Inverted color scheme in memoQ

The Inverted color scheme is a built-in feature of the memoQ desktop app designed to make the interface easier on your eyes, especially in low-light settings or during long work hours. It inverts and softens the colors of the interface for a more comfortable experience.

This guide will help you understand, customize, and start using this feature effortlessly to create a more comfortable working environment.

 

How to find it

  1. Open memoQ desktop app.

  2. At the very top of the window, click the Options  icon.

  3. In the Category list, click Appearance.

    The appearance page showing all the options showing the default color scheme.

  4. In the Appearance window, select Inverted from the Color scheme dropdown.

    The appearance page showing all the options showing the inverted color scheme.

    You can also press the Alt+Shift+I keyboard shortcut to quickly switch between the Default and Inverted schemes. If you prefer a different shortcut, you can customize it in the Options - Keyboard shortcuts window.

What do you need to know about it?

  • The inversion only works on the main memoQ desktop app window. It means other windows you are using aren’t affected.

    We recommend maximizing the memoQ main window. Otherwise, only memoQ windows or panels inside the main memoQ window will be inverted.

  • The Default and Inverted color schemes are treated as separate settings. This means changes you make to one of them won’t affect the other.

  • By default, the colors of hit types (e.g., translation memories, LiveDocs, term bases, and non-translatables) aren’t changed, but you can modify them for better visibility or personal preference.

  • You can easily customize it:

    • The colors in areas like the Translation grid, Lookup results, Compare boxes, and Tracked changes will be adjusted for better visibility in the inverted scheme.

    • If you need different colors, you can freely customize them under Options - Appearance.

  • This feature achieves gentler contrast, a dark gray background replaces pure black, and fonts are softened to light gray, creating a balanced 90% contrast. The result is a calmer, less fatiguing interface that helps you stay focused during long hours of work.

  • The feature uses the Windows Magnification API, but it works independently of system-wide settings like Windows Magnifier, Invert Color, or Color Filters. You don’t need to allow or change anything in Windows for it to work.

    However, make sure not to activate Windows’ color filters and memoQ’s Inverted color scheme at the same time, as it can cause conflicts.

If you installed memoQ 11.2.9 or an earlier version, you might need to reset your settings to apply updates. To do this, go to Options - Appearance and click Reset these settings on all tabs.

What's more?

You can check our short video showing how the Inverted color scheme works:

 

Want to learn more about similar features in memoQ? Check our Accessibility mode for memoQweb.