Light Mode InFFFFFFlation
4 months ago
- #MacOS
- #UI Design
- #Dark Mode
- Light mode was the default for computers, with some exceptions like photo editors and terminals.
- The brightness of MacOS UI has been increasing over the last 16 years, from 71% in Snow Leopard to 100% in Tahoe.
- Dark mode was introduced in MacOS Mojave in 2018, and its brightness has also increased over time.
- The author switched to dark mode in 2020 due to the brightness increase in Big Sur (85% to 97%).
- Designers may prefer brighter or darker UIs based on perception, but medium grey could be a better choice for eye comfort.
- HDR screens in iOS 26 allow some UI elements to be brighter than 100% white, potentially leading to further brightness inflation.
- The author prefers Yosemite's design for its flattened aesthetics and blur effects, despite its brightness increase.
- A suggestion for interface design: use 50% grey to reduce eye strain.