Theme Settings: Setting colors and basic reel settings
Theme Settings control the visual style of your reel, including colors and waveform display. You'll find them in the Reel Builder by clicking Edit Theme in the Action Bar.
Jump to: Colors · Waveform · Common questions
Colors
Choose from three theme options:
- Light – White background, dark text, gray controls, blue links
- Dark – Dark background, light text, gray controls, blue links
- Custom – Set your own Primary, Background, Text, and Link colors
If you've saved a default color palette in Reel Settings › Design Defaults, those colors will automatically appear as your Custom theme on new reels.
Using the color picker
Click any color swatch to open the picker. You can:
- Click in the color field to select a color
- Use the hue slider to change the base color
- Enter a hex code directly
- Adjust transparency with the second slider
Click outside the color picker to close it and see your changes in the preview on the right.
Tip: Save colors to your swatch library by clicking the + icon at the bottom of the picker. Delete a swatch by selecting it and clicking the trash icon.
Light theme
White background with dark text. Best with a logo designed for light backgrounds. 
Dark theme
Dark background with light text. Best with a logo designed for dark backgrounds.
Custom theme
Set your own colors for Primary (controls, waveform), Background, Text, and Links. Make sure your logo works well on your chosen background color.
Tip: The Biography block color is automatically generated from your background color (10% lighter or darker). For a subtle tinted effect, use a "light black" or "barely white" instead of pure black or white.
Accessibility
Make sure your color combinations have enough contrast for users with visual impairments. Aim for WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance. Check your contrast at webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker.
Waveform
Toggle Show waveform to display a visual waveform for audio tracks instead of a simple progress bar.
Common questions
How do I reset to a default theme?
Click the Light or Dark button to switch back to a preset theme. This removes your custom color selections.
Can I reset to my default color palette after making changes?
Not automatically. If you change your custom colors, you'll need to manually re-enter your default palette from your Reel Settings › Design Defaults.
What do the extra digits in the hex code mean?
If you adjust the transparency slider, the color picker adds two extra digits to the hex code. These control transparency: lower values mean more transparent. At full opacity, the picker shows a standard 6-digit code.
Can I use different themes for different reels?
Yes. Each reel has its own theme settings. Changes only affect the reel you're currently editing.
Do theme changes affect my other reels?
No. Theme settings are per-reel. To update multiple reels, you'll need to edit each one individually.
When do theme changes go live?
After you click Save and publish in the Reel Builder. If someone has your reel open, they'll see the changes after refreshing the page.