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?

3 comments

3 Comments

kellylopez24d 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.

the_eric24d 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.

angela_wilson785d ago

Wow, I made that same mistake on my own website and the complaints were brutal.