Custom color schemes Discussion View history

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You can bring up comments or questions about this in
 the Color schemes thread forum topic.


The Waze client is capable of displaying the map using various color schemes. Several color schemes are available in the client by default; users are also able to create their own custom color schemes or install custom color schemes created by others.


Default color schemes

Thirteen daytime color schemes are available in the Waze client:

  • Default
  • Green peace
  • Minimalism
  • Vitamin C
  • The blues
  • Mochaccino
  • Snow day
  • Twilight
  • Tutti-frutti
  • Rosebud
  • Electrolytes
  • Map editors
  • Green fields

The daytime color scheme can be changed in Settings - Display Settings - Map Color Scheme.

Waze also includes one night color scheme. This is activated by choosing "Night" mode in the Settings menu, or by leaving "Auto" enabled and using Waze at night.

Custom color schemes

A user can also create custom color schemes using a text editor.

Creating custom color schemes

Each color scheme is defined by a schema file. The schema file contains the color and size information for each road type and certain other features, such as Places, water features, map labels, and so forth.

The easiest way to create your own scheme is to start with one of the default schema files. To get to the default schema files, you'll need a file browser for your device (such as iFunBox for use with iOS devices, or ASTRO File Manager for Android).

  • In iOS, the day schemes are found in User Applications » Waze » Waze.app » skins » default » day and its subfolders, and the night scheme is found in User Applications » Waze » Waze.app » skins » default » night.
  • In Android, the day schemes are found in SD Card (or your root folder) » Waze » skins » default » day and its subfolders, and the night scheme is found in SD Card (or your root folder) » Waze » skins » default » night.

You may wish to copy both directories to your computer to make it easier.

Within the day folder, there are several subfolders. Each subfolder contains a schema file, as does the day folder itself. The schema files correspond to the default schemes as follows:

  • 1: The blues
  • 2: Mochaccino
  • 3: Snow day
  • 4: Twilight
  • 5: Tutti-frutti
  • 6: Rosebud
  • 7: Electrolytes
  • 8: Map editors
  • 9: Green peace
  • 10: Minimalism
  • 11: Green fields
  • 12: Default
  • day folder: Vitamin C

To edit a schema file, open it in a text editor. Each schema file is a list of parameters – most relating to color and size. Color parameters are in #rrggbb hex color format (see web colors); some color parameters have two additional digits, controlling the alpha channel (transparency) of that particular feature (#rrggbbaa).

Parameter name What it does
General
Map.Background The background of the map.
Labels.Color The color of road name label text.
Labels.Bgcolor The outline/outer glow of all text labels – roads, cities, Places, etc.
Console.Foreground unknown
Console.Background unknown
Road class: Roads and other lines
Freeways Freeway
Primary Major Highway
Secondary Minor Highway
Highways Primary Street
Streets Street, Private Road, Parking Lot Road
Ramps Ramp
Exit unknown/unused at this time
4X4 Trails Dirt road / 4x4 Trail
Railroads Railroad
Runways Runway/Taxiway
Ferry unused at this time?
Private unused at this time
Parking unused at this time
Pedestrian Pedestrian Boardwalk
Trails Walking Trail
Walkway Stairway
Road parameters
Class Class ("Road")
Color Color of road outline
Color1 Color of road body
Color2 Color of unmunched road body
Declutter0 Possibly controls the zoom level at which the road type disappears?
Delta11 Thickness of road outline (in negative pixels)
Delta2 Thickness of unmunched road outline (in negative pixels)
Thickness Overall thickness of road (in nondimensional units; 1-very thin; 5-very thick)
Area class: Places, cities, and water layer
Stations Most Area Places
Cities Cities (as seen in WME city layer)
Airports2 Islands (not user-editable)
Hospitals unknown/unused at this time
Malls unknown/unused at this time
Parks Area Places: Park, possibly others (Forest? Golf course?)
Rivers unknown/unused at this time
Lakes unknown/unused at this time
Sea Water layer (not user-editable) and water-type Area Places (user-editable)
Shore unknown/unused at this time
Area parameters
Class Class ("Area" or "Feature")
Color Color of area polygon
Color1 Color of area border
Declutter unknown
Delta11 Size of area border (in pixels?)
Thickness unknown
Other
Navigation.RouteColor Navigation line to your destination (default: purple)
Navigation.PossibleRouteColor unknown/unused at this time (default: light blue)
Navigation.StopPointColor Navigation line to a stop point (default: pink)

^0 What declutter does exactly is unknown. What is ascertainable is that the declutter value is a 32-bit signed integer – the freeway type has a declutter value of 2147483647.

