Make all applications (including Calculator, Compress, Screenshot) use selected theme

[guvotamo]

Hello everyone,

I'm using Linux Mint 21.2 (Cinnamon) together with the Adapta-Nokto theme. I am sure that until recently, all applications respected that theme, including Calculator, Compress and Screenshot. However, a few weeks or so ago they stopped doing so. I would like to change that again. How can I do that?

By the way, I did some reading and found there is a discussion about theming GNOME apps and how it relates to libadwaita and GTK etc. but I am not interested in all this "under the hood" technology and just want a solution for a consistent operating system look. However, I did not find such a solution so far. I would appreciate your help.

[Koentje]

There is no simple solution.. linux theming is all over the place!

[guvotamo]

Yes, I read about that. However, as I wrote above, I'm sure it was not like this on my installation until recently. So what changed?

[uhtaceare]

I was searching for a similar issue after I made my own custom theme. Everything looked good except Calculator, Screenshot, I tried all kinda of fixes but none worked. It seems some themes aren't considered dark themes, despite looking so. You can try going to System settings > Themes > Settings > Dark more and try Prefer light mode. It worked for me. Dark mode vs Light mode

[JoanTheSpark]

I would like to change that again. How can I do that?

Got a backup of your system?
You could roll back and see if that helps you?

I am not interested in all this "under the hood" technology and just want a solution for a consistent operating system look.

As there is no central authority that enforces adherence to standards it is what it is.
You got three choices there:

1. get your hands dirty and fix what you deem broken "under the hood"
2. use a distro/OS that enforces compliance and accept the "tyranny"
3. learn to live with the inconsistencies

[guvotamo]

@uhtaceare

Thank you, that solved it! The mentioned applications use the selected theme with the settings "Prefer light mode" and "Let applications decide" but not with "Prefer dark mode". Now I remember that I had changed this setting to "Prefer dark mode" several weeks ago and this was problably what caused these visual inconsistencies.

@JoanTheSpark

Thanks also for your reply. It makes a lot of sense but, luckily, uhtaceare's solution works.