# How to change the theme, colors and app icon

> Choose light or dark mode, change Bookrise's colors and theme, and pick the background, progress style and app icon you like.

Source: https://bookrise.app/help/appearance/ · Updated 2026-10-27

Make Bookrise feel like your own. All of its appearance options live in **Settings** → **Appearance**, and you can change them whenever you like.

## Open Appearance

1. On the **Books** tab, tap the gear button at the top right.
2. Under **Configuration**, tap **Appearance**.

The preview card stays in view as you scroll, so you can see how your choices look before moving on to the next option.

![The Appearance screen with Appearance, Increase Contrast and Reading Progress rows, a preview card and the Colors grid](https://bookrise.app/_astro/settings--appearance.CC-KPcIl_Z1ITmvE.webp)

## Choose light or dark mode

Tap **Appearance**, then choose **Light**, **Dark** or **System**. **System** follows your device's light and dark mode settings.

For stronger contrast, set **Increase Contrast** to **On**. Choose **Off** to turn it off, or **System** to follow your device's contrast setting.

## Choose how progress appears

Tap **Reading Progress** to change the progress indicator on book covers in **Reading Now** on the **Books** tab.

Choose **Bar**, **Ring**, **Pill** or **Page Edge**, or pick **None** to leave the covers without a progress indicator.

## Pick a color or theme

Under **Colors**, tap a color to use it for buttons and highlights. For a coordinated look, choose a theme under **Themes**, such as **Paper**, **Blossom**, **Sage** or **Lavender**.

**Midnight** and **Cyberpunk** are always dark, regardless of your light or dark mode choice.

Your color and theme also apply to Bookrise widgets. [Learn more about widgets](/help/widgets/).

## Try a seasonal theme

The **Seasonal** group shows themes for **Halloween**, **Holidays**, **Valentine's Day** and **World Book Day**, along with their dates. You can choose a seasonal theme while it's available.

If you'd like Bookrise to change themes for you, turn on **Automatic Seasonal Themes**. It switches to each holiday theme while it lasts, then returns to your own theme.

## Choose a background

Under **Background**, choose **Automatic** to use the background designed for your theme, or **None** for no background. You can also pick **Glow**, **Aurora**, **Horizon** or **Neon Grid**.

If your background doesn't appear, check **Increase Contrast** and your device's **Reduce Transparency** setting. Bookrise hides backgrounds while either is on.

![Background options Automatic, None, Glow, Aurora, Horizon and Neon Grid, above the App Icon row](https://bookrise.app/_astro/settings--appearance-themes.B1rbXijP_Z2gIhxi.webp)

## Change the app icon

Under **App Icon**, tap the icon you'd like to see on your Home Screen: **Default**, **Pink**, **Red**, **Gold** or **Green**.

![The App Icon row with Default, Pink, Red, Gold and Green icons](https://bookrise.app/_astro/settings--appearance-icons.C2DBt-ms_ZKJgOv.webp)

> [!TIP]
> Picked a look during setup? The choices from **Make Bookrise Yours** are here too, ready to change whenever you feel like it.

## FAQ

### Why can't I see my background?

Bookrise hides backgrounds when Increase Contrast or your device's Reduce Transparency setting is on. Check those settings if your chosen background isn't showing.

### Can Bookrise switch between light and dark mode with my device?

Yes. In Settings → Appearance, tap Appearance and choose System. Midnight and Cyberpunk stay dark because that's part of their design.

### Can I rearrange the sections on the Books tab?

No. You can change colors, themes and how reading progress looks, but the order of the Books tab sections stays the same.