^1 The delta values and their corresponding colors seem to operate differently for roads than they do for areas. For roads, Color1 and Color2 are apparently drawn on top of Color, so the delta values are negative – the Color "border" is apparently actually the bottom layer. For areas, Color1 is apparently drawn only past the edge of the area, so the delta value is positive – the Color1 "border" seems to be an actual border.

^2 Oddly enough. The "airports" (actually islands) layer is the only area layer drawn on top of the sea (water) layer.

Installing custom color schemes

iOS

Note: As of iOS 8.3 it is not possible to load custom color schemes to an Apple device until Waze enable iTunes file sharing for the app.

Installing custom themes in iOS does not require replacing the default themes, so don't worry about creating a backup.

  • Get an iOS file manager, such as iFunBox.
  • In the file manager, open "Waze" in User Applications.
  • In the Waze » Documents folder, if it's not already there, create a new folder named skins. Inside the skins folder, create a new folder called default.
  • To install a day theme,
    • In the Waze » Documents » skins » default folder, create a folder named day.
    • Create a numbered folder inside the day folder that corresponds with the number of the included skin you would like to replace.
      • For example, to replace the "Tutti-frutti" theme, create a folder named 5.
    • Place your custom schema file inside the numbered folder you just created.
  • To install a night theme,
    • In the Waze » Documents » skins » default folder, create a folder named night.
    • Place your custom schema file directly inside the night folder you just created.
    • Note that this will replace the default night theme; only one night theme can be installed at a given time.
  • To use an installed theme,
    • Day schemes: In Settings » Display settings » Map Color Scheme, select the name of the theme you replaced. So, if you placed your schema file in folder 5, select "Tutti-frutti" in the app to use your custom scheme (there is currently no known way to rename schemes in the list in the app). Also, ensure that the client is in "day" mode, or leave it in "auto" and wait until daytime.
    • Night schemes: Set the client to "night" mode or wait until nighttime.
  • You can replace a schema file for a currently-selected theme even while the client is running, but to use a new version of a theme you are already running, you have to make the client reload the theme. To do this, switch away from and back to that theme. The quickest way to do this is to set the client to day/night mode and back.
  • To uninstall a custom theme, delete its schema file. You can also temporarily disable a custom theme by renaming the schema file to something other than "schema".

Android

  • Choose a scheme you wish to replace from the built in list above.
  • Place the new schema file in the corresponding folder, replacing (or renaming) the original file.
  • Alternatively you can directly modify the existing schema file (open with a text editor) with the changes you desire. You may also copy and paste the complete code of the scheme you want into the original schema file, replacing the original content.
    • If there are sub-folders for specific zoom levels, you will have to either remove or modify the schema files in those directories as well.

Example custom color schemes

Name By Details Screenshot Links
Map Editors

Last updated July 9th, 2014





PesachZ



A modified version of the map editors scheme featuring:

  • Thinner roads
  • Showing railroads and runways
  • The colors are set to match WME with a few exceptions
  • Places are semi-transparent (shows overlap) with matching color labels
  • Places have a dark matching colored border edge outline
  • The navigation line is bright blue







Download schema (Google Drive)


Theme page




Friendly WME Theme

Last updated Aug 21 2014





Sketch



A modified version of PesachZ's map editors scheme featuring:

  • Thinner roads
  • Lighter, desaturated shades of the WME road type colors, for easier traffic visibility
    • Darker shade on road edges for contrast against background
    • Dirt roads are brown
  • Railroads and runways
    • Railroads are grayish blue
    • Runways are native (yellow with dark gray outline)
  • Places are semi-transparent (shows overlap) with matching color labels
    • Most places are pink, as in WME
    • Water is blue
    • Parks are green
    • Places have a dark matching colored border edge outline
  • City polygons are shown in a slightly darker very light pink than the background
    • Bright orange line at city borders (not visible at most zoom levels)
  • Pedestrian boardwalks, walking trails, etc. are grayish yellow







Download schema (Google Drive)


Theme page




Map Editors night

Last updated July 9th, 2014





PesachZ



A modified version of my map editors scheme featuring:

  • Darker roads
  • A solid black background (potential battery savings on an AMOLED device)
  • Brighter road edge highlights
  • Wider freeway edge highlights
  • Darkened 4x4 and pedestrian paths/trails
  • Thinner rails (highlight outline) on railroads
  • Increased transparency for places
  • Bright outlines for places







Download schema (Google Drive)


Theme page




WME Neon Night Theme

Last updated Jul 08 2014





Sketch



A modified version of PesachZ's map editors night scheme featuring:

