Appearance Settings
How to personalize the look of Forbidden Finance: theme packs, light and dark mode, any accent color you want, glass intensity, background, and syncing your look across devices.
Overview
Appearance settings let you customize how Forbidden Finance looks. Start from a theme pack or build your own look: light or dark mode, an accent color (one of eight presets, any custom color, or your device's wallpaper colors on Android), your preferred level of glass effect, and the animated background. Your look syncs to your account, so every device you sign in on matches. If you are sensitive to motion or prefer a simpler visual experience, the reduced effects toggle strips away blur and animation for a cleaner, more accessible interface.
Theme Packs
Theme packs are one-tap combinations of theme mode, accent, glass, and background. They are the fastest way to change the whole look at once:
| Pack | The look |
|---|---|
| Forbidden | The signature look: crimson accent, full glass, animated background, dark mode. |
| Midnight Ink | Deep and quiet, built around indigo. |
| Gilded | Dark with a gold accent. |
| Paper | Light mode with glass and the background turned off. The flattest, cleanest look. |
| Ocean | Calm blues and teals. |
| Ember Night | Dark with a warm ember accent. |
Tap a pack at the top of Settings > Appearance to apply it. Packs are starting points, not locks. Change any individual setting afterward and the selector simply shows Custom.
Theme Options
Forbidden Finance offers three theme options:
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Light | A bright interface with a white background and high contrast text. Best for well-lit environments. |
| Dark | A darker interface that is easier on the eyes in low light. Uses the app's signature dark palette. |
| System | Automatically follows your device's light/dark mode setting. When your phone switches to dark mode at night, Forbidden Finance switches too. |
How to Change Your Theme
Open Settings
Tap the Settings icon in the navigation bar.
Select Appearance
Tap Appearance to view your current theme setting.
Choose a theme
Tap Light, Dark, or System. The app updates immediately so you can see the result.
Your theme preference syncs with your account, so your phone and the web app switch together. See Synced across your devices below.
Accent Color
The accent color is the highlight color used throughout the app: selected buttons, the active navigation tab, links, toggles, and progress highlights. Forbidden Finance ships with Crimson (the signature brand red) by default, plus a curated set of alternatives. If none of them is quite right, you can pick any color you want:
| Accent | |
|---|---|
| Crimson (default) | The signature Forbidden Finance red. |
| Ember | A warm burnt orange. |
| Gold | A deep, readable gold. |
| Teal | A calm blue-green. |
| Azure | A clear, confident blue. |
| Indigo | A muted blue-violet. |
| Violet | A soft purple. |
| Graphite | A neutral, low-key grey for a stealthier look. |
| Custom | Any color you want. See below. |
| Match device colors | On Android 12 and newer, the accent follows your wallpaper. |
How to Change Your Accent Color
Open Appearance settings
Go to Settings > Appearance.
Tap a color
Under Accent color, tap any swatch. The whole app re-colors instantly so you can preview the result before deciding.
Custom Accent Colors
Tap the Custom swatch to open the color picker. You choose the Hue and Colorfulness with sliders, or type an exact hex code (like #2E7DD1). Lightness is set automatically so buttons and text stay readable in both light and dark mode. That is why the picker shows two swatches, Picked and As shown. If your exact color would be too light or too dark to read, the app nudges it just enough to pass readability checks and shows you the adjusted result before you apply it.
If you pick something close to the green used for income or the amber used for warnings, the picker tells you. You can still use it. Those meaning-carrying colors keep their own fixed shades everywhere, so your numbers stay unambiguous.
Match Device Colors (Android)
On Android 12 and newer, choose Match device colors and the accent follows your wallpaper. Change your wallpaper and the app follows along. This option only appears on devices that support it. The wallpaper is read on each device separately, so your phone and tablet can each match their own wallpaper while sharing the same setting.
Glass Intensity
Forbidden Finance uses a "glass" look: softly blurred, translucent cards layered over a subtle gradient. Glass intensity lets you dial that effect to taste:
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Standard (default) | The full glass look with the strongest blur and translucency. |
| Subtle | A lighter touch, with less blur and a quieter background. Also a little easier on older devices. |
| Off | Solid, opaque cards with no blur. The cleanest, flattest look. |
How to Change Glass Intensity
Open Appearance settings
Go to Settings > Appearance.
Pick a level
Under Glass intensity, choose Off, Subtle, or Standard. The change applies immediately.
Background
Behind the glass panels sits a soft gradient background. The Background control has three levels:
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Animated (default) | The gradient drifts slowly. |
| Still | The same gradient, holding still. |
| Off | A plain solid background. |
Find it under Settings > Appearance in the Effects section. Like glass, the background is limited automatically while Reduced Effects or High Contrast is on. The accessibility setting always wins.
Synced Across Your Devices
Your look belongs to your account, not to one device. Change any of these and every device you are signed in on follows within moments:
- Theme mode (light, dark, or system)
- Accent color, including a custom color and the Match device colors setting
- Glass intensity
- Background
A few things deliberately stay per-device:
- Reduced Effects, High Contrast, and Colorblind-safe colors are accessibility settings. They stay on the device where you set them, because the right setting can differ between a phone in your hand and a monitor across the desk.
- Match device colors syncs as a choice, but each Android device reads its own wallpaper.
- Your app icon is chosen per device. See App Icon.
There is nothing to turn on. Set up your look once, sign in anywhere, and it is already there.
Reduced Effects
The Reduced Effects toggle is an accessibility feature that disables visual effects such as blur, glassmorphism, and smooth animations throughout the app. The same switch also appears in Accessibility settings, and the two stay in sync. When enabled:
- Blur effects are replaced with solid, opaque backgrounds.
- Glass-like card overlays become standard flat cards with clear borders.
- Transition animations are simplified or removed.
- Parallax and motion effects are turned off.
This setting is designed to comply with WCAG AA accessibility guidelines. It benefits users who:
- Experience discomfort or distraction from motion effects.
- Use devices with limited processing power where animations cause lag.
- Prefer a straightforward, no-frills visual design.
How to Enable Reduced Effects
Open Appearance settings
Go to Settings > Appearance.
Toggle Reduced Effects
Turn on the Reduced Effects switch. The change applies immediately across the entire app.
Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the theme setting affect charts and graphs?
Yes. Charts adapt their colors and backgrounds to match the active theme. Data remains the same; only the visual styling changes.
Can I use dark mode on web and light mode on my phone?
Not anymore. Appearance settings now sync with your account, so all your devices share one look. If you prefer different modes at different times of day, set the theme to System and let each device's own schedule decide.
Does reduced effects affect performance?
Yes, slightly. Disabling blur and animation effects reduces rendering work, which can improve performance on older devices or lower-end hardware.
Is there a way to customize colors beyond light and dark?
Yes. Use the Accent color picker to choose from eight preset highlight colors or any custom color, and Glass intensity and Background to control the effects. Colors that carry meaning (income, spending, and achievement tiers) stay fixed for readability and are not affected by your accent choice. If green and red are hard to tell apart, Colorblind-safe colors in Accessibility settings switches them to blue and orange.
Why does my custom color look slightly different in the app?
The picker keeps your hue but adjusts lightness automatically so buttons and text pass readability standards in both light and dark mode. The Picked and As shown swatches in the picker show you both before you apply.
Related Articles
Accessibility Settings
High contrast, colorblind-safe colors, text size, and screen readers.App Icon
Recolor the app icon on your home screen.Profile Settings
Update your name, email, and base currency.Dashboard Widgets
Customize your dashboard layout.Notifications
Configure alert preferences.Secure Your Account
Security settings and passkeys.Need more help? Email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you.