Dark Mode editor for MATLAB

Are there any predefined MATLAB dark mode settings so we do not need to maually set-up them ? Specially for the MATLAB editor ? Thanks.

[Mike Croucher]

Update 20th March 2023.

There is now a beta of a new MATLAB desktop that includes Dark Mode support Try Dark Mode on Desktop MATLAB with the ‘New Desktop for MATLAB’ » The MATLAB Blog - MATLAB & Simulink (mathworks.com)

[Giorgio Micaglio]

Any news on including Dark Mode support on MATLAB application?

[Walter Roberson]

It is still in testing. It can be enabled with some commands and then restarting matlab.

[Marios]

It amazes me that in so many free editors you get so many easy options that are nice for your eyes, but a paid software package forces you to suffer with bright screen in the night 🤣

But you can do some trial-error with the colors yourself

[Walter Roberson]

@Marios

You can use the Add-On Explorer to install "New Desktop for MATLAB (Beta)" which has a dark-mode in it.

[Wyatt]

You can install their beta that requires you to send usage statistics and introduces a myriad of its' own issues. Or you can realise you're SoL cause you invested time/effort into learning matlab instead of Octave/Python (or your institution/workplace doesn't give you a choice). Given the fact that this was an issue years ago when I tried matlab for school and it remains an issue as I progress through my degree shows me that very little resources are dedicated towards this issue; in spite of the continual complaints and suggestions by a considerable portion of the userbase.

Don't expect features that users want, just more libraries whose primary purpose is to make it easier to sell their software to businesses/institutions, who erroneously believe the presence of a library provides simplicity for its' workers.

The absence of such a basic and ubiquitous feature is almost as comical as the hordes of users who vehemently defend this as though the argument is "light mode vs dark mode" and ignore the fact that having features that provide accessibility for everyone is a good thing. The longstanding absence of such features is just as worthy of criticism as companies like Autodesk rolling back features.

[Rik]

What are you complaining about exactly? You can get a true dark mode with the beta desktop, or get most of the way there with Schemer. The beta being a beta, Mathworks would like insight in how it is used, so perhaps they can adjust the defaults in future versions. Is that strange? And your argument about accessibility is moot, since you can get most of the way there with Schemer if you need a dark mode but can't or don't want to use the beta.

Do you have insight in what percentage of users is complaining? I don't. You don't. Mathworks does. Is it a vocal minority or indeed a large portion of the userbase? You have no way to tell, yet you make a strong claim. That detracts from how serious people will take you.

Another point that shows how little you know: making Matlab code compatible with Octave takes about 1% of development time (at least it does for my code). So learning Matlab is essentially the same as Octave. And do you know when Octave started to allow a dark mode? I'm too lazy to look up who was later, but Octave 7 is still light mode only (although you can change some things) and only Octave 8 allows you to change all elements visible at startup to be a dark theme.

[Joshua Port]

That is a bit strange, yes. Companies collect feedback on betas in many different ways, such as user-submitted feedback or crash reports. It is irritating that usage statistics must be sent in order to use the beta, and that, combined with the inherent instability of beta software, is a dealbreaker for me. It is also irritating that the dark theme has taken this long to be prioritized in the first place. Especially for a software this expensive, this should have been released a decade ago. I can't remember the last IDE I've tried, free or not, that didn't have a dark theme besides Matlab. Most are dark by default.

I doubt any of us, Mathworks included, knows the percentage of users who would benefit from a dark theme, but this is always a frequent request for basically any software that doesn't have one, and doubly so for anything geared towards software development. The post we're commenting on has 3500 views in the last 30 days, and others have similarly high numbers of views and votes.

People are allowed to clamor for this. Mathworks also doesn't need anyone to defend them. Looking forward to the days when my eyes won't be massacred for trying to do my job.

Answer 1

[the cyclist]

UPDATE April 2022 - Please see this Answer for more details on dark mode:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/1671199-mathworks-it-s-time-for-a-dark-theme

Previous Answer:

The best way that I know of to do this is to use MATLAB Schemer from the File Exchange.

[Gayan Lankeshwara]

Can you please tell me how to import MATLAB Schemer ?

I tried but it did not work. thats why.

[Walter Roberson]

Add-Ons -> Get Add-Ons . Search for schemer in Add-Ons Explorer. Click on the MATLAB Schemer link. Click on Add from Github .

[Gayan Lankeshwara]

Did it.

Thank you very much.

[Kyle Delaney]

Is there a way to get all the UI components and especially the .mlx backgrounds to also be dark?

[Alejandro Rodríguez]

@Kyle Delaney I'm searching for that too

[Kanishke Gamagedara]

@Kyle If you are using Windows, and mainly working with Matlab, you can invert the system colors.

Windows Settings > Ease of Access > Color filters > Turn on color filters > Select Inverted or Grayscal inverted

Once enables, you can switch between the color mode with Windows+Ctrl+C.

I hate that Matlab does not have a dark mode even in 2020, but the color filter is the only work-around I found for mlx.

[Ajay M]

Hey!

Go to Preferences under Home tab and then go to Color.

There you can change the background color and text color.

Remember, you can't make it entire dark theme.

Hope it will help you

Answer 2

[Jacob Hartzer]

I know that MATLAB Schemer has been the go to answer for a dark mode for a while, but I wasn't particularly happy with it due to the still bright ribbon and borders.

Instead, I have been using a GNOME window color-inverter (Ubuntu) in order to invert the colors of just the matlab window. It's not perfect, but I think it's a step in the right direction

[Stephnie Watson]

Jacob! This is exactly what I am looking for! I am not strong in coding though. Can you provide me a link or step by step instructions/video on how to use GNOME window color-inverter?

[Mounir Salem]

I am also waiting for the answer

[Paul S.]

On Windows:

Windows Settings > Ease of Access > High Contrast > Set check box at 'Invert Colors'

[Tejas Kausal]

David, I did that on Windows but my laptop is taking time to load the display.

[Samuel]

How do you go about making this happen, after downloading the zip file from github? Sorry, I'm new to this. Thanks!

[Rik]

Unzip it to your current directory or a folder on the path.

It is easier to use the AddOn Manager.

Answer 3

[Ajay M]

Hey!

Go to Preferences under Home tab and then go to Color.

There you can change the background color and text color.

Remember, you can't make it entire dark theme.

Hope it will help you

Answer 4

[cui,xingxing]

You can refer to this answer

Answer 5

[DGM]

Similar to @Jacob Hartzer, I don't think scheming the editor is a sufficient solution. I described my own workaround in this thread on the topic:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/399931-is-mathworks-working-on-a-dark-mode-for-matlab-similar-to-what-visual-studio-offers#answer_696030