Custom color schemes View history

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For the Waze app built in color schemes, please see the Waze Help Center.

You can bring up comments or questions about this in  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 3.x client:

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

There are just two daytime color schemes are available in the Waze 4.0 client:

• Default
• Map editors

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.

It should be noted that due to significant differences between the v3.x client and the v4.x client color schemes are not interchangeable and must be designed for the correct client version.

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, you can use the visual Editor Toggelis Waze Editor, or edit the files manually. 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

Note that Waze 4.0 for iOS only has two day color schemes; Default (12) and Map Editors (8 - with old colors).

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).

The categories, descriptors, and classes used in the schemas are modified from the RoadMap schema API. Here is the current Waze schema API:

Category	Descriptors
Map (global)	Background (solid color of land, except islands)
Labels (global)	Color (solid color of all labels) Bgcolor (alpha outline color of all labels) MinFeatureSize (minimum size for a feature that can be labeled)
Road Class: Freeways Primary (Major highways) Secondary (Minor highways) Ramps (Ramps) Highways (Primary streets) Streets (Streets, Private streets, Parking lot roads) Pedestrian (Pedestrian boardwalk) 4X4 Trails (Dirt road/4X4 trail) Trails (Walking trail) Walkway (Stairs) Railroads (Railroad) Runways (Runway/taxi) Ferry (Ferry)	Class (required; must be set to Road) Thickness (required; thickness of road relative to zoom level and screen size. If less than 2, the road cannot have a fill color or label) Color (solid color of the road) Color1 (alpha fill color pen for munched roads; nodes will be solid) Color2 (alpha fill color pen for unmunched roads; nodes will be solid) Declutter (zoom level at which the road is forcibly hidden) Delta1 (fill color margin for munched roads; negative value) Delta2 (fill color margin for unmunched roads; negative value) LabelDeclutter (zoom level at which the label is forcibly hidden) LabelColor: (label color #rrggbbaa)
Area Class: Airports (Islands, NOT AIRPORTS) Cities (Cities) Parks (Parks, forests, etc) Sea (Lakes, rivers, streams, canals, swamps, oceans, etc) Stations (All area places that don't fall into one of the above categories)	Class (required; must be set to Area) Thickness (required; thickness of area outline relative to zoom level and screen size. If less than 2, the area cannot have a label) Color (alpha fill color) Color1 (solid outline color) Declutter (zoom level at which the area is forcibly hidden) Delta1 (outline color margin; negative value) LabelDeclutter (zoom level at which the label is forcibly hidden)
Navigation (navigational features)	RouteColor (main screen highlighted destination route color) StopPointColor (main screen highlighted stop point route color) Alt1outeColor (TYPO REQUIRED; route 1 highlight color in the Routes map) Alt2outeColor (TYPO REQUIRED; route 2 highlight color in the Routes map) Alt3RouteColor (route 3 highlight color in the Routes map) PossibleRouteColor (NOT YET IDENTIFIED, default is light blue) NavigatePen1 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigatePen2 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigatePenEst1 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigatePenEst2 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigateAlt1Pen1-0 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigateAlt1Pen1-1 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigateAlt1Pen2-0 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigateAlt1Pen2-1 (NOT YET IDENTIFIED) NavigateAlt1Pen3-0 (per a typo this also sets NavigateAlt1Pen3-1, NOT YET IDENTIFIED)

Installing custom color schemes

iOS

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

To simplify the coding for adding a script to this table there is the recommended option to use the {{ColorSchemeEntry}} template. instructions are available on the templates page.

Name	By	Details	Screenshot	Links
DACH colours day Last updated 2016-03-25	Fuchserl (PM [Help])	A theme featuring colours of roads and other features like users in DACH countries expect them to be based on experience from paper maps. Created for waze version 4.x		Download schema (owncloud) Theme page
Map Editors 2016 Last updated Mar 22 2016 to work with Waze v4.	BobTheWikipedian	An updated Map Editors schema, to replace daytime skin #8. A WME lookalike skin that uses the new (October 2015) road colors and styles. Known technical restrictions: Places can no longer be drawn with outlines. Places can no longer have transparency. Cities are not drawn, only labeled. What's new (22 Mar 2016): Recoded the entire skin to work with Waze v4. (The previous version had a very "gothic" look in Waze v4.) Private roads and parking lots are now displayed in tan and gray, respectively. Street-class, private-class, and parking-lot-class road names are now properly displayed as black-on-white. Place names are now displayed on white to improve readability. Fixed an issue where highways and freeways were the old WME shades instead of the new ones when zoomed out.		Download schema (Google Drive) (Extract 8.zip and copy ALL contents to /waze/skins/default/day/8/ Theme page
Map editors Last updated July 9th, 2014	PesachZ (PM [Help])	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
Map editors 2015 colors Last updated October 11th, 2015	PesachZ (PM [Help])	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 neon green Updated for Oct '15 colors		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 (PM [Help])	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
Map editors night 2015 colors Last updated October 11th, 2015	PesachZ (PM [Help])	A modified version of my map editors 2015 colors scheme featuring: Darker roads A solid black background (potential battery savings on an AMOLED device) Brighter road edge highlights Wider freeway edge highlights Increased transparency for places Bright outlines for Updated Oct '15 colors		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 (PM [Help])	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 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
Classic Google Maps v4.1 Last updated 14 January 2016	Dave2084	NOTE: This colour scheme is only suitable for Waze v4.x and will not work on v3.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
Audi TT At Night v4.1 Last updated 14 January 2016	Dave2084	NOTE: This colour scheme is only suitable for Waze v4.x and will not work on v3.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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EXAMPLE LINK	USERNAME (PM [Help])	This scheme page doesn't exist yet  [ create it ]	User:USERNAME/EXAMPLE LINK	User:USERNAME/EXAMPLE LINK
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