  • Thinner roads
  • Dark, desaturated versions of the WME colors on drivable road bodies
  • Bright ("neon") versions of the WME colors along drivable road edges
  • Dirt roads are very dark brown
  • Pedestrian boardwalks, walking trails, etc. are very dark gray
  • Railroads are very very dark brown with silver borders
  • Runways are native (yellow with dark gray outline)
  • Places are semi-transparent (shows overlap) with matching color labels
  • Most places are pink, as in WME (water is blue, parks are green)
  • Places have a dark matching colored border edge outline
  • City polygons are shown in a very dark blue – slightly but noticeably lighter than the black background
  • Bright blue routing line







Download schema (Google Drive)


Theme page




Night Blue

Last updated June 25th, 2014






PesachZ




New Night theme in blue palette featuring:

  • Thinner roads, in different shades of blue to match priority, Lighter = higher priority
  • Parks are green, with matching names
  • Other places are blue, with matching names
  • City names are gray
  • Railroad and runways are shown
  • Solid black background, helps preserve battery on AMOLED displays
  • Aqua blue navigation line







Download schema (Google Drive)


Download PesachZ Night Blue.txt and rename as "schema"


Theme page




Garminesque day

Last updated January 9th, 2016





DeepSouthDiver



A map color scheme with a focus on contrast and definition, made by a guy that's been using various GPS systems for over a decade every day. The key is to keep the pertinent information immediately viewable, while minimizing the unnecessary information. Hopefully, this minimizes driver distraction and gets pertinent information into the driver's brain fastest and most efficiently so that he/she can focus on DRIVING.

Those of you familiar with GARMIN nav systems will immediately see similarities and will quickly be comfortable with this scheme.







Forum post


Theme page




Garminesque night

Last updated January 9th, 2016





DeepSouthDiver



A night version of the map color scheme with a focus on contrast and definition, made by a guy that's been using various GPS systems for over a decade every day. The key is to keep the pertinent information immediately viewable, while minimizing the unnecessary information. Hopefully, this minimizes driver distraction and gets pertinent information into the driver's brain fastest and most efficiently so that he/she can focus on DRIVING.

Those of you familiar with GARMIN nav systems will immediately see similarities and will quickly be comfortable with this scheme.







Forum post


Theme page




New WME Cool Day

Last updated August 26th, 2014




Spookyx



This color scheme is based on the Friendly WME scheme by Sketch and is matching the new WME beta color scheme.






Forum post

Download schma (Google Drive)


Theme page



Serenity

Last updated August 26th, 2014




bretmcvey



This is a daytime color scheme inspired by the Google Maps aesthetic with a focus on simplicity and subtlety.






Forum post

Download Schema File (Google Drive)


Theme page



OS OpenData


Last updated 2 November 2014


Dave2084

NOTE: This colour scheme is only suitable for Waze v3.x and will not work on v4.x.
A new daytime colour-scheme based on the Ordnance Survey colours used in their OpenData online maps:

  • This colour scheme is mainly intended for UK users (but works everywhere).
  • This is a bold, high contrast colour scheme.
  • It is designed to be accessible to colourblind (CVD) users.
  • Railways and runways are shown.



Download schema (Google Drive)

Theme page

Classic Google Maps UK


Last updated 2 November 2014


Dave2084 NOTE: This colour scheme is only suitable for Waze v3.x and will not work on v4.x.

A new daytime colour-scheme based on the maps colour scheme that Google stopped using in 2013.

  • This colour scheme is mainly intended for UK users (but works everywhere).
  • This is a flat, subtle colour scheme.
  • Railways and runways are shown.



Download schema (Google Drive)

Theme page

Audi TT At Night


Last updated 4 November 2014


Dave2084 NOTE: This colour scheme is only suitable for Waze v3.x and will not work on v4.x.

A new night colour-scheme that offers the following features:

  • Matches the dashboard colours of my 2006 Audi TT.
  • All elements have intensity reduced to keep glare to a minimum.
  • Many elements and labels are hidden to reduce the amount of information on the screen.
  • Railways and runways are NOT shown.



Download schema (Google Drive)

Theme page

WME Map Editors Black

Last updated January 3rd, 2015





Chief5232



Based on the standard Map Editors theme

  • Background areas set to full black (especially for AMOLED)
  • Colors and widths tweaked from standard for ease of viewing while keeping fidelity to WME colors
  • Exception for Rails and Dirt/4x4 Roads
  • Eliminated overlapping Cities, Islands, area Places, etc.
  • Fashionable cyan route/navigation lines
  • NOTE: Due to black background, best to use as a Night scheme even when used during the day (otherwise the map view in routing options is washed out and unreadable)
  • Feedback and suggestions appreciated







WME Map Editors Black




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