The main issue that seems to be echoed by most folks here in the thread doesn’t have anything to do with the new UI color palette
A quick check from an old screenshot shows that Webflow has actually increased the color contrast ratio compared to the previous UI but I understand some folks have more sensitivity to high-contrast, dark UI’s. The base UI size combined with the fact that icons are now outlined rather than filled — meaning the visual weight is reduced by quite a bit — compounds this issue even more. Add the new locations of regularly utilized tools and now users are looking in the wrong place for a tool that looks different than they’re used to:
Now I prefer smaller UI elements (I typically work on a 14" laptop) but you can always increase the zoom level on your browser if the smaller size is becoming an issue. You can find this in File > Zoom In/Out or by using the keyboard shortcuts CMD/Ctrl & +/-. I have a feeling that using 110-125% zoom should alleviate the eye strain until Webflow makes any adjustments to the base UI size and it’s worth noting that this setting is website-specific. It should also retain the same zoom level even after closing and reopening the window so there’s no need to set this every time. This won’t solve the issue, but hopefully it mitigates the lighter visual weight of the outlined icons.
Another valid concern alongside the smaller UI is the variable system which, in my opinion, strays too far away from how users have expected to edit swatches in the past. The biggest pain point I’m seeing is the fact that you can’t change a variable without opening up a full-page view showing every variable you’re using across the project. The only way to see a color change within the context of the site is by breaking the link to the variable which then gives you access to the color picker within the sidebar.
The new UI isn’t perfect and I think everyone’s concerns are totally valid. A tool you’re very familiar with made a huge visual change without any warning and without a way to ease into it during non-peak workloads. I believe this is the biggest mistake on Webflow’s part and one that really was only made so there could be a “wow” factor associated with the unveiling. That said, doing our best as customers to break down the reasoning behind the issues we’re seeing along with ways it can be improved is only going to help Webflow work towards improving them.