or document. Its radar will display all colors on the screen, organized in Light, Moderate, Heavy and Extreme. From the settings, you can choose how to show a selected color on your screen. Color Decoder can flash all pixels of the same color, bring up the color's name, or even speak it using Mac's text-to-speech technology.
Color Decoder features a magnifier, which appears next to your cursor. While some people might like this, I much prefer the magnifier focusing in right on where my cursor is. You'll find this tool really useful to inspect pixels though. You should also know that it works on multiple monitors. In terms of performance we suffered a few jams with the application, especially when all the color settings were selected.
Color Decoder is a great tool to detect similar color areas on a screen.
Pros
Flash, name or speak colors
Supports multiple monitors
Handy magnifier
Cons
Jammed up occasionally
Magnifier appears next to cursor
Color Decoder, which runs exclusively on Mac OS 10.5 Leopard, identifies colors and areas of color on the computer’s screen. Though primarily intended for those lacking normal color vision, Color Decoder can help anyone analyze color usage on charts, maps, radar and other images.
Color Decoder is extraordinarily simple in operation. You continue to use the computer normally. Mouse clicks work as expected and applications still update the screen normally. Color Decoder works in realtime on the entire screen with no frame to position or mode to select. It watches the color underneath the mouse pointer, displays the color's name near the mouse pointer, optionally speaks its name using speech synthesis, and flashes areas where the same color appears on the screen. Color Decoder can also display a magnified image of the pixels near the mouse pointer so the user can see and control exactly which pixel's color it decodes.
Color Decoder works system-wide and is effective for nearly all Mac OS X applications from web browsers to spreadsheets yet requires no special privileges, has no hidden processes, and does not inject code into any other application.
Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country. We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws. Softonic may receive a referral fee if you click or buy any of the products featured here.
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