darkGray

Dark gray is a neutral color that occupies a position between gray and near-black on the grayscale. In digital color systems it is commonly represented as RGB 169,169,169, hex #A9A9A9, and is available as the CSS named color "DarkGray" (case-insensitive "darkgray"). It is distinct from "DimGray" which is darker (#696969).

In design, dark gray offers a softer alternative to black for text, backgrounds, and UI elements, providing lower contrast than black while retaining legibility. It is often used for borders, separators, and shadows, and pairs with white or lighter colors to establish a neutral palette. Variants ranging from medium-dark to near-black are used to create depth.

On screens, the perceived contrast of dark gray depends on lighting and display quality. For accessibility, text at body size on a dark gray background should meet contrast ratios required by guidelines; large text may be acceptable. Designers may test with WCAG contrast requirements.

Historically, gray scales have been used in print and digital media to convey balance and formality. Dark gray is associated with professionalism and subdued aesthetics in corporate branding and user interfaces, and serves as a(utilitarian) neutral in many contexts.