Setting a grayscale (or monochrome) color scheme with compiz in Unity?

Question

I would like to see everything on my computer screen in grayscale (like say the kindle screen). How do I do this?

Answer 1

If you are not using Unity, see How do I make my display grayscale in Ubuntu with GNOME desktop? and How to make the screen grayscale in Ubuntu flavors (non-GNOME)?

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Compiz has a few filters which supposedly can do what you want.

1. Install Compiz Config Setting Manager from Ubuntu Software Center or with sudo apt install compizconfig-settings-manager.
2. Run it and under Accessibility category you'll find Color Filter and Opacity, Brightness and Saturation filters.
3. There you'll be able to enable them, assign a keyboard shortcut and edit the filters' settings.

Now, I have to admit that I wasn't able to test it since I only have Ubuntu in a virtual box without 3D acceleration, but hopfully it'll give you some pointers.

Also, please don't get too excited modifying Compiz settings - it is quite easy to break Unity by doing so. The filters I mentioned above should be quite safe though.

Answer 2

As soon as I personally visited this answer at first in 2022, I would recommend to see this answer, where GNOME bedtime extension is a solution.
Works good for me as it has its own settings and not dangerous (seems like that) at all to crash your system.