Many molecular modelers spend hours working with intricate structures, adjusting render settings, and preparing visuals for publications or presentations. If you’re someone who often finds yourself working in dim lighting or during evening hours, you’ve likely experienced some discomfort from glaring user interfaces.
Fortunately, SAMSON has a built-in solution designed to make long modeling sessions more comfortable: Dark Mode.
Why Use Dark Mode?
Dark Mode isn’t just a visual preference for some; it can help minimize eyestrain, especially in low-light environments. Reducing the overall screen brightness and opting for darker backgrounds helps your eyes relax, allowing better concentration on the fine details of molecular structures. It’s especially beneficial when paired with high-contrast elements like selections and labels that become more visible in a dark workplace setting.
How to Enable Dark Mode in SAMSON
Turning on Dark Mode in SAMSON is simple. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Preferences panel using Interface > Preferences in the menu bar.
- Alternatively, press Ctrl + K (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + , (Mac).
- In the Preferences panel, browse to the Interface > Dark Mode section.
- Toggle the Dark Mode option.
The interface will switch instantly, letting you preview and continue working in the darker theme without having to restart the software.
Benefits Beyond Comfort
Aside from improving visual comfort, Dark Mode complements other rendering enhancements available in SAMSON. Features like screen-space ambient occlusion, bloom effects, fog, and shadows stand out more clearly on a dark interface, making models easier to evaluate.
It also helps with presentation: if you’re capturing screenshots or recording tutorials, visuals rendered against a dark UI background often look cleaner and highlight the molecule more effectively. This is true especially when using a custom rendering background in your viewport.
Tip: Combine with Capture Settings for Better Images
When working with Dark Mode, consider adjusting the Interface > Captures preferences. You can save images with a transparent background (available when exporting as PNG), and preserve aspect ratios—even choose a higher export resolution. This gives you control to produce optimal visuals for slides, articles, or online sharing.
Final Thoughts
If you’re working past sundown or simply prefer a calmer visual workspace, enabling Dark Mode in SAMSON is a small change that can have a noticeable impact. It brings visual comfort and subtly enhances other design features you’d already be using in molecular modeling workflows.
To learn more about user interface settings and all available customization options, visit the official SAMSON documentation here: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/preferences/.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON from https://www.samson-connect.net.