Add BrowserWindow#setBackgroundColor() method

[sindresorhus]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

It's possible to set the backgroundColor in the BrowserWindow constructor, but it's not possible to change it later. I need a way to dynamically change the background color when the user toggles system dark mode. I cannot just set it in CSS as my app uses window.history.reload(), so the original window background color becomes visible then.

Describe the solution you'd like

I like to see a BrowserWindow#setBackgroundColor() method.

The BrowserView API already have this method.

[MarshallOfSound]

This should just be a case of exposing the internal SetBackgroundColor method. And exposing a new getter method.

https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/master/atom/browser/api/atom_api_browser_window.cc#L295

[darkcoderrises]

Could I work on this?

[sarkararpan710]

Hi I am new to this. Have C++ experience. Can anyone help me understand how I can contribute to this project and guide me towards solving this issue in specific.

[caesar]

Looks like this is in 4.0.0-beta, but it only works (on macOS Mojave and Windows 10, at least) if the window is opened with a transparent backgroundColor. Otherwise setBackgroundColor() has no effect.

[erickzhao]

Hey there, it seems like the setBackgroundColor API for BrowserWindow was added at some point and properly documented here in PR #14972.

`win.setBackgroundColor(backgroundColor)

• backgroundColor String - Window's background color as a hexadecimal value,
  like #66CD00 or #FFF or #80FFFFFF (alpha is supported if transparent
  is true). Default is #FFF (white).

Sets the background color of the window. See Setting
backgroundColor.

---

Also,

Looks like this is in 4.0.0-beta, but it only works (on macOS Mojave and Windows 10, at least) if the window is opened with a transparent backgroundColor. Otherwise setBackgroundColor() has no effect.

It also seems to be working without opening the window with a transparent backgroundColor. Tested in both v4.2.4 and v5.0.3 (on macOS Mojave as well).

See gist for Electron Fiddle: https://gist.github.com/erickzhao/f173c821a3310911d045ffeca201c10a

Will be closing this for now, then!