The sidebar background color is no longer dark

[Fins 7]

There should be a setting to allow the sidebar background color to be dark and the note to use a light background color as in: 

'When in dark mode, you can use a light-colored note editor if you prefer. In Evernote, go to Evernote > Preferences from the menu bar and check the box for "Use Light Mode for notes'.

However, this doesn't appear to be there anymore. Has this feature been removed and if so, why?

[gazumped 11,677]

3 hours ago, Fins said:

However, this doesn't appear to be there anymore. Has this feature been removed and if so, why?

They just introduced a new UI and are probably still shaking the bugs out of it in all operating systems. No doubt there will be more choices in future, but for the moment they have to prioritise.  Features that are most in demand will -where possible- get priority.  You could try contacting Support to register an interest,  request the 'old' dark panel back,  or use feedback@Evernote.com. 

Or you could create a feature request post and see how many (if any) other users agree with you that this should be a priority.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,968]

36 minutes ago, gazumped said:

They just introduced a new UI and are probably still shaking the bugs out of it in all operating systems. No doubt there will be more choices in future, but for the moment they have to prioritise.  Features that are most in demand will -where possible- get priority.  You could try contacting Support to register an interest,  request the 'old' dark panel back,  or use feedback@Evernote.com. 

Or you could create a feature request post and see how many (if any) other users agree with you that this should be a priority.

Sorry for the ha-ha, @gazumped, but the light sidebar is clearly not a bug but an intentional aspect of the new interface design. (More accurately, "sidebar approximately same color as other main elements," whether in light mode or dark.) One of the principles here is the reduction or elimination of contrast. They have improved contrast within the elements, so you can now actually read the notes in the Note List and the elements in the sidebar. But the almost-uniform color is staying--and I never make predictions about Evernote's future. If you look really closely you can see a gradation from the very light gray left panel to the yellow-snow (as one user put it) Note List to the near-white viewing/editing pane on the right. But the whole point is to deprecate contrast, for whatever reason in the minds of contemporary "modern" design mavens. I see no reason to think we'll get choices about this, though it could certainly happen. And you and I have been around here long enough to know that "features most in demand" do not necessarily get priority in Evernote's development. (See under "thumbnails" and "collapsible lists.")

@Fins, I agree with you completely. You can give direct feedback on the new UI here: https://waz9zvkd1f2.typeform.com/newuifeedback. You might also want to pitch in on this well-used existing thread (where an option to choose themes has been mentioned several times):

 

[gazumped 11,677]

56 minutes ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

the light sidebar is clearly not a bug but an intentional aspect of the new interface design.

Yup - wasn't my intention to suggest it was;  just pointing out that the company is trying to attract users with a new UI which collects a ton of information in one place.  Before they decide what colours it should be,  they probably want to make sure nothing crashes big time through screen size or OS conflicts.  Once they know it works they can start adding more options,  but reactions so far (it seems to me) range from "I don't like it,  give me back the old one" through "The colours are horrible,  give me choices I like" (Company ESP required for that one I think...) to "Nice - A breath of fresh air!".

All Evernote now have to do is find a way to appease several conflicting points of view - whilst also keeping the rest of the app afloat.  It may take a little while... 

[PinkElephant 8,126]

Actually I would have a nice list of items currently NOT working for them before out of sheer desperation they start touching a working UI.

We got a lot of progress the last year - but there are still features broken right since v10 launched, and somehow nobody seems to take the time to sort them out. Is it so hard to understand that before we want a new chichi UI, we want a solid function of some basics (anybody said „printing“ ???).

But OK, being a grumpy old elephant …

[s2sailor 2,207]

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

a new UI which collects a ton of information in one place.

I’m curious what you mean by this. The new UI has introduced additional white space resulting in less information being shown in one place. Am I missing something?

[mypointofview 41]

I absolutely hate this glaring bright stuff all over the place. A knowledgeable designer would actually help a user focus on their work and not highlight (pun intended) all features and elements of the app. 

Yes, I can collapse the side bar with a proprietary button at the bottom (all other apps and websites have this "show/hide" option at the top left), and yes, I can make my window smaller but give me a break and let me focus on my work.

Evernote mentions "visually intrusive elements like a dark sidebar" however in reality it is bright stuff that is "intrusive". Dark space goes out of the way. A bright space asks for my eyes to look at it. 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,968]

16 hours ago, mypointofview said:

I absolutely hate this glaring bright stuff all over the place. A knowledgeable designer would actually help a user focus on their work and not highlight (pun intended) all features and elements of the app. 

Yes, I can collapse the side bar with a proprietary button at the bottom (all other apps and websites have this "show/hide" option at the top left), and yes, I can make my window smaller but give me a break and let me focus on my work.

Evernote mentions "visually intrusive elements like a dark sidebar" however in reality it is bright stuff that is "intrusive". Dark space goes out of the way. A bright space asks for my eyes to look at it. 

Absolutely agree 100%. See my response to your other post.

