[FEATURE] Soften pure-black background in macOS Desktop dark theme (use dark gray instead)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

The dark theme in the Claude Code Desktop app for macOS uses a pure black background. During long coding sessions this creates a very harsh contrast against the white text and causes noticeable eye strain, especially on bright non-OLED monitors where pure black does not look "true black" but rather like a flat, lifeless dead zone.

Most modern developer tools (VS Code, Xcode, Cursor, JetBrains IDEs, Zed, Warp) use a softer dark gray as their default dark background (roughly in the #1E1E1E – #252526 range) rather than #000000. Pure black is generally reserved as an opt-in "OLED" or "midnight" variant.

The current Claude Code Desktop dark theme feels noticeably more fatiguing than these other tools when the app is open side-by-side with them.

Proposed Solution

Change the default dark theme background from pure black to a neutral dark gray, in line with the rest of the macOS developer tooling ecosystem.

Concrete suggestions:

1. Switch the default dark background to something in the range of #1E1E1E – #232323 (similar to VS Code Dark+ or Xcode Default Dark). This is easy on the eyes and still clearly reads as "dark mode".
2. Optionally expose two dark variants in settings:

• "Dark" — the new softer dark gray (default)
• "Black" / "OLED" / "Midnight" — the current pure-black look, kept for users who prefer it on OLED displays

1. Make sure surface elevation is preserved: panels, popovers, code blocks and the input area should still have a subtle contrast against the background (e.g. slightly lighter gray for elevated surfaces) so that the UI hierarchy stays readable.

This should be a small visual tweak but it would meaningfully improve comfort during long sessions and bring the Desktop app closer to the look-and-feel of the editors people typically pair it with.

Alternative Solutions

• Currently there is no in-app setting to change the dark theme background color, so the only "workaround" is using the light theme — which defeats the purpose for users who prefer dark mode.
• Reducing system brightness helps a little but causes the surrounding macOS UI (which is dark gray, not pure black) to look washed out by comparison.
• A user-installable theme system would also solve this, but a sensible default dark gray would help the majority of users without any extra configuration.

Priority

Low - Nice to have

Feature Category

Other

Use Case Example

Typical scenario:

1. I open the Claude Code Desktop app on macOS in the morning and have it running side-by-side with VS Code, iTerm, and a browser.
2. VS Code, iTerm and the browser all use a soft dark gray background. Claude Code's window is the only pure-black surface on screen.
3. After a few hours of switching back and forth between the windows, my eyes feel noticeably more tired when looking at the Claude Code window than the others.
4. Switching to the Claude Code light theme is too bright in a dimly lit room. There is currently no middle-ground option.

With a softer dark gray default (or a "Black vs Dark" toggle in settings), the app would visually fit in with the rest of the macOS dev tooling I use daily and would be easier on the eyes during multi-hour sessions.

Additional Context

Reference values from other popular macOS developer tools (default dark theme background):

• VS Code (Dark+): #1E1E1E
• VS Code (Dark Modern): #1F1F1F
• Xcode (Default Dark): ~#1F1F24
• JetBrains Darcula: #2B2B2B
• Zed (One Dark): ~#282C34
• Warp (Dark): ~#1B1B1B

None of these popular tools use #000000 as their default. A value somewhere in the #1E1E1E – #232323 range would feel familiar and comfortable for most users while still being clearly "dark mode".

Environment:

• App: Claude Code Desktop
• OS: macOS
• Theme: Dark