Bug 169738 - Libreoffice does not highlight text selecton on writer with High Contrast
Summary: Libreoffice does not highlight text selecton on writer with High Contrast
Status: NEEDINFO
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
25.8.3.2 release
Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64) Linux (All)
: medium trivial
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL: https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/no-sele...
Whiteboard:
Keywords: accessibility
Depends on:
Blocks: High-Contrast
  Show dependency treegraph
 
Reported: 2025-11-28 21:08 UTC by triattack238
Modified: 2025-12-01 12:48 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
Video demonstration of no selection highlight when High Contrast enabled (390.82 KB, video/webm)
2025-12-01 01:12 UTC, triattack238
Details

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description triattack238 2025-11-28 21:08:38 UTC
Description:
I am using Dark Mode on Libreoffice, and use Writer to create and edit documents. I recently found that when I select text for copy/cut and paste, the text selection is not highlighted. The problem was only resolved after I disabled High Contrast in Tools > Options > Accessibility > High Contrast. I did not change my these or switch from Dark Mode. 

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Open Up LibreOffice Writer in a new or existing document.
2.Go to Tools > Options > Accessibility > High Contrast and set High Contrast to either Automatic or Enabled
3. Go back to the document and try to select text.

Actual Results:
When I selected text for editing purposes, I was not highlighted.

Expected Results:
When I select text, it should be highlighted.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes

Additional Info:
I am fairly certain that the high contrast option is to blame.
Comment 2 triattack238 2025-11-29 17:08:03 UTC
Apologies for the typo, I meant to say that I did not change my theme to fix this bug.
Comment 3 V Stuart Foote 2025-11-29 18:44:57 UTC
LibreOffice follows os/DE color scheme sense, when a11y HC is flagged active, the LO document canvas responds with what the os/DE has suggested with a "flattened" a11y response.

Post some screen clips. But believe this is as intended and not a valid issue.
Comment 4 triattack238 2025-12-01 01:12:24 UTC
Created attachment 204353 [details]
Video demonstration