# Custom background colors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Labs\ **Tags:** plexamp\ **Created:** [May 4, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-background-colors/840066 "2023-05-04T16:35:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beckfield](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/beckfield/32/7227_2.png) [@beckfield](https://forums.plex.tv/u/beckfield)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-background-colors/840066/1 "2023-05-04T16:35:34Z")
There’s a setting in Plexamp called “Prefer Custom Backgrounds,” which has been there for several months now. Its description reads “If custom background colors are set, use them over currently playing item.” ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/3/d/0/3d0d11e762bd045a12f953942062c4fdc2331b7f.png) Trouble is, I don’t see any place where I can set custom background colors. The “Background Colors” setting just above it seems to be the only place to set any sort of colors option, but, as its description says, it only applies when nothing is playing. Plus, that setting’s options are only “Use current colors” and “Restore defaults.” ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/9/8/e/98e3c144445effab67b3716fd1cac138d66166fd.png) So where do I set custom background colors that will be used when something is playing? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 6:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-background-colors/840066/2 "2023-05-04T18:40:53Z")
You play an album and if you like its background colors, you pause it, then you engage “Use current colors”. ---
**Author:** ![beckfield](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/beckfield/32/7227_2.png) [@beckfield](https://forums.plex.tv/u/beckfield)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-background-colors/840066/3 "2023-05-04T19:39:40Z")
Thanks for that answer. Putting aside how non-intuitive that is, I followed those steps, and saved custom colors that look like this: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/3/b/e/3be5f550ab597e592d7b5f1f6abd3d39f91f0a1c.png) I’m running the 4.7.0 AppImage for Linux, BTW. “Prefer Custom Backgrounds” is enabled, but when I play other albums, I’m seeing the colors from that album: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/1/6/0/160d36005d1ca4323839c36810f3f9fdd1f8315d.jpeg) ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/9/d/4/9d47ac2f7d9b763cceb9a877811eccdfdac622f9.jpeg) ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/5/8/d/58de684e6a27ac42b009153f5dbd279a6e9ad546.jpeg) So it doesn’t appear to be working, unless there’s something else I need to do. ---
**Author:** ![elan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/elan/32/5_2.png) [@elan](https://forums.plex.tv/u/elan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-background-colors/840066/4 "2023-05-04T23:30:06Z")
it’s only overrides the app background when not in the player. player is always context sensitive with currently playing track. ---
**Author:** ![beckfield](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/beckfield/32/7227_2.png) [@beckfield](https://forums.plex.tv/u/beckfield)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-background-colors/840066/5 "2023-05-04T23:51:38Z")
I see. That’s a pretty counter-intuitive design, from start to finish. - For custom background colors that are used when _something_ is playing, you have to play something that displays a BG color that you like, then go to the setting described as “Colors to use when _nothing_ is playing” and click a button. - Then, once you’ve set those custom colors, and enabled the setting described as “If custom background colors are set, use them over currently playing item,” the colors _don’t_ apply to the currently playing item, but just to the rest of the interface _besides_ the currently playing item. ![](https://media.giphy.com/media/d9e0qVZIehCUnGGCQi/giphy.gif) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-background-colors/840066/6 "2023-08-02T23:51:46Z")
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