# \[Tags\] Can't see grayed-out entries in dark theme **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Tags:** tags\ **Created:** [January 3, 2026, 11:18pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010 "2026-01-03T23:18:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ddrake](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/ddrake/32/8084_2.png) [@ddrake](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/ddrake)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2026, 11:18pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/1 "2026-01-03T23:18:51Z")
On my Ubuntu 25.10 system with Gramps 6.0.1, some entries appear with black text and are very difficult to read – see the screenshot. Is there a way to make those entries easier to see? Also, what does that black text / dimmed / grayed-out entry even mean? I don’t know why some people, families, events and so on appear that way. Thanks! ![Screenshot From 2026-01-03 17-17-29](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/2X/9/97db33b7d3aaa305e8133b589b195ca085f52291.png) ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2026, 11:44pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/2 "2026-01-03T23:44:01Z")
Those are actually “Tag” colors. The topmost tag for those People is still the default color: black. Go into Edit:Tags:Organize Tags and change any Black tags to other colors ---
**Author:** ![anon44746896](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@anon44746896](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/anon44746896)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/3 "2026-01-04T00:07:59Z")
Feature request: [0006300: Organize Tags be able to select a background color also for visability](https://gramps-project.org/bugs/view.php?id=6300) Approved by @Nick-Hall who mentions: > No, it will need an extra column in the tags table. This change is quite easy to code, I don’t know if we really want it though. and > I don’t know if such a change would be accepted. It is best to ask on the list first. > > You would have to do the following: > > 1. Add a field to the Tag object. > > 2. Create a database upgrade. > > 3. Modify the XML import/export. > > 4. Change the interface in the Tag Organiser and Edit Tag dialog. > > 5. Add an extra field to all the listview models. > > 6. Modify listview to display the new field. > > I think that the default background colour should be ‘None’. I’m unable to find the previous discussion on the list. Happy new year. ---
**Author:** ![ddrake](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/ddrake/32/8084_2.png) [@ddrake](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/ddrake)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 1:29pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/4 "2026-01-04T13:29:31Z")
Ah, that’s helpful. Thanks! Is there a way to configure the default color for those import tags? ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 1:42pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/5 "2026-01-04T13:42:30Z")
> [@ddrake](#): > > Is there a way to configure the default color for those import tags? No. But such an enhancement has been requested. [0011974](https://gramps-project.org/bugs/view.php?id=0011974): Add Preference option to Colorize new Tags Hasn’t caught the interest of a developer though. Maybe we ought to try exploring how to hack the default tag color? Black is not a good default ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 2:15pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/6 "2026-01-04T14:15:17Z")
We haven’t had a “hunt the code and hack” thread for awhile. The default Tag color seems like it’d be a very small and isolated tweak. ---
**Author:** ![dsblank](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/dsblank/32/3649_2.png) [@dsblank](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/dsblank)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/7 "2026-01-04T14:40:36Z")
Yes, indeed. PR with fixes: [https://github.com/gramps-project/gramps/pull/2164](https://github.com/gramps-project/gramps/pull/2164) ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/8 "2026-01-05T14:00:16Z")
Thanks @dsblank ! This is a nice change … and much more powerful than the simple “non-black” default change I was considering for the hack. A rotating pallette of 16 colors vivid colors? And smart enough to skip colors in use? Nice! Now I need to paste in the patched modules and do some testing. (Like whether the new tag is added at top or bottom of the list since re-ordering with a long tag list is painful. And what happens if all 16 colors are already in use.) Thanks for the code! ---
**Author:** ![dsblank](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/dsblank/32/3649_2.png) [@dsblank](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/dsblank)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 2:02pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/9 "2026-01-05T14:02:50Z")
You’re welcome! I can tell you what will happen: 1. New tag placement is not changed, but we can change that 2. When we run out of colors, they repeat ---
**Author:** ![dsblank](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/dsblank/32/3649_2.png) [@dsblank](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/dsblank)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/10 "2026-01-05T14:06:01Z")
BTW, if you do test the changes, please “Approve” the PR with a note saying so. That will help moving the PRs along to being merged. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/1X/2ac1e712b7adf612e31ca08a55419f4cf37c0158.png) [@system](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tags-cant-see-grayed-out-entries-in-dark-theme/9010/11 "2026-02-04T14:06:13Z")
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