Eclipse fonts and background color

Question

I have been trying to change the background color of Eclipse's windows to black and customize the font colors. There doesn't seem to be a way to do this, at least not in an obvious way. I am using version 3.3.

How do I do this or are there any plugin's that might be able to assist in doing this?

Nobile

Changed the background, applied and hit done, but nothing happened. Also, restarted eclipse to see if thats what it needed but nothing happened. – Unsheathe

Related (changing font size): How can I change font size in Eclipse for Java text editors? – Ascent

Answer 1

To change background colour

1. Open menu *Windows → Preferences → General → Editors → Text Editors
   • Browse Appearance color options
   • Select background color options, uncheck default, change to black
   • Select background color options, uncheck default, change to colour of choice

To change text colours

1. Open Java → Editor → Syntax Colouring
   • Select element from Java
   • Change colour
   • List item

To change Java editor font

1. Open menu Windows → Preferences → General → Appearance → Colors and Fonts
   • Select Java → Java Editor Text font from list
   • Click on change and select font

Jackscrew

Thankyou, this works well for the java editor. I was looking for more of a blanket change though, to everything. – Nobile

To make this a blanket change, you'll want to select Basic>Text Font instead of Java>Java Editor Text. Then you'll want to restart Eclipse. Also, make sure to reset Java>Java Editor Text so that it will use the new default. – Ferroconcrete

But how can I change the color of a autocomplete selection, see screenshot – Ricotta

Having a dark background makes my whole experience of Eclipse so much better. Thank you---it is hard to wade thru all of Eclipse's options! +1 – Rowan

It's actually Windows>Preferences>General>Editors>Text Editors – Earthlight

The perfect for me was just to change the Windows>Preferences>General>Editors>Text Editors to grey, so you don't need to change nothing more and its almost the same that having the blackground black – Incendiarism

Unfortunately, this does not override the selected theme's options. As soon as I apply my selection, the themes just override whatever selection I had made and I'm back on square one. I have a dark theme that does not set the editor's background to black (it's gray-ish). If I set the background color to black, as soon as the editors are re-opened, they're back to whatever the theme was. Very frustrating... – Fearnought

If you are having trouble with Eclipse 2019 and dark theme and setting the background and having it not change: There seems to be a recent Eclipse bug. I suggest you look here or here for workarounds. – Wace

Answer 2

I just came across this: Eclipse Colour Themes

Install the plugin and choose from a selection of pre-defined themes, or write your own. Just what I needed!

Vraisemblance

Just installed, downloaded, and applied a theme in like 10 mins :-) – Decaffeinate

I couldn't get the plugin itself to work, but they provide a preferences import file for each style as well, do you can install the theme without ever installing the plugin. – Honeyed

it's nice, but only works for java colors.. does not work on javascript/dltk/vjet – Caltrop

Wow, this rocks! Is there any way to get the plug-in to modify the background of the other windows (i.e., Package Explorer, LogCat, etc.)? – Dichloride

@any, I have installed this through eclipse market place but theme is not showing up under General->Apprnce->Theme. I have tried choosing default but no hope. I am using Eclipse IDE for C/C++ developers Version: Kepler Release Build id: 20130614-0229 – Fylfot

Answer 3

Under Windows → Preferences → General → Apperance you can find a dark theme.

Bernardinabernardine

Answer 4

Background color of views (navigator, console, tasks etc) is set according to the desktop (system) settings. On Linux/GNome I changed System/Preferences/Appeareance to change this color.

Editor colors are set chaotically by different editors, search for background in eclipse preferences to find different options. One easy way to get beautiful dark (and not only dark) themes is to install Afae plugin, and then pick theme within its preferences (twilight theme is beautiful, for example) - again, eclipse prefs, Afae group. Of course this applies only when you edit with Afae.

Caloyer

Answer 5

If you are having trouble with Eclipse 2019 and using a dark theme and setting the background and having it not change: There seems to be a recent Eclipse bug. I suggest you look here or here for workarounds.

Wace

God how buggy can a software be. It is sad to watch. – Lakeishalakeland

Answer 6

You can install eclipse theme plugin then select default. Please visit here: http://eclipsecolorthemes.org/?view=plugin

Metagnathous

Answer 7

If you go to Windows, Preferences then select General, Editors, Text editors, you can set colors on that property page (and there's a link for setting MORE colors - General, Appearance, Colors and fonts).

That's with an Eclipse 3.3 build anyway.

Edsel

Answer 8

The easiest way is to install the plugin is from the Eclipse Marketplace. Go to Help→Eclipse Marketplace, then search for Eclipse Color Theme and install it.

Sepulchre

Answer 9

On Windows or Mac, you can find this setting under the General → Editors → Text Editors menu.

Betty

Answer 10

... on a Mac, Preferences' is under the main 'Aptana Studio 3' menu rather than the 'Windows' menu as mentioned above.

Onus

Answer 11

Switch to Theme... is also an option

Vibrator

This is under the right click menu! – Kresic