# White text on black background **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 17, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148 "2026-05-17T15:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/21 "2026-05-17T20:13:28Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > But I also very much prefer a dark gray to actual black. > > Interesting. Something to maybe consider. I’d also very much consider turning down the brightness of your screen. There’s a reason white on dark is called “night mode”. It’s most useful in lower light environments, and you need your screen darker in those environments. Outside of that, I’d personally just stick to black on white if it works for you. And adjust the brightness to match a sheet of paper. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/22 "2026-05-17T21:25:44Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I wonder if it’s also a factor of size of screen and duration as well. This may well vary by person (as, obviously, does whether you find white on black harder or easier to read), but I hate it equally on a desktop screen, a tablet, and a printed paper page. There’s no reading anything of any length on my flip phone with my eyes. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/23 "2026-05-18T01:06:28Z")
I have read on the following devices: 29" monitor, 27" monitor, 10" tablet (many) 8" tablet (many), smartphones (down to 2014 size screens), 1st gen through paperwhite kindles, a PDA (Personal digital assistant with 2x3 inch screen), and even on my modern _smartwatch_. The smartwatch is a gimmick, but yeah, a bridge too far much like trying to read on a smartphone. [though it’s perfect for subtly reading at a job that bans having anything out at your desk, even if it’s too much effort for the return] > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Perhaps I shoud have mentioned that in the OP. I only saved myself by looking up the term phosphene before replying! ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/24 "2026-05-18T03:40:56Z")
Tangentially related, after some monkeying around, I’ve discovered I can make my main (background) screen take on a sickly, grayish-beige look, like there’s been a wildfire running through here somehow. Feels easier on the eyes already, it must be said. Might stick with it, despite the gloomy look. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/25 "2026-05-18T03:44:34Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > I don’t get any residual issues from white on black, but I find it much harder on my eyes- it tends to give me a headache after a while. Much easier on my eyes than that blinding white background is. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/26 "2026-05-18T05:09:43Z")
I’m another “dark mode” user. I will switch away from using websites or apps that don’t have a dark mode option. No phosphene issues for me! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/27 "2026-05-18T05:28:57Z")
I do use dark mode on other apps, but I tried it here and didn’t like it. Most of the time dark mode is light coloured or grey text, on dark blue or grey backgrounds, and not strictly white on black. ---
**Author:** ![billy-jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/28 "2026-05-18T08:55:53Z")
I tried all of the background colors found in the /usr/X11R6/share/X11/rgb.txt file (the path in OpenBSD) and settled on lemonchiffon (0xfffacd) as the easiest background color for my eyes on xterm, lxterminal, … as the easiest on my vision. So I use lemonchiffon as the background and black as the foreground for xterm and lxterminal and anywhere else that I can set it. Is there a way to set black lettering on lemonchiffon on this site? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/29 "2026-05-18T10:29:09Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I read the SDMB as black text on white background, but I also regularly use Discord, and the default screen appearance there is “reverse type” (white text on black background). I read Discord on my laptop, and on my iPhone, and have not ever noticed the issue that the OP is having. I suspect it may be a function (malfunction?) of the OP’s particular screen. Exactly the same for me. The biggest issue i have is that some emojis, like the default “Plus sign” are coded black, and are nearly impossible to read. Most of the discords i frequent have imported a server-specific “plus” emoji that’s visible, often blue. (That shows up on both a black and a white background.) I mostly prefer black text on white (not too bright, light gray, really) background, but i don’t usually care enough to change the default. I mostly read everything electronic on my phone, except for long form fiction, which i read on an e-reader, which has black text on white. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/30 "2026-05-18T10:42:09Z")
I often get people telling me I should use ‘dark mode’ and how it’s good for your eyes etc. It’s not good for mine. If I spend any amount of time trying to read a page of lines of light text on a dark background, I start to experience visual disturbances - dark lines and distorted vision when I look away from the screen and it can persist for multiple minutes - often accompanied by nausea and on occasions it has triggered ocular migraines. I can use software with dark mode UIs (which is fortunate because it’s the only option for some software). If dark mode is great for you, more power to you, but it’s horrible for me. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/31 "2026-05-18T10:53:25Z")
With my eyes, I need white text/black bkg. I just got new hard drive, but can’t find controls now. Where located, please? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/32 "2026-05-18T11:16:56Z")
Never mind. Found it! Interface??? Friggin’ discourse… I’d love it on every site I go to. The reader option only works for articles. Like AP News. Front page white, but articles switch to black when clicked. Hmm… ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/33 "2026-05-18T14:08:58Z")
I use a dark theme on everything I am able to, from the SDMB to any website and app that offers a dark theme. I find it much easier on the eyes. I don’t notice any phosphene thing that the OP mentions. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148/34 "2026-05-18T14:28:08Z")
Dark mode everywhere I can. I don’t have the issues the OP mentions. My only complaint about the “Straight Dope Dark” theme is that the “last visit” line is dark red, and can be hard to see. It should be a much lighter shade. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-text-on-black-background/1030148.md?page=1)