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Menu bar text is unreadable when using dark themes on Windows 11 #1583
Description
Most appropriate sub-area of Processing 4?
Core/Environment/Rendering
Processing version
4.5.7
Operating system
win 11
Bug description
I configured preferences for dark mode becuase I have vision problems (I'm 77 y.o.) but it is not working. The code window is grey text on white background, probably the worst color choices ever made since Guttenberg. It looks "cutesy" but I want functional!! I asked Copilot (AI) about it and he/it said the themes were dropped in version 4, but exist in version 3 which is what I had before I did the stupid move of updating. (My wife says everytime there's a update something screws up...). I donated $10 USD ($14.57 CAD) to your cause because it is such a valuable app. Can you or someone reading this give me a dark theme so I can read the code? I have dark mode for many of my other apps.
Steps to reproduce this
1.Choose preferences, dark mode, submit. that's it. test it ...no dark mode.
snippet
// Paste your code below :)
void setup() {
}
void draw() {
}Additional context
No response
Would you like to work on the issue?
Yes, I’d like to help with this
Activity
SableRaf commentedon Oct 20, 2026
Hi @queenidog and welcome,
Themes were actually introduced in Processing 4, so you have more options for customizing the editor's appearance than in previous versions. To change the colors of the code editor, go to Tools > Theme Selector. You'll find several dark themes to choose from.
You can find more information about themes and how to customize them in our documentation.
If you'd prefer to go back to an older version of Processing, you can still download Processing 3.5.4 or earlier versions of Processing 4.
That's the problem right there :) Generative AI tools like Copilot can often provide inaccurate information, even when their answers sound confident. It's always a good idea to double-check with the official documentation or ask on the forum.
Thanks for supporting Processing with your donation! I hope this helps.
queenidog commentedon Oct 20, 2026
Sorry, didn't work. Yes, I saw the themes under Tools. Google AI told me about it, whereas Copilot was using information from old Processing documentation. When I don't like the answer from one, I ask his brother! The problem is the system menu, where you see File, Edit, etc. is DARK in every one of these themes. Black on black is worse than grey on white! If I scan over the titles it highlights, but I must find it first and that takes some time scrubbing back and forth. In the renditions above, that menu bar shows it visible but reality is not that. Copilot said it had something to do with my Windows display options stating I must have it set for dark, but that is incorrect. So...what's the fix?
SableRaf commentedon Oct 20, 2026
Could you share a screenshot showing what the menu bar looks like on your computer? That would help understand what's happening.
[-]no dark mode[/-][+]Menu bar text is unreadable when using dark themes on Windows 11[/+]queenidog commentedon Oct 20, 2026
In first screeprint, entire screen. Notice no top menu visible. But it is there, as shown in second print where I hovered over the Tool item with my mouse to pre-select it. I tried going back to a white background while in the theme selector, and same thing: white work area but blacked out menu 3rd screenprint
I'm not finished.... from that last window, I selected my file and the menu popped up. I did this for the dark mode as well and get the menu, but on first execution (no file) there is no menu. 4th screen print shows effect.
overcast302 commentedon Oct 21, 2026
Can confirm the issue exists on Linux too:
I would like to be assigned to work on this issue, if possible. My approach is to fix the theme files that mislabel the look and feel mode for dark themes as light, and to install the selected theme look and feel before the first window is created instead of after.
SableRaf commentedon Oct 21, 2026
Thanks @overcast302 :) Please have a look, and feel free to ask clarifying questions and/or open a PR
Reposting from the Discord discussion for context:
We switched to a custom Flatlaf title bar in 4.4.0 but some themes are not working very well with it.
The following commits are relevant:
529a0e0
2fc0d69
6618cad
This is also related:
#888 (comment)