I’ve configured the android app to use the dark theme.
When I start the application, the screen do a one time white flash before continuing to the dark theme.
On application switch, this behavior does not occur.
Is it possible to avoid this white flash (particularly annoying at night in bed)?
Thanks a lot
Running on CM13
That’s funny because we have this exact issue on iOS for the upcoming dark theme. The story detail view flashes white after first app load when in the dark theme. I’ll let Daniel weigh in, but it’s not so easy to fix there either.
Thanks for the reply, we’ll see if a solution is possible.
When I originally implemented the dark theme I did notice this. I think it happens since the light theme is the one declared in the manifest XML. We apply the dark theme preference as soon as possible but it does mean that when the app first opens the light theme is initially applied for this short time.
From the short time I spent investigating it I’m not sure that there is a simple solution on Android either.
Yeah, basically, when the Android OS starts an app, it shows a temporary blank screen that inherits only the background and statusbar colours from the first Activity and nothing else. Much of the time, this is replaced by the UI so quickly that you never see it, but on more burdened devices that take a while to construct the first set of views, it can be briefly visible. There is no way to define more than one that I know of, so the best we could do is pick a colour between the light/dark backgrounds to minimise the shock for either theme.
Hi, the “background and statusbar colours from the first Activity” is it something I can manage on my phone or it’s related to the app ?
For all practical purposes, it is an attribute of the app you are launching.
Would it make sense to declare that as black and switch to white when the apps loads? Does that look OK for the base case of the default white theme?
Mid-gray could work, though I think black to the light theme could certainly look just as odd as white to the dark theme.
I can do a bit of digging to see if I can shorten startup time if this is truly bothering folks. On a healthy device, that flash should be imperceptibly brief and only happen once per boot of the phone.
Yeah that is why I didn’t spend any further time investigating originally. Since it has taken nearly two years for this to be raised I doubt it is an issue for the vast majority.
Yeah, changing from black to white will also be weird 
I didn’t tested the startup on a good fast new device, I have Galaxy S2.
Perhaps mid-gray may work, but don’t investigate to much to that issue if it’s too much complex. I can continue to close my eyes for that short period of time
I’m impressed of the number feedback for my question. It is really appreciated.
The app is awsome and keeps me connected to the world.
Hi guys,
Sorry to disturb you about this “almost closed” request.
Yesterday I installed an android app called 7Metronome (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.sandortorok.sevenmetronome&hl=en). It has (as in Newsblur) a dark and white theme without the behavior I explained above.
I think it’s because the app remains minimized until it is fully loaded.
Please have a look and tell me your opinion.
Yeah, it is possible to slow down startup so that your device essentially freezes while the app’s UI loads up, but I definitely consider that a bug, not a feature. Like I said, we will work to make the time as brief and inconspicuous as possible. Plus, on most modern devices, this should be happening at most once per boot unless there is something weird going on.