# Choose or create a theme

Change how Mind Map Studio looks without changing the map itself. Themes, panel transparency, and icon style are personal preferences: other people can choose a different appearance for the same map.

## Open the theme settings

1. Open **More actions** in the map header.
2. Select **Preset themes**.

The current theme is shown beside **Preset themes**.

## Choose a premade theme

Select one of the themes under **Preset themes**:

- **Auto (Jira Sync)** follows Jira's current light or dark appearance.
- **Light Classic** keeps a light workspace.
- **Jira Dark** keeps a dark workspace.
- **Turbo Neon**, **Dracula**, and **Nord Frost** provide alternative dark appearances.

The selected theme is applied immediately. You do not need to save the map.

Choose **Auto (Jira Sync)** if you want Mind Map Studio to change when Jira changes between light and dark mode. A theme selected by name remains active until you choose another one.

## Adjust panel transparency

1. Open **More actions** > **Preset themes**.
2. Move the **Liquid glass transparency** slider.
3. Move toward **Ultra Frost (50%)** for more transparency, or toward **Solid (100%)** for more solid panels.

This changes workspace panels, sidebars, menus, and dialogs. It does not change the content of a map or its exported structure.

## Choose an icon style

1. Open **More actions** > **Preset themes**.
2. Under **Icon style**, choose:
   - **Mind Map Studio custom icons** for glossy illustrated icons.
   - **Atlassian default icons** for familiar Atlassian-style icons.

The icon choice changes how available actions and map icons appear to you. It does not change which actions are available.

## Create a custom theme

1. Open **More actions** > **Preset themes**.
2. Select **Build your own theme**.
3. Optionally choose a **Quick starter palette**.
4. Enter a **Theme name**. A description is optional.
5. Choose **Dark mode** or **Light mode**.
6. Optionally turn on **Neon glow**.
7. Choose the four workspace colors:
   - **Canvas background**
   - **Card / surface**
   - **Accent and connections**
   - **Text and typography**
8. Adjust **Glass transparency and softness**.
9. Review the **Live workspace and glass preview**.
10. Select **Create and apply theme**.

You can use a color picker or enter a six-digit hexadecimal color. The theme is created only when it has a visible name and all four color values are valid.

The new theme is applied immediately and appears under **Your custom themes**.

## Edit a custom theme

1. Open **More actions** > **Preset themes**.
2. Find the theme under **Your custom themes**.
3. Select its **Edit theme** pencil.
4. Change the name, description, mode, glow, colors, or transparency.
5. Select **Save changes**.

Only custom themes can be edited. Create a custom theme if you want to adapt one of the supplied palettes.

## Delete a custom theme

Deleting a custom theme has no confirmation step and cannot be undone.

1. Open **More actions** > **Preset themes**.
2. Find the theme under **Your custom themes**.
3. Select **Delete theme**.

If you delete the theme you are using, Mind Map Studio switches to **Auto (Jira Sync)**. Premade themes cannot be deleted.

## Know when a theme preference was saved

Theme changes are saved separately from the open map. If Mind Map Studio cannot save a theme preference, it shows **Theme changes were not saved to Atlassian Cloud** and restores the last saved choice.

If theme preferences cannot be loaded, the default theme remains available. Choosing a theme again retries the preference save.

## Related guides

- [Change map layout and styling](./layouts-and-styling.md)
- [Set preferences and find help](./preferences-and-support.md)
- [Solve common problems](./troubleshooting.md)