Revit 2024 reset canvas color to default

[austin_garstYVWLJ]

Good morning -

Recently I let another user sit at my desk to drive for a meeting. He changed the canvas color to black. I was previously working in default Dark Mode. But now it does not appear like there is a way to switch the canvas back to this default Dark Mode. Does anyone know how to bring this back? Is there a "Default Settings" button that restores these original settings?

Thanks.

[apjones]

You should be able to change this in your options.  

...then..... 

[austin_garstYVWLJ]

Yes, I understand this. But see how the background says "White"? I cannot get it to appear as dark mode again. It stays white. I wish to return it to the "Dark" mode canvas. Not the white canvas. If you wish to recreate my problem, switch your canvas color scheme to Dark instead of Light. Change the background to black. Then try to get canvas back to how it looked once you changed it to Dark.

[apjones]

I'm not sure I understand your issue then.  I can change my colors to pretty much anything I want...

[austin_garstYVWLJ]

Can you change it BACK to the default Dark Mode Canvas? Your video did not show you attempt to do this. And you may not be able to now that you have selected different background colors for your canvas. This is my issue.

Please see video for what this should look like - the youtuber also describes this could be a problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ROXozaWLD00

[apjones]

I can change from one to the other and back again any time I want with no issues.  Once I select any different background, (or any other color setting) it sticks to that color scheme.  

This is as I would expect it to work. 

If that is your issue, and you want to get back to out-of-the-box colors, then you will need to reset your Revit.INI file.  If the other worker was under your Windows log-in, he changed your settings.   It might have been best for them to log into windows on a different login.

[austin_garstYVWLJ]

I truthfully don't think I can explain my issue any simpler. I even provided a video where they demonstrate it. He addressed the issue at :44 seconds.

Default dark mode is a dark blueish canvas. Once you change this once, there does not appear to be be away to return to this default color. I would need the color code of the default dark mode canvas. I can do what you are doing and have demonstrated. But there is no way to hit a "default settings" button for this color selection.

[RLY_15 · Accepted solution]

Ignoring the workplace etiquette issue for a moment,

The UI active theme does more than hold the canvas color options - it also changes the border/menu/ribbon colors.

But really, if a user is unwilling to work with a prepared workstation's settings they at least need to know how to revert to the prior settings when done.

EDIT: Out of curiosity I tried to replicate the problem. So the canvas background color gets 'saved' to Dark mode setting if you modify it, which frustratingly means you need to know the RGB settings to repair to default.

There you go. Change the background RGB settings while in Dark Mode and it should hold that value until the next time someone manually changes the settings.

[apjones · Accepted solution]

Okay, if I understand correctly, you want to go back to the out-of-the-box colors for the dark canvas, is that correct?  

Here is a screen shot of the colors for the dark canvas.

[austin_garstYVWLJ]

Does this allow the "Canvas Theme" button to function under the view tab? I can't look right now but I'm wondering if that's more of a workaround than a solution.

[iainsavage]

I think my colours are still default and the canvas colour is RGB 034-041-051 (which is essentially black(ish)).

If you want to reset it to the original it can be done by closing Revit, deleting the custom colour in the Revit.ini file, save the file then re-open Revit

[apjones]

If I understand this correctly, it breaks down like this: 

If you change the color settings in Options>Colors, they are stored in your local Revit.ini file until you change them back.  There is not "default" once you change them.  You have to change them back. 

The Canvas theme button only toggles between the too settings (Light/Dark) and once you have set them (under the options) that's what you get when toggling between the two using the Canvas Theme on the View Tab.  

If I am incorrect on this, someone else chime in please...

[RLY_15]

That seems consistent with what OP has posted for symptoms and @iainsavage 's catch-all restoration method.

[apjones]

I mentioned re-setting the Revit.ini file, but I guess that wasn't as clear as @iainsavage post. It's all good. The OP got his issue resolved.

[iainsavage · Accepted solution]

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@apjones wrote:

If you change the color settings in Options>Colors, they are stored in your local Revit.ini file until you change them back.  There is not "default" once you change them.  You have to change them back. 

If I am incorrect on this, someone else chime in please...

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You can delete the customised lines from the Revit.ini file, save it and then re-open Revit.

Its the version in User > [name] > Roaming that you change (as far as I remember).

I changed some settings just as a test and these lines appear:

Delete these lines and the colours will reset to the original out of the box settings.

PS: you can also re-set other settings such as the recent files list, default file locations etc by the same method.

[apjones]

@iainsavage, Yes I understand that, but most users are not prepared to directly edit INI files. LOL.

I edit and document the Revit.ini file for each release prior to distributing it for our company so everyone at least starts from the same level.

Thanks for your input!

[iainsavage]

@austin_garstYVWLJ asked for a method to reset defaults and my comments were for their benefit.

Editing the user version of the file is Autodesk's recommended method I believe (there's also a complete reset by editing the registry but that should be done with caution). Basic computer practice should be to save a backup copy of any file before editing.

There should be little danger in editing, or even deleting, the USER copy of the ini file because any defaults should be automatically restored from the data cache version.

Autodesk help says:

This page refers specifically to the colours section:

https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-37DAECBA-58AA-4937-942A-3230631AA11E

Again this is for @austin_garstYVWLJ 's benefit rather than for yourself.

[austin_garstYVWLJ · Accepted solution]

The actual answer is that there is no default settings button to restore Revit to it's our or box state. You must delete files or data within files. Or you must have the default RBG code handy.

[iainsavage]

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@austin_garstYVWLJ wrote:

The actual answer is that there is no default settings button to restore Revit to it's our or box state. 

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In your initial post you didn't ask for a magic button, you said "now it does not appear like there is a way to switch the canvas back to this default Dark Mode" and I've shown that you can easily do that by opening the revit.ini file in notepad and deleting one line of code. Apologies if that is not the answer that you wanted but that's how it works. Same with recent files list etc.

May be of use to others in future.

[austin_garstYVWLJ]

Then I will edit my question to clarify the intent.