FreeCAD / FreeCAD/FreeCAD

Core: Implement "follow system theme" / automatic theme switch AKA Automatically change the theme depending on the system theme

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#29,297 5 comments 5 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
Mod: Core Status: In Fork / Addon available Status: Solution proposed Topic: Preferences Topic: Stylesheets Topic: User Interface
Dominant language
C++
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

### Problem description

### Description
I am using "Auto Dark Mode" on windows and scheduled theme switch on Arch with GNOME. I've been looking around a bit in FreeCAD, but as it stands it seems like currently there is no "follow system theme" option, only light/dark theme.
Since FreeCAD allows the user to select custom themes, it would be nice to assign a theme to "light mode", one to "dark mode", so a "follow system" mode would be able to switch between the user theme of choice instead of the default themes.
My suggestion is that the wizard shows a "follow system" mode too

### Mockup
Image
(btw the light and dark theme images have their icons misaligned, noticed that whilst making the mockup)

### Workbench affected?

None

### Steps to reproduce

obsolete for feature request

### Expected behavior

obsolete for feature request

### Actual behavior

obsolete for feature request

### Development version About Info (in Safe Mode)

```shell
OS: Windows 10 build 19044
Architecture: x86_64
Version: 1.1.0.20260325 (Git shallow)
Build date: 2026/03/25 02:17:53
Build type: Release
Branch: (HEAD detached at 34a971666)
Hash: 34a9716668b1ddeb55b914f1c5be644826bdbbbf
Python 3.11.15, Qt 6.8.3, Coin 4.0.3, Vtk 9.3.1, boost 1_86, Eigen3 3.4.0, PySide 6.8.3
shiboken 6.8.3, xerces-c 3.3.0, IfcOpenShell 0.8.4, OCC 7.8.1
Locale: English/United States (en_US)
Navigation Style/Orbit Style/Rotation Mode: CAD/Rounded Arcball/Window center
Stylesheet/Theme/QtStyle: FreeCAD.qss/FreeCAD Light/
Logical DPI/Physical DPI/Pixel Ratio: 144/109.734/1
```

### Last known good version (optional)

```shell

```

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by locating the theme-selection wizard and the existing light/dark and custom-theme handling in FreeCAD's desktop UI. Check how the application can observe system theme changes on Windows and GNOME, then define the light and dark user-theme assignments. Done means a follow-system option switches between those assigned themes when the system theme changes.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
desktop
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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