[mypointofview 41]

I just went to my WordPress admin panel – imagine if the left pane would be white (imagine the outcry). Another great example of a stellar redesign that's "built for focus" is the updated Slack interface:

 

 

[suethatswho 3]

I also agree there should be an option for the sidepanel to remain black. It's much easier on the eyes, and I don't necessarily want the whole screen in dark mode. It looks like they could change this based on feedback and they said to put it in this forum. https://evernote.com/blog/new-ui-2024 So everyone add your feedback here too.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,968]

Thanks, @mypointofview. The Evernote UI change is billed as being a modern/contemporary refresh, eliminating the supposed "distraction" of contrast, so it's good to be reminded that some very up-to-date sites remain aware that contrast is a feature, not a bug. I studied linguistics long ago, and one of the major principles of language is contrast, in sounds and in syntactical markers. It's why we can tell the difference between "sweet" and "sweat", between "go" and "gone".

[Cheryl888 1]

I have been using Evernote for many years and am also unhappy with the "white" side panel.  It's better when only the page is white so you can focus on the page.  Also, all content on the page is much bigger and I don't know how to change that.  I am not happy with the change at all!

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,968]

22 hours ago, Cheryl888 said:

I have been using Evernote for many years and am also unhappy with the "white" side panel.  It's better when only the page is white so you can focus on the page.  Also, all content on the page is much bigger and I don't know how to change that.  I am not happy with the change at all!

Hi, and welcome to the forums. You can give Evernote direct feedback regarding the new interface here: https://waz9zvkd1f2.typeform.com/newuifeedback.

[Dave Walker 1]

Agreed with all the above.  Bring back an option to have the sidebar the dark grey it ewas before.

[iamPariah 6]

Here's my feedback on the UI, delivered to the NewUIFeedback form:

 

PLEASE give us back a sidebar color that is different from the rest of the UI. Give the users a choice. I personally loved the (really) old green sidebar, but would be perfectly happy with the dark sidebar (and light note, list, and Home) like we had previously. Also, please unify your colors again; some of the buttons are blue instead of green on my Mac. Please get rid of the yellow snow in the Home screen.

I like the openness and many of the subtle UI changes, especially the typography, but making the UI predominantly one color, with inconsistent coloring, makes Evernote feel like an older gen Microsoft app, and makes EV a chore to use.

Also note how Home content used to overlap the cover image, making the Home less... severely institutional.

[Screenshot via Google. My Evernote is much fuller.]

[Bobby0976 0]

Evernote does not offer a specific setting to customize the sidebar background color separately from the note editor background color. However, users can still adjust the overall theme settings within Evernote.

Regarding the specific feature you mentioned – the ability to set a light background color for notes while using a dark sidebar background color – it appears that this feature might not be available in Evernote's current version.

The removal of certain features in software applications can occur for various reasons, including:

1. Streamlining User Experience: Evernote might have opted to simplify its interface by removing certain customization options to streamline the user experience and make the application more intuitive for all users.

2. Technical Challenges: Sometimes, features are removed due to technical challenges or compatibility issues with new updates or changes in the underlying software architecture.

3. User Feedback and Usage Patterns: Evernote might have analyzed user feedback and usage patterns and found that the feature was not widely used or did not significantly impact user experience.

4. Resource Allocation: Development teams often need to prioritize certain features or improvements over others based on resource allocation, strategic goals, and market demands.

It's essential to stay updated with Evernote's official announcements, release notes, and support documentation for any changes or updates to features and functionalities. Users can also provide feedback directly to Evernote through their official channels, such as customer support or community forums, to express their preferences and suggest potential enhancements or features they'd like to see in future updates.

[Sixgees 2]

I learned long ago that EN doesn't listen to feedback. They're going to do what they want to do.... always "streamlining".

Maybe since they still show the dark side bar on the tour page, it will return. 

 

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/218702547-Learn-about-the-Evernote-for-Windows-app

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,968]

The other thing that's consistent about Evernote is that their help and marketing materials tend to be a step behind the current reality. 😅 I wouldn't invest any hope in the appearance of the "tour" page. I dislike the new UI pretty intensely, but I'm afraid it will be awhile before either (a) it becomes easily usable/readable, or (b) we're given other choices.

[PinkElephant 8,126]

When they moved the operation from the US and Chile (!) to Italy, nearly all staff left the company.

Most functions were replaced, but a significant part was not. It seems among those not replaced was the quite busy team doing the documentation and the videos.

Usually a company doing major changes will prepare all that supporting stuff before they launch. In the case of EN I’m afraid there is nobody left who could do this.

We will see when this picks up again.

[Dave Green 210]

It is also a side effect of pushing out changes quickly that may only be incremental toward the final goal and not wanting to invest in documentation in the interim.  I'm not defending; just offering a potential explanation.  They have started updating some things, as their homepage shows.

[sheerevolution 1]

I also, do not care for the new color theme at all!

[D.M.J 0]

I fully agreed on the need to restore the dark gray panel + white notes interface as it was before, this new approach doesn't really fit me at all.

Using the app mostly on my desktop, the only 2 possibilities we now have are bright or dark too much. They miss the elementary and elegant yet simple contrast of the previous design. Also, I know it's a matter of taste but that purple color you used for the new task button is ugly, deep too much, just make it more pastel guys

I understand some people enjoy these 2 new designs and I'm happy for them but lots will always prefer the older tone spirit and I'm one of them too, you can't do as we're not around.