Warning: I keep seeing designers use pure black backgrounds for dark mode

I mean, I get the appeal for deep contrast, but a true #000000 background can cause eye strain and make other colors look weird. I was working on a project for a local Austin startup and their designer insisted on pure black, which made the blue accent look super harsh. What's your take on using a dark gray instead, like #121212?

3 comments

3 Comments

nathanh443mo ago

My old apartment had those super bright LED streetlights that blasted pure white light. It made everything outside look flat and weird, like a bad photoshop filter. That's what pure black backgrounds do to a screen, they just kill all the depth. A dark gray background is like those warmer, shielded bulbs my neighborhood finally got. It gives the other colors on screen some room to actually look like themselves.

milam423mo ago

Totally agree with you @nathanh44, that's a perfect way to put it. Had the same issue with my monitor looking weirdly flat. Switched the background in my code editor from pure black to a dark gray and it was a night and day difference. The text just sits better and doesn't strain your eyes as much. It's one of those small tweaks that makes staring at a screen all day way less of a headache.

hugo371mo ago

Just a small thing but pure black backgrounds actually do help some OLED screens save power since pixels are turned off. Your mileage may vary there depending on your monitor type. For most LCDs though, dark gray seems to be the better call for eye comfort.