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Just tried a pure black background for a week and my users hated it
I switched our app's dark theme from a dark gray to true black (#000000) last Monday, thinking it would save battery and look sleek. By Friday, our support inbox had over 30 complaints about eye strain and text feeling 'too sharp'. I learned that the lack of contrast between pure black and near-white text was causing major readability issues, especially in low light. We're rolling it back to a dark charcoal (#121212) this afternoon. Has anyone else found a sweet spot for their base dark color that doesn't cause headaches?
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kellylopez5mo ago
Wait you actually went with pure black... that's wild. I tried that once for like an hour on a personal project and my eyes hurt. The text just floats on the screen and you have to squint. Dark gray is so much easier to look at for a long time. That charcoal color you picked is basically the standard for a reason.
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the_eric5mo ago
You actually let that run for a whole week? Man, I would have pulled the plug after the first day... pure black just kills your eyes. It's like staring at a bunch of tiny light bulbs floating in a void. That charcoal is the way to go, it gives the screen some depth so your eyes can relax. I'm shocked you got through a whole week of complaints before changing it back.
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angela_wilson785mo ago
Wow, I made that same mistake on my own website and the complaints were brutal.
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