Dark mode for Inventor

[Faraj_Monnapillai]

I personally think to add a dark mode to Inventor is a great idea, as many users who use Inventor are staring into there monitors/screen for a long period of time and I believe this feature would reduce eye strain and it would also give fusion a classic look and feel, and also let the user the option of how dark and light they what there UI to be. (Example below)

if this is not possible an alternative feature could be a blue light filter which also reduces eye strain.

For example Adobe CC products -

[leerichard]

Contrast, Contrast, Contrast what's so hard understand about that.

Not gray on white background, not light blue on white background, Black on white background.

[leowarren34]

@Faraj_Monnapillai Adobe CC dark theme is 👌, this is what we need!

[Anonymous]

I agree with you 100%. Two months ago I received an email from Autodesk that they were working on a new, dark interface. It is expected to appear in the 2020 version. For me, a decade too late.

As far as I remember the first computer programs in DOS were usually dark themed; feels like in the early 2000s, software companies thought the "lighter" themes would be more luminous and trendier. As is turns out, it might look better at first sight, but in a professional environment where you are spending close to 10 hours daily on a software, the "dark" themes are a lot more gentle on the eyes in the long term.

It is such a program as Inventor that should set rules and trends, not AutoCAD, which has looked better for years.

I would agree with you on AutoCAD, I have been working on it since version 2006 and it has gotten so much better over the years, GUI and functionality-wise. Drawing colored lines on dark background is really easy on the eyes and the keyboard shortcuts are so fast and efficient.

I have also been working on Inventor for over 10 years and I wonder why it is growing so slowly, at such a high price. Things that I reported in the 2018 version still do not work properly and have not been repaired, until it is sad that they have us somewhere, except for our money. I am also thinking about changing to SolidWorks, but ... I will wait a moment.

No wonder Inventor is getting such traction, it is a very competitive offering financially and capability-wise. The product and manufacturing collection is a ridiculously good deal that no company out there can touch. You get everything you would ever need from 2D/3D CAD with mechanical and electrical packages, CAM, FEA, Factory layout and design and more. When you purchase Solidworks, you have to pay a BIG upfront cost and then you still have to pay an annual subscription on top of that. AND if you want to add model based definition or FEA, or even CAM capabilities to it, you're looking at another huge chunk of money...

[leowarren34]

@Anonymous Nice Q&A,

I like some of the points made,

It does feel like we are going back- phones are bigger, everything is bigger, everything is darkmode.

Admittedly Inventor needs to up it's game as the flagship CAD software.

[Anonymous]

There's something to be said about the first few generation of AutoCAD or wireframe black on white 3D CAD on a big CRT monitor. We haven't changed a whole lot when you look at it and we are going back to the standards. There was definitely a feeling of serenity and it felt overall simple, elegant and professional. Looking forward to AutoDesk bringing us a beautiful Dark themed Inventor. Cheers! 🍷

[dan_butler_komatsu]

The new interface in 2020 does not have much contrast and a dark mode should truly help that.  It is sometimes a struggle to see this and certainly causes eye strain.

[ChrisMitchell01]

You have access to the Inventor Beta project, Dan 😉

For anyone who doesn't have access you can apply using this link http://Autode.sk/InventorBeta

-Chris

[autodesk-MM]

Please add dark UI to Inventor 2020.  I am not happy with light grey as  its like a needle in my eyes

[garin]

Based on feedback from 2020 we made adjustments to our development priorities and sped up development for Dark Theme as a preview for 2021. The team that is working on Dark Theme went to pretty heroic efforts to be able to provide a preview of it in 2021 and not something that can easily add to 2020 and we will not be adding it to older versions of Inventor. 

[karthur1]

I could live without the "Dark Mode" if they would just fix the "washed-out" look for all the icons and menus.  Needs to have more contrast in the icons and menus.

[leowarren34]

Cheers @garin, an excellent reason to upgrade to 2021 when it gets released.

[Anonymous]

Very much looking forward to the 2021 release for the dark theme alone! Any idea when it's supposed to come out? Any beta release as well?

[leowarren34]

@Anonymous Inventor is normally released Late March, early April.

As for Beta previews, I'm interested if it's on frame.

[ChrisMitchell01]

See the previous reply from 3 weeks back - Dark Mode has been in early Alpha since October. Beta should be released within the next week.

-Chris

[leowarren34]

Cheers @ChrisMitchell01, looking forward to the beta.

[Anonymous]

Sorry for my English, I hope you can understand what I mean.

It would be good to have a DARK THEME as an alternative since the current LIGHT THEME is too bright and at times my eyes hurt.

They could imitate the DARK THEME that SOLIDWORKS has.

Thank you very much.

[DRoam]

@Anonymous, please search for existing ideas before creating a new one. A search for "dark theme" brings you to this idea: Dark mode for Inventor, which already has 317 votes. If you read the comments on that idea, you'll see Dark mode is under development and is currently in the Beta, so it will most likely be included in an Inventor release very soon.

[leowarren34]

@DRoam If only people added to an idea rather than add another

[Anonymous]

For anyone still stuck in 2020 inventor, changing the UI theme to "Amber" actually does make it a bit better.  The menu icons pop more, so it is easier to find them.  (Honestly it feels like a throwback to R10.  It still isn't a real dark mode, but it helps a bit.)

[freesbee]

For anyone still stuck in 2020 inventor, changing the UI theme to "Amber" actually does make it a bit better. The menu icons pop more, so it is easier to find them. (Honestly it feels like a throwback to R10. It still isn't a real dark mode, but it helps a bit.)

...unfortunately (and I have to say "very unfortunately") the amber theme is NOT being planned to be supported in the DarkMode. I have been a fan of Amber theme since release 5, but it looks like you will have to chose: either dark or amber 😭