I finally stopped using pure black after a client complaint

Was working on a dashboard redesign at a coworking space in Austin last Thursday and a user said the text was hurting their eyes. Turns out my dark mode used #000000 for backgrounds and it was causing bad contrast strain on OLED screens. Anyone else switch to dark gray like #121212 instead of pure black?

2 comments

2 Comments

susanm2218d ago

Switching to a dark gray like #121212 makes a real difference, I switched after a similar complaint about eye strain from a client who worked late nights. The contrast is softer on the eyes without losing the dark mode feel, and it actually makes white text pop better. Once you adjust it feels more polished and professional than pure black.

barbara_moore7318d ago

Oh man, I feel you on this one! I had a similar wake-up call a while back after a late-night session where my own eyes were burning. Pure black really can be brutal, especially on those OLED screens where the contrast is just too much. Your mileage may vary of course, but switching to something like #121212 has been a game changer for me. It feels way more comfortable to look at for long stretches, and the white text does look crisper against it without that harsh glow. I think a lot of us learn this one the hard way, so good on you for catching it and making the change.