Dark Mode Palette Builder

Automatically generate a balanced and beautiful dark theme from your primary color palette. Fine-tune the conversion to match your brand's aesthetic perfectly.

Dark Mode Palette Builder

Generate a dark mode color palette from your base colors.

Adjust Dark Theme

Base Palette

Light Mode

Primary
#3b82f6
Secondary
#8b5cf6
Accent
#ec4899
Background
#f9fafb
Text
#111827

Dark Mode

Primary
#9fc1f8
Secondary
#d0befa
Accent
#e1207f
Background
#050505
Text
#f2f2f2

Generated CSS Variables

:root {
  --primary: #3b82f6;
  --secondary: #8b5cf6;
  --accent: #ec4899;
  --background: #f9fafb;
  --text: #111827;
}

.dark {
  --primary: #9fc1f8;
  --secondary: #d0befa;
  --accent: #e1207f;
  --background: #050505;
  --text: #f2f2f2;
}

Why Every Modern App Needs a Dark Mode

Dark mode has transcended being a niche feature to become a user expectation for modern applications. It's not just about aesthetics; a well-implemented dark theme offers tangible benefits for both users and their devices.

Key Benefits of Dark Mode:

  • Reduced Eye Strain: In low-light environments, a dark background with light text is significantly less harsh on the eyes than a bright, white screen, reducing visual fatigue.
  • Improved Battery Life: On devices with OLED or AMOLED screens, black pixels are "turned off," consuming no power. A dark UI can lead to noticeable battery savings on these devices.
  • Enhanced Focus: Many users find that dark mode helps them focus on the content itself, as the surrounding UI recedes into the background. It minimizes glare and can make content like photos and dashboards pop.
  • User Preference & Accessibility: Some users with light sensitivity or certain visual impairments find dark themes more comfortable to read. Offering a choice respects user preferences and improves overall accessibility.

However, creating a good dark mode is more complex than simply inverting colors. Naively inverting colors often results in a high-contrast, jarring experience that is worse than the light theme. A thoughtful approach is required.

How This Palette Builder Works

This tool provides a strategic approach to generating a dark palette, giving you control over the key transformations needed for a balanced and brand-aligned theme.

  1. Base Palette Input: Start by defining your primary brand colors. We've pre-filled some common names like "Primary" and "Accent," but you should name them according to your own design system (e.g., brand-500, success-fg).
  2. Algorithmic Conversion: The tool doesn't just invert colors. It uses color theory to create a harmonized dark palette.
    • Background & Text: Special logic is applied to your main background and text colors. Typically, a light background becomes a very dark gray (not pure black) and light text becomes off-white. This avoids the harsh contrast of pure black and white.
    • Other Colors: For other colors, the tool intelligently decides whether to lighten or darken them based on their initial brightness. Very light colors are darkened, while already dark colors might be lightened to ensure they are visible against the new dark background.
  3. Fine-Tuning Controls:
    • Darken Amount: Controls the overall darkness of the generated colors.
    • Desaturate Amount: Reduces the saturation of colors. Sightly desaturated colors often feel more natural and less "glowy" in a dark theme.
    • Hue Shift: Subtly shifts the hue of all generated colors. A small shift can sometimes create a more cohesive feel across the palette.
  4. CSS Variable Export: The final output is provided as ready-to-use CSS custom properties, making it easy to integrate into any project that supports light/dark theming.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why shouldn't I use pure black (#000000) for my dark mode background?

While it might seem logical, a pure black background can actually increase eye strain because the contrast with light text is too high. It can also cause a "smearing" effect on some OLED screens as pixels turn on and off completely. A dark gray, like #121212 (used in Material Design), is almost always a better choice.

How do I implement the generated CSS variables?

You can add the generated code to your main CSS file. The :root selector applies the light mode variables by default. The .dark selector applies the dark mode variables when a parent element (often the <html> or <body> tag) has the class dark. You would then use a JavaScript toggle to add or remove this class based on user preference.

My brand colors look too vibrant or "electric" in dark mode. What should I do?

This is a common problem. Bright, saturated colors that look great on a light background can be visually overwhelming on a dark one. Use the "Desaturate Amount" slider in the generator to reduce the color's intensity. A little desaturation goes a long way in making colors feel more at home in a dark theme.