GitKraken Desktop Themes | Customize Light, Dark & Custom UI

Last updated: March 2026

Use this page to change the GitKraken Desktop theme, sync the app with your system theme, and understand the current status of custom theme support. It explains where theme controls live, how built-in themes work, and why custom themes are currently disabled as of version 11.8.0.

Requirements and limits

• Scope: Built-in themes, system theme sync, and legacy custom theme behavior
• Theme settings location: Preferences > UI Customization
• Built-in theme support: Available and supported
• Custom theme status: Disabled as of GitKraken Desktop 11.8.0
• Legacy custom theme location: ~/.gitkraken/themes/
• Invalid-theme behavior: If a theme file contains invalid syntax, GitKraken falls back to the default dark theme
• Markdown on this page about custom themes is historical/reference-only until custom themes are restored

Quick Start

To switch themes: Go to Preferences > UI Customization and select a theme, or open the Command Palette and type switch theme.

To sync with your system theme: Enable the system theme sync option in Preferences > UI Customization. GitKraken Desktop will follow your OS light or dark setting when supported.

To create a custom theme:

1. Open Preferences > UI Customization > Theme and click the folder to navigate to ~/.gitkraken/themes/.
2. Copy a .jsonc-default template file and rename it with a .jsonc extension.
3. Open the file in a text editor and set a unique meta.name and a scheme value of light or dark.
4. Save the file. Your custom theme appears in the theme list immediately. Changes take effect live without restarting GitKraken Desktop.

Custom themes have been disabled as of version 11.8.0 while the UI is being modernized. Built-in themes remain available.

How built-in themes work

To change your GitKraken Desktop theme:

• Go to Preferences UI Customization
• Or open the Command Palette and type switch theme

How sync with system theme works

If your OS supports theme switching, GitKraken Desktop can follow your system’s light/dark setting. Enable this from Preferences > UI Customization.

How custom themes work

GitKraken Desktop supports user-defined themes. To create a custom theme:

How to locate theme files

Theme files live in:

~/.gitkraken/themes/

You can open this folder from Preferences > UI Customization > Theme. Each .jsonc-default file is a template.

How to create a custom theme

1. Copy a .jsonc-default file you want to base your theme on.
2. Rename the file (e.g., MyCustomTheme.jsonc).
3. Open it in a text editor.
4. Set a unique value for meta.name. This is the theme name shown in GitKraken.
5. Define your theme’s scheme as either light or dark.
6. Save your file and return to GitKraken.

Your custom theme will appear under Preferences > UI Customization > Theme.

How live theme editing works

Changes to your theme file take effect immediately—no need to restart GitKraken. If the file contains invalid syntax, GitKraken will revert to the default dark theme.

What functions are supported in theme files

Supported CSS functions

GitKraken supports these CSS functions:

• calc
• hsl / hsla
• max, min
• rgb / rgba
• var

See CSS functions for reference.

Supported LESS functions

Supported LESS functions include:

• darken, lighten, fade
• saturate, desaturate
• mix, mixLess

See LESS functions for full documentation.

Community themes

Looking for inspiration? Some users share their custom themes online, such as the collection at jonbunator.github.io/gitkraken-custom-themes.

Please note that this site is not affiliated with GitKraken, and we do not provide support for external or user-generated themes.