# Dark Gray Color (#A9A9A9)

> Dark Gray is a CSS named color defined as hex code #A9A9A9.

- **URL**: https://swatchatlas.com/colors/dark-gray/
- **Language**: English (en)
- **CSS Name**: `darkgray`
- **Date Published**: 2026-09-29
- **Date Modified**: 2026-09-29
- **Authority Citation**: W3C CSS Color Module Level 4 (https://www.w3.org/TR/css-color-4/#named-colors)

## Color Values
- **HEX**: #A9A9A9
- **RGB**: rgb(169, 169, 169)
- **HSL**: hsl(0, 0%, 66%)
- **HSV/HSB**: hsv(0, 0%, 66%)
- **CMYK**: cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 34%) (digital approximation, non-print)
- **OKLCH**: oklch(0.735 0.000 0.0)

## What Colors Go With Dark Gray
Contrast is each color on Dark Gray (WCAG 2.2); 4.5:1 or above is text-safe.
- **Black (#000000)**: 8.94:1, text-safe. Strong, readable text on dark gray.
- **Navy (#000080)**: 6.81:1, text-safe. A deep blue that gives readable text and a crisp contrast.
- **Midnight Blue (#191970)**: 6.32:1, text-safe. A softer dark blue for headings and text.
- **Dark Slate Gray (#2F4F4F)**: 3.8:1, background or accent. A dark neutral with a slight teal tint.
- **White (#FFFFFF)**: 2.35:1, background or accent. Clean space around dark gray blocks; not for text on it.
- **Ivory (#FFFFF0)**: 2.33:1, background or accent. A warm off-white for backgrounds and spacing.

## WCAG 2.2 Contrast Results
- **Pure Black (#000000) text on Dark Gray**: 8.94:1 (Passes AA and AAA for both normal and large text)
- **Pure White (#FFFFFF) text on Dark Gray**: 2.35:1 (Fails AA and AAA)
- **Dark Charcoal (#212529) text on Dark Gray**: 6.56:1 (Passes AA for all text; AAA for large text only)
- **Mid Gray (#666666) text on Dark Gray**: 2.44:1 (Fails AA and AAA)

## FAQ
### Can I use black text on Dark Gray?
Yes. Black text on Dark Gray has a WCAG 2.2 contrast ratio of 8.94:1, passing both AA (4.5:1) and AAA (7:1) at every text size.

### Can I use white text on Dark Gray?
No. White text on Dark Gray has a WCAG 2.2 contrast ratio of only 2.35:1, below the 3:1 minimum even for large text.

### What colors go with Dark Gray?
Black, Navy, Midnight Blue, Dark Slate Gray, White and Ivory all go well with Dark Gray. Black (8.94:1), Navy (6.81:1) and Midnight Blue (6.32:1) have enough contrast for text on Dark Gray; Dark Slate Gray, White and Ivory work better as a background or accent.

### Why is dark gray lighter than gray in CSS?
CSS Dark Gray (#A9A9A9) is lighter than Gray (#808080). It is a historical quirk of the color names CSS inherited. Dim Gray (#696969) is darker than both.

## Background Download
- **Format**: PNG 1920x1080 solid background
- **URL**: https://swatchatlas.com/images/backgrounds/dark-gray-1920x1080.png