Best Enemy Highlight Color for Colorblind Players in VALORANT

You spot an opponent late because their red outline blends into a wall, ability effect, or busy corner. Changing the enemy highlight can make opponents easier for you to pick out, but no single color is best for every colorblind player or every map. If you have red-green color vision deficiency, start by testing the two yellow presets—Deuteranopia and Protanopia—against each other. Try Purple (Tritanopia) if yellow still disappears against your usual backgrounds, and keep Red in the comparison if you can distinguish it clearly.

The key is to judge the outline in the places and situations where you actually lose sight of enemies. The preset names can guide your first test, but they are not a diagnosis or a guarantee that the matching label will look best to you. This guide was checked on October 8, 2026. Riot's Patch 12.07 notes say the PC settings screens were refreshed, so older screenshots may not exactly match the current layout.

Which VALORANT enemy highlight color should you try first?

For many players with red-green color blindness, yellow is a useful first comparison because it changes the enemy outline away from the default red. In Settings, compare Yellow (Deuteranopia) and Yellow (Protanopia) rather than assuming one is automatically correct. If the two yellows are hard to tell apart on your display, test Purple (Tritanopia) and the default Red (Protanopia) option as well.

Think of these as alternate outline colors. They do not recolor the entire game world, remove visual effects, or make every enemy visible through smoke or cover. The change affects the enemy highlight around agents. Riot’s technical explanation of VALORANT’s character rendering describes the outline effect as a friend-or-foe visual cue: enemies have a colored Fresnel edge while allies use a neutral blue edge. Riot’s later patch notes also refer to the Enemy Highlight Color setting directly.

How do the available colors compare?

These are practical comparisons, not medical advice or universal rules about color vision. Map lighting, display settings, visual effects, and your own color perception all change the result. A shade that is obvious against one wall may become difficult to spot in a different area.

How to change the enemy highlight color

1. Open Settings. On PC, press Esc during a match or open settings from the main client screen.
2. Select the General settings section.
3. Find Accessibility and locate Enemy Highlight Color.
4. Choose one preset, then return to the game and observe the outline on an enemy agent. Change one option at a time so you can make a fair comparison.

Riot refreshed the PC settings screens in Patch 12.07, including the organization and visual presentation of settings. If your screen differs from an older guide, look for the Accessibility grouping and the Enemy Highlight Color label instead of relying on an old screenshot’s exact position.

Test the color in a useful order

1. Start with the color that addresses your main difficulty

If red is difficult for you to see, begin with one yellow preset. If yellow is hard to distinguish from the map or effects, move to purple. If you already see red clearly and recognize it quickly, there is no requirement to switch.

2. Check different backgrounds

Look at an enemy outline against several kinds of scenery: dark interior corners, bright exterior walls, foliage, and open sightlines. Judge whether you can notice the edge quickly without staring directly at it. A color that works on one background may lose contrast on another.

3. Include ability effects and motion

Observe the outline when an agent moves, when several players cross the same area, and when colorful abilities fill part of the screen. You need to separate the enemy from both the environment and the visual effects that can appear during a fight. Do not judge a preset from a still image alone.

4. Change only the outline setting first

Keep your crosshair, display settings, and other visual options stable while comparing colors. If you change several things at once, it becomes harder to tell which adjustment helped. Give each candidate enough rounds to encounter different backgrounds, then keep the one that lets you identify enemies fastest and most consistently.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing by preset name alone: Deuteranopia, Protanopia, and Tritanopia identify the preset labels; they cannot predict your personal best contrast on every display.
• Assuming the brightest color is always best: A bright outline can still disappear against a similar background or compete with a strong visual effect.
• Copying a professional player's color: Their monitor, room lighting, vision, and familiarity may be different from yours.
• Expecting a full colorblind filter: This setting changes the enemy highlight. It does not redesign every HUD element or recolor the entire game.
• Changing it between every round: Frequent switching can interfere with learning the visual cue. Compare a short list, then practice with your choice.

How to tell whether your choice is working

After you settle on a color, play a few matches and check three things: whether you notice enemies sooner at common angles, whether the outline stays distinct against both bright and dark scenery, and whether you can tell an enemy apart quickly when abilities are active. If one of those checks repeatedly fails, return to Settings and compare the next preset. You can also ask a trusted person to help describe the visible differences, but your own in-game recognition is the deciding measure.

For a red-green colorblind player, Yellow (Deuteranopia) is a sensible first test, followed by Yellow (Protanopia). Purple is a useful alternative if the yellow outlines blend into your maps or effects. Keep the option that gives you the clearest, fastest recognition in real matches; no preset label replaces that check.

Official references

Riot’s VALORANT Patch 12.07 notes document the refreshed PC settings screens. Patch 12.06 notes confirm the Enemy Highlight Color setting remains part of the game. Riot’s technical article VALORANT Shaders and Gameplay Clarity explains the colored enemy outline and how it helps distinguish friend from foe.