Theme & Appearance
TalkWriter offers light and dark themes to match your preference and reduce eye strain. You can also let it follow your macOS system appearance automatically.
Accessing Appearance Settings
- Open Settings (Cmd + ,)
- Navigate to the Appearance section
Theme Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright interface with white backgrounds and dark text |
| Dark | Dark interface that reduces eye strain in low-light environments |
| System | Automatically matches your macOS appearance setting |
Select your preferred option and the change applies instantly.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Light Mode | Dark Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Background | White/light gray | Dark gray/black |
| Text | Dark | Light |
| Eye strain (low light) | Higher | Lower |
| Eye strain (bright room) | Lower | Higher |
| Matches macOS dark mode | Only if System selected | Only if System selected |
System Mode Behavior
When set to System, TalkWriter follows your macOS appearance:
- Mac set to Light — TalkWriter uses light theme
- Mac set to Dark — TalkWriter uses dark theme
- Mac set to Auto (time-based switching) — TalkWriter switches along with it
Using System mode means TalkWriter always matches the rest of your desktop. This is the recommended setting for most users.
Important Details
- The dictation overlay pill always uses a dark appearance regardless of your theme. This ensures it is visible and unobtrusive over any content.
- The menu bar icon adapts to the macOS menu bar appearance independently of your theme setting.
- TalkWriter uses the brand amber color (#D97706) as its accent color throughout the interface.
The Scratchpad, session history, analytics, and all other windows follow your selected theme.
FAQ
Does the theme affect dictation accuracy? No. Theme is purely visual and has no impact on speech recognition or AI Polish.
Can I schedule dark mode at a specific time? Use the System theme option and configure automatic appearance switching in macOS System Settings > Appearance.
Can I customize colors beyond light and dark? Custom accent colors are not currently available. TalkWriter uses the brand amber (#D97706) as its accent throughout.