Can I change white text in Contacts notes on iOS 26?

I left Apple Feedback about this just now, but I also called Apple Support yesterday since I have a new iPhone 17. First level support did a screen share on my phone and were surprised how unreadable the notes are and passed me onto second level support who took screenshots of my phone. They were surprised Dark Mode was not working in the Contacts app since I had it turned on. They said other people are calling about the issue and they are taking it seriously. The second-level support rep kindly escalated the issue and assured me it would be seen by those responsible for the interface decisions at Apple. Leaving Apple Feedback is important and worth doing, but letting Apple Support know directly, allowing them to screen-share, is also an effective way of helping Apple fix bugs. The Apple Feedback system does not allow me to upload screenshots of issues - at least not that I could see.

Workaround for IOS 26

Add an email and put your note text in there.

See my earlier post. Turn on Smart Invert in addition to other suggested settings. This gives black type in Notes.

X-RHEA wrote:

Since upgrading to iOS 26 all my notes in the Contacts app are white text on a pale background and very difficult to read; impossible to read outdoors. Bold text in settings doesn't help. Dark mode doesn't help. Apple please fix and allow black text in the notes section of Contacts!! Anyone else have this issue?

Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

One thing I would mention is that the Notes section in Contacts has had a long history of being very flakey. Maybe it's under control now; maybe it's not. But I still wouldn't trust it for anything important.

I totally agree that the contact notes now are EXTREMELY difficult to read! I have almost 9,000 contacts and rely on them heavily for work. The only way I have been make the background of the notes section black is by selecting "Edit". If I had known that iOS 26 had this effect on contact notes I likely would not have upgraded.

Yes, I am having this issue with contact app background and text color in notes. It’s very frustrating and completely unusable! I have to go to my contact, and then go into “Edit” mode just so I can see the information.

[Edited by Moderator]

I tried everything listed and the only thing that works for me is to go into edit and read in black and white. I have macular degeneration, and it is really hard for me to read anything in which the background and text are similar, so notes in Contacts is impossible for me to read. Please fix this.

Go to Accessibility. Choose Display and Test. Toggle Reduce Transparency

simty wrote:

Go to Accessibility. Choose Display and Test. Toggle Reduce Transparency

Ewww. No, it looks terrible. I really like Liquid Glass.

Same problem! White text in the notes of contacts is very difficult to see. Only way to see it to click "edit" and then it shows but it's a problem in need of a solution!

Very simple simple solution to the white lettering on purple background in contacts. When you open a contact hit the edit button. Everything turns to black lettering on white background

If you open the contact you require and can’t read it press the edit button and the text reverts to how it was, readable, unfortunately it won’t save it

Have you upgraded the iOS to 26.1?

wreckedangles wrote:

If Notes in Contacts is a feature, it is implied that it is a solid feature, not flaky.

You can infer whatever you want.

That's not an answer to put on the user as a cautionary explanation. I suggest either solving the issue or making a readable feature, please.

So tell Apple. No one here can make any changes in Contacts.

Product Feedback - Apple

I was giving information based on my observations here in the forum. You're also free to ignore it.