# Change background of PDF for Dark Mode

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370>\
**Category:** DEVONthink\
**Tags:** feature-request, devonthink3\
**Created:** [June 20, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370 "2019-06-20T20:21:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/psoros/32/8805_2.png) [@psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/psoros)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/1 "2019-06-20T20:21:34Z")

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I like Dark Mode and I enjoy reading and annotating my PDFs in DT3.  
Unfortunately, the bright white background of my PDFs creates a huge contrast to the rest of Dark Mode.

In Acrobat Reader, it’s possible to change background and text color (under Preferences -\> Accessibility).

I’d be more than happy to see this option in DT3 as well.  
Thanks for considering 🙂

Decide for yourself what’s easier for your eyes …

 ![DarkMode1](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/2X/1/174edd2dcf99bb7388f9e84f89fb59fd4d319020.jpeg)  
 ![DarkMode2](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/2X/e/eebba9bb3e555591391fbacd0b6838925e811ffe.png)

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/2 "2019-06-21T13:45:09Z")

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I’d easily say the first is much easier on the eyes. Legibility and silhouette recognition suffers in the second example due to the lack of contrast.

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**Author:** ![psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/psoros/32/8805_2.png) [@psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/psoros)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/3 "2019-06-21T14:26:49Z")

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I agree, it is very subjective to decide what is easy on the eyes. Some people like to watch TV in a completely dark room, others not.

My suggestion was to give the user the **choice** how a PDF should be displayed. If you want to maximize contrast, you may read it in yellow on black background. The black font on light gray background in my first post was just one example of many possible variations.

Thank you again for considering my feature request.

 ![contrast](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/2X/c/c4fa019da644f8c05a5164596f476e43413dbf92.png)

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/4 "2019-06-21T14:33:20Z")

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> In Acrobat Reader, it’s possible to change background and text color (under Preferences → Accessibility).

The request is noted, but always be aware of what _Adobe does_. They do a great many things with PDFs and PDF presentation that are specific to them. This does **not** mean these options are available to or easily implemented by other developers. Look at other PDF applications, like Preview and Skim, and you’ll notice they don’t offer the option you mention.

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**Author:** ![psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/psoros/32/8805_2.png) [@psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/psoros)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/5 "2019-06-21T14:42:13Z")

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Thank you for your quick response and for noting the request.

Maybe Ben Byram-Wigfield’s PDFsuite may be helpful:

> **[benwiggy/PDFsuite](https://github.com/benwiggy/PDFsuite)**
>
> Python scripts, Automator Services and Quartz Filters for MacOS (OS X) that create, manipulate, and query PDF files - benwiggy/PDFsuite

He writes the PDFsuite may be used to apply Quartz Filters to PDFs.

As Preview and Skim do not offer this feature, it might be something special for DT3.

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/6 "2019-06-21T14:44:58Z")

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Very interesting. And I ❤ this…

> No additional libraries or dependencies are required.

Our general style, for sure!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/psoros/32/8805_2.png) [@psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/psoros)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/7 "2019-06-21T20:05:22Z")

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The free macos pdf reader Negative allows inversion of colors in pdf documents:

> **[‎Negative](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/negative/id1378123825?mt=12)**
>
> ‎Negative has three working modes:
> 
> \- Normal - no inverted colors. In this way, you can open documents to yourself, for example, in Preview on Mac
> \- Inverted - here the colors are just reversed, everything is in reverse
> \- Inverted with Sepia - the...

 ![negative-reader-header](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/2X/1/1bc1d978544e66b679397645f5df44c2cc4a62c3.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/8 "2019-06-28T14:03:12Z")

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Due to the limitations of macOS’ PDFKit framework the Dark mode appearance is up to Apple, it’s not possible to customize the rendering.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/psoros/32/8805_2.png) [@psoros](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/psoros)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 7:24pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/9 "2019-06-28T19:24:10Z")

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Sure, I understand these limitations.

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**Author:** ![zyy](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/zyy/32/27453_2.png) [@zyy](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/zyy)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 3:28am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/10 "2022-11-20T03:28:46Z")

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Hello, but I found that on Marginnote3(macOS version), the background color of PDF documents can be changed(as attached screenshoot).  
(PDF in different color, and it also works in scanned document)

 ![Screenshot 2022-11-20 at 11.27.16 AM](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/2/3/23c2469ffb905c4679476b0c588172af94453a25.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![kmn](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/6a8cbe/32.png) [@kmn](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/kmn)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/11 "2022-12-19T18:59:47Z")

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Are there any updates on this subject that the Devon Tech team can share?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 7:38pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/12 "2022-12-19T19:38:04Z")

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Nothing to report at this time.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LoneFireBlossom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/lonefireblossom/32/21434_2.png) [@LoneFireBlossom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/LoneFireBlossom)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2023, 10:30am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/13 "2023-09-03T10:30:34Z")

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Hello, I find there is “Use Dark Background” in DEVONthink To Go PDF View, but it seems that DEVONthink still doesn’t have this function. Will it be added?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/change-background-of-pdf-for-dark-mode/48370/14 "2023-09-03T15:07:25Z")

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DEVONthink To Go uses a different PDF framework than DEVONthink, so the option isn’t available on the Mac at this time.