Mobile theme color guidelines

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Mobile Theme Color Guidelines

    This document provides guidance on selecting colors for mobile applications in ServiceNow, emphasizing the importance of color harmony, contrast, and accessibility for optimal user experience. Note that legacy mobile theming should be used for Tokyo and earlier versions, while Utah and later versions should utilize Next Experience theming.

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    Color Choice Considerations

    • Compatibility: Ensure selected colors complement existing app elements, including icons and UI styles.
    • Simplicity: Limit color choices to two or three to maintain a clean and accessible layout.
    • Contrast: Use higher contrast colors to guide user focus and improve readability, especially for text against backgrounds.
    • Accessibility: Consider the needs of low-vision and color-blind users when choosing text and background colors.
    • Color Notation: Note that Android apps do not support #RGB notation; only #RRGGBB notation is valid for both iOS and Android.

    Theme Color Locations in Mobile Apps

    Understanding where colors are applied in the mobile app is crucial. Key areas include:

    • Application Launch Page
    • Navigation Bar
    • Lists
    • Virtual Agent
    • Record Screens and Components
    • Settings and Notifications
    • Modals (both Android and iOS)

    For instance, the pin color in the list stream record impacts map pin colors, highlighting the interconnectedness of color choices across different app functionalities.

    Learn how the colors that you select in your mobile themes are applied on your mobile applications.

    Important:
    Use legacy mobile theming on Tokyo and earlier ServiceNow® instances. For Utah and later releases, see Next Experience theming for mobile.

    Color choice considerations

    Consider the following information when you select colors for your mobile applications:
    • How your color choices look with colors in other parts of the app, such as your screen icons and UI styles. Avoid using too many colors. Simple designs of two to three colors result in a cleaner, more accessible layout.
    • How your color choices look with colors in other elements that may display within your app. Elements like knowledge articles and service portal pages may appear in your apps. Avoid color schemes that don't work well with your existing elements.
    • How higher contrast, complementary colors can guide your user’s focus. Use color selection to highlight areas of your apps that require your user’s attention.
    • How color can be used to provide contrast for greater readability. In areas where text appears, ensure that your text and background colors have a high level of contrast to accommodate both low-vision and color-blind users.
    Important:
    Currently, ServiceNow® mobile Android apps do not support using #RGB notation to specify theme colors for the apps. However, #RRGGBB notation is supported by both iOS and Android apps.

    Theme color locations in mobile apps

    This example shows the colors that are used in the default mobile app theme. Use the numbers in this image to see where these colors appear in the different areas of your mobile apps. Colors used in the default mobile theme

    Mobile Features

    Use the following figures to see how your color choices affect the elements within your mobile apps.

    Application Launch Page
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in an application launch page.
    Navigation Bar
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in the navigation bar.
    List
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in a list.
    Virtual Agent
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in virtual agent.
    Search
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in search components.
    Actions
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in action cards.

    Record screen and components

    Use the following figures to see how your color choices affect a record screen and its components within your mobile apps.

    Record screen
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in a record screen.
    Checklist
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in a checklist.
    Activity stream
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in an activity stream.
    Links
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in links.
    E-signature
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in e-signatures.

    Screen templates

    Use the following figures to see how your color choices affect the various screen templates within your mobile apps.

    Calendar
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in calendar screens.
    Map
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in map screens.
    Note:
    The Pin color field in the list stream record that is associated to your map screen determines the color of the pins on your maps.
    URL template
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in URL template screens.

    Settings and notifications

    Use the following figures to see how your color choices affect the various settings and notification screens within your mobile apps.

    Notifications
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in the notifications screen.
    Settings
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in the settings screen.
    Offline mode settings
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in the offline mode settings screen.
    Geolocation settings
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in the geolocation settings screen.
    PIN settings
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in the PIN settings screen.
    Siri shortcuts settings (iOS Only)
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in the Siri shortcuts settings screen.

    Modals

    Use the following figures to see how your color choices display in your Android and iOS modals.

    Android modals
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in Android modals.
    iOS modals
    Diagram of where theme colors are applied in iOS modals.