Disabled input text color on iOS

Diving into the problem

All browsers, including iOS's Safari, color disabled HTML inputs differently due to their unique default styles. This presents a unique puzzler. How can you bring consistency to the user experience across devices and browsers?

Say hello to consistency

Making disabled inputs look uniform across platforms is a cinch with a few lines of CSS:

input:disabled {
    color: black; /* The little black dress of all browsers */
    -webkit-text-fill-color: black; /* For the extra-shy Safari at the party */
    opacity: 1; /* No more hiding in the shadows */
}
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This smattering of CSS uses the color property for universal browser coverage, and -webkit-text-fill-color for Safari on iOS. Remember to test across both mobile and desktop to ensure a similar experience for all users.

Expelling ghosts — transparency and more

How to ditch transparency

Each browser, Safari in particular, can slap a transparency layer on disabled inputs. But you're not about to let Safari ruin your party. You'll use -webkit-text-fill-color and opacity: 1 to throw the unwanted ghost out of your text party.

Dancing with !important

While !important can get your styles priority, it's like doing the samba solo at a blues party. Awkward. Use sparingly, but astutely to avoid a messy CSS fiesta.

Accessibility? Checked!

Your cool color choices need to get along with the WCAG 2 contrast ratio guidelines. Consider contrast when strutting your styling genius, to give all users, including those with visual impairments, an equal chance to join the party.

Navigating through edge cases

Handling fickle iOS updates

Because Apple can sneak in changes with each iOS update, stay ahead of the game by keeping an eye on the latest changes in Safari Technology Preview.

Giving a solid base to your styles

Bring consistency across all the quirky browsers by slapping on normalize.css.

Caring for legacy fans

For your users strutting older browsers, introduce fallbacks or conditional stylesheets to give a welcoming hug to legacy systems. You can even consider feature detection. Just don't forget to test!

Non-obvious tips and tricks

Switching themes like clothes

Custom properties say hello. Introduce CSS variables in the mix to switch theme colors without messing with component styles.

JavaScript to the rescue

Ever thought about letting JavaScript come to the CSS party? Sometimes, you might get the urge to swing the text color based on form validation or user actions. Well, JavaScript is your friend here.

Consistency is your best friend

Remember, typography isn't the only VIP at the styling party. Borders, backgrounds, padding...they all need matching outfits. Ensure consistency across every form element, because unity, my friend, is strength.