Spectrum
Color slider
A color slider allows users to visually change an individual channel of a color.
Table of contents#
Anatomy#
Options#
Orientation#
Color sliders can be either in horizontal or vertical orientation. By default, a color slider is horizontal and should be used when vertical space is more limited. The vertical orientation is used when horizontal space is more limited.
Hue or opacity#
The color slider can be used to select hues, color channel values (such as RGB or CMYK levels), or opacity.
Behaviors#
Flexible length#
While the color slider has a fixed thickness (24 px on desktop, 30 px on mobile), the length of the color slider is flexible and can be customized to appropriately fit its context. The minimum length is 80 px on desktop scale and 100 px on mobile scale.
Handle behavior#
Unlike the slider itself, the color slider’s handle can slide all the way to the edge of the track. It always displays the selected color inside the handle and never gets cut off by the track or any container.
Loupe behavior (down state, finger input)#
On down (touch), a loupe appears above the handle to show the selected color that would otherwise be covered by the finger. This only appears on finger input, not mouse or stylus. It appears 10 px above the edge of the handle on desktop scale and 8 px on mobile scale.
Usage guidelines#
Include labels#
Color sliders should be labeled and, when applicable, be accompanied by text fields. In a context when labeling each individual slider may be redundant, make sure to still label the group of sliders (“RGB,” “HSB,” etc.)
Display color selection#
When using color areas, it’s important to clearly display the color selection in real-time. It can be in a color swatch, or directly on the canvas, or both.
Keyboard interactions#
| Key | Interaction |
|---|---|
| Tab | Places focus on the handle. If the handle is already in focus, moves focus to the next handle or next element in the page tab sequence. |
| Shift + Tab | Places focus on the previous handle or previous element in the page tab sequence. |
| Up, Down, Left, or Right Arrow | Moves the handle up/down/left/right. |
Changelog#
| Date | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 26, 2020 | 1.0.1 |
|
| Apr 19, 2019 | 1.0.0 |
|
Design checklist#
All interactive states
Includes all interactive states that are applicable (hover, down, focus, keyboard focus, disabled).
Multiple options
Includes relevant options (variant, style, size, orientation, optional iconography, decorations, selection, error state, etc.)
All color themes
Works properly across all four color themes (lightest, light, dark, darkest).
All platform scales
Includes a desktop scale (UWP, macOS, web desktop) and a mobile scale (iOS, Android, web mobile).
Defined behaviors
Includes guidelines for layout (wrapping, truncation, overflow), animation, interactions, etc.
Usage guidelines
Includes a list of dos and don’ts that highlight best practices and common mistakes.
Accessible contrast
Follows WCAG 2.0 standards for contrast (AA).
Internationalization guidelines
Works properly across various locales and includes guidelines for bi-directionality (RTL).
Keyboard interactions
Follows WCAG 2.0 standards for keyboard accessibility guidelines and includes a description of the keyboard interactions.
Generated UI kit
Includes a downloadable XD file that has been generated by code and shows multiple variations, states, color themes, and scales.
Design tokens
All design attributes (color, typography, layout, animation, etc.) are included in Spectrum DNA.
Color area