Ugrading to latest version changes some display setting on the device itself

[joshuabengal]

Checklist

• I am able to reproduce the bug with the latest version given here: CLICK THIS LINK.
• I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - which I could contribute my information to.
• I have read the FAQ and my problem isn't listed.
• I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the bug report will be dismissed otherwise.
• This issue contains only one bug.
• I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.
• I have read and understood the AI policy. The content of this bug report is not generated by AI.

Affected version

0.28.3

Steps to reproduce the bug

Step 1: Have a previous version of NewPipe installed
Step 2: Download the 28.0.3 APK
Step 3: Upgrade NewPipe in place

Expected behavior

Newpipe upgrades in place, maintains all it;s settings, and does not impact the phones system settings

Actual behavior

Upgrading Newpipe in place caused some change in my phones display. I have a visual disability and am affected by changes in screen displays, so I am an expert tester in this area. With the old version of NewPipe, the phone caused zero issues. With the new version, everything about the phone (the Home Screen, other apps, Newpipe itself) look much deeper in color with a lowered brightness and increased contrast. This is more than enough to trigger my symptoms.

I keep extensive screenshots and notes from a known good phone configuration to make sure I know what settings work for me.

Key points:

• Prior to upgrading, I had Newpipe set to the "Dark" theme. After upgrading, Newpipe switched to the "Black" theme all by itself.
• Uninstalling Newpipe did NOT fix the issue
• ALL visual settings were checked and rechecked, and toggled to the opposite state and then back to the state they were to ensure everything was set correctly, this did not resolve the issue. These settings were all verified with screenshots from a known good configuration.
• ADB was used to set the system brightness to a known good configuration. This did not resolve the issue.
• No other changes to the device were made: No apps were installed, no settings were changed, and on this device Google Play Store is disabled as well as OTA system updates to prevent phantom system updates from getting installed.

I would like to know what code in the most current version of Newpipe could cause such a change in the device so I can manually restore it and make my phone pain free to use again

Screenshots/Screen recordings

No response

Logs

No response

Affected Android/Custom ROM version

Android 12

Affected device model

TCL 20S

Additional information

No response

[joshuabengal]

I did make one discovery that may be the root of this: When applying the Newpipe upgrade, it force changed the theme of other apps to "Black" vs "Dark". Black is far more triggering to my disability than Dark Mode

I noticed this in the following applications:

Newpipe itself: Prior to the upgrade, I had Newpipe set to "Dark" mode. After I upgraded and relaunched the app, it had changed itself to "Black" mode.

Textra: This is my SMS app. I have it set to the "Dark" theme. After the Newpipe upgrade was installed, Textra was set to the "Black" theme instead. I did not make this change.

Gboard: I had a default theme selected that was similar to a dark mode. After the Newpipe upgrade was installed, Gboard was changed to use a "Black" theme instead. I did not make this change.

So it seems something in the app upgrade install is making system wide theme changes to the phone globally, and other apps in it, not just in Newpipe. I have not gone through every app on my phone to check and see what else was changed.

Does it block you from manually setting dark mode for other apps back?

[joshuabengal]

Does it block you from manually setting dark mode for other apps back?

It does not. But I did not make the change so I need to go through every app now and check it's theme setting. I don't think Newpipe should be making theme adjustments to other apps. And given my disability I can't look at the device for more than a minute or two without triggering my symptoms.

I did check in Developer Options to see if “Override force-dark” had been turned on, but it had not. I have screenshots of the Developer options display settings froma known good state and none of them had changed. My system theme only has Light and Dark, no Black, and it was still on Dark, but Blacks on the device looked "deeper" like it was running some hidden Black theme vs a Dark theme. Small things like background window colors and icon labels looked Blacker than they did under the normal Dark theme.

Did you previously install 0.28.2? It didn't have the bug?

[joshuabengal]

Did you previously install 0.28.2? It didn't have the bug?

No, due to my disability, I never install or upgrade anything on my device unless absolutely necessary, specifically to avoid this exact scenario.

The version of Newpipe I had installed previously was 0.27.2. that install caused no issues on my device. I was forced to upgrade due to Youtube videos no longer playing on that version.

[joshuabengal]

I found another change the APK install made: It lowered my font size. I always set my font size to the maximum, and post Newpipe upgrade, it was one level below maximum. I was able to restore the font size in my settings.

Can't reproduce on my system. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I have system without accessibility features enabled. I've installed there 0.27.2. Then set dark mode then upgraded. Can't reproduce. Maybe it is because of accessibility features being turned on? AFAIK it wasn't reported by other users while a lot of users have dark theme enabled....

I've even tried to select "Theme" to "Automatic". Which enables "Night theme" option. Then I set it to "black". Then set "Theme" to "Dark". With assumption that maybe that "disabled" setting could somehow popup but no. I can't reproduce and don't know how I should even try because I don't know the system settings. (Especially if they are adb configured and etc)

[joshuabengal]

So I keep a backup phone with identical configurations just in case this type of thing happens. I was able to set aside some time to go through everything I could think to check and note the differences. The only difference between the devices is the existence of a SIM card in the "live" phone and it had the latest version of Newpipe installed. The observed, verified changes (in no particular order) were:

1. Newpipe theme set to "Black" instead of "Dark"
2. Gboard theme selection set to a darker theme
3. System font size set to one tick below "Largest" instead of "Largest"
4. Textra theme set to "Black" instead of "Dark"
5. Explorer theme set to "System Default" instead of "Dark"
6. Fast Notepad theme set to "Black" instead of "White"