Themes and customization: Dark and Light
CodexUse ships two theme modes, Dark and Light, each with a full surface palette. By default it follows your system appearance. Prefer one look all the time? Lock it in Settings.
Two theme modes
- Dark: Deep surfaces designed for low-light environments and extended sessions. Uses carefully calibrated transparency layers for depth.
- Light: Clean surfaces with slate undertones. Designed for well-lit rooms and daytime use.
How to switch themes
- Open Settings.
- Look for the theme selector in the settings panel.
- Pick Dark or Light.
- The change applies immediately - no restart needed.
What each theme covers
Each theme defines a comprehensive surface palette with CSS custom properties covering:
- Surface layers: Sidebar, settings panels, Codex Apps cards, profile rows, dialogs, popovers, diagnostics, and support notices.
- Text hierarchy: Multiple levels of contrast for precise typographic readability at every scale.
- Borders: Subtle through strong, with accent variants for interactive elements.
- Status colors: Success, warning, error - consistent across both themes.
Reduced transparency
Semi-transparent surfaces can be hard to read. The reduced-transparency toggle pushes every alpha value to near-opaque for sharper contrast.
- Toggle it in Settings.
- Works with both themes.
- Particularly helpful when screen sharing or for visual accessibility.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Theme does not change | Setting not saved | Switch themes from Settings. The change should be instant. If not, restart the app. |
| Always stays dark | OS dark mode is enabled | If set to System, it follows your OS appearance. Change your system setting or pick Light explicitly. |
| Surfaces look too transparent | Reduced transparency is off | Enable reduced transparency in Settings for more opaque surfaces. |
Related
Can I create custom themes?
Not yet. CodexUse ships Dark and Light themes with system preference support. Custom theme support may come in a future release.
What is reduced transparency?
Reduced transparency pushes semi-transparent surface layers to near-opaque values. This improves readability for users who find translucent surfaces hard to read. Toggle it in Settings.
Does the theme affect Codex App controls?
Yes. Codex Apps, Profiles, Settings, cards, dialogs, and support surfaces follow the active theme.