# DT 4.2 PDF dark mode

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162>\
**Category:** DEVONthink\
**Created:** [January 29, 2026, 6:06pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162 "2026-01-29T18:06:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jooz](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@jooz](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/jooz)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 6:06pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/1 "2026-01-29T18:06:47Z")

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![image](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/optimized/3X/0/7/07d02b26acd47819f7b816d2831a45b7a5e653da_2_690x17.png)

Is there a way to disable this specifically for PDFs?

I do have this setting on (e.g. for Markdown) but cannot use PDFs for whatever reason in dark mode.

It would be nice to learn how to return to previous behavior:

- setting is ON for documents
- PDFs do NOT respect that setting

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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:** [January 29, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/2 "2026-01-29T18:37:24Z")

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> [@jooz](#):
>
> Is there a way to disable this specifically for PDFs?

Not yet. We might add a hidden preference to the next release.

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**Author:** ![jooz](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@jooz](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/jooz)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/3 "2026-01-29T18:53:34Z")

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That would be super helpful!

Cannot use dark mode any longer at the moment 🫠

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**Author:** ![echej](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@echej](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/echej)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/4 "2026-01-29T23:11:33Z")

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Another potentially useful feature would be Sepia mode. A fine-grained dark mode would also be fantastic!

I think many more people will request that. I use Devonthink with a lot of PDFs and dark mode is particularly challenging for them, especially magazines and similar publications.

Great update!

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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:** [January 30, 2026, 6:46am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/5 "2026-01-30T06:46:12Z")

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> [@echej](#):
>
> Another potentially useful feature would be Sepia mode. A fine-grained dark mode would also be fantastic!

Unfortunately the PDFkit’s dark mode support is not customizable, it’s just on or off.

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**Author:** ![Krzin42](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/krzin42/32/34671_2.png) [@Krzin42](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/Krzin42)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 7:41am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/6 "2026-01-30T07:41:37Z")

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The dark mode of PDF is finally here. Thanks to the developers, especially for retaining the primary color of the pictures in the text version of PDFs, which is great.

But this may cause some problems? mainly scanned or OCRed PDFs, most of which cannot display the dark mode normally (still white).

The following are some special cases

- Pure text version  
In order to show more content, set it to Two Pages Continuous.  
The text part is darker than the blank part.  

- Scanned version  
The pure black part of the rectangle are pictures. These pictures cannot be displayed normally.

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**Author:** ![brianparker](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/brianparker/32/35498_2.png) [@brianparker](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/brianparker)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/7 "2026-02-01T13:52:39Z")

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I’d also like to see a toggle for this setting.

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**Author:** ![Gabriel](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/gabriel/32/38718_2.png) [@Gabriel](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/Gabriel)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/8 "2026-05-24T12:51:26Z")

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The setting would this one.

 ![image](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/0/d/0df08d2b240b6a3114329a76750cf5fcf48b3ad2.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:** [May 24, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-4-2-pdf-dark-mode/86162/9 "2026-05-24T12:52:39Z")

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There’s a hidden preference just for PDF, see _Help \> Hidden Preferences_

 ![Screenshot 2026-05-24 at 2.52.10 PM](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/e/d/ed5a78f1bb534c6a1c36097ba3be187ab49a5f58.png)