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My dark mode background was way too dark for months | Dark Mode Design - The Design Community Hub

My dark mode background was way too dark for months

I always set my background to pure black (#000000) thinking that's what dark mode meant. Then a designer friend looked over my shoulder and asked why I was making people read white text on a void. She showed me on her phone how a dark gray like #1e1e1e is way easier on the eyes. Has anyone else been using pure black backgrounds without realizing it messes with readability?

2 comments

2 Comments

willow_anderson852mo ago

Oh please, "reading white text on a void" - that's dramatic. Your designer friend is just pushing some trendy opinion. Pure black is fine, I've been using it for years and my eyes haven't fallen out. The whole dark gray thing feels like a cop-out for people who can't handle real contrast. If your screen brightness is cranked to max in a dark room, sure, pure black might feel harsh. But that's a you problem, not a design problem. Turn your brightness down and #000000 works perfectly. It's cleaner, uses less battery on OLED screens, and looks way more intentional than some wishy-washy dark gray that's basically just dirty white.

the_jason2mo ago

Honestly, I read somewhere that pure black backgrounds can actually cause more eye strain because of something called "halation" where the white text kind of bleeds into the black for some people. Not everyone gets it, but it's a real visual thing, not just a trend. @willow_anderson85, you're not wrong that lowering brightness helps, but that's like saying "just don't look at a bright screen" when the design itself could be more comfortable. Gray backgrounds just give your eyes a softer edge to land on instead of that sharp contrast. Plus, most apps and sites these days use dark gray for a reason, it's not just a stylish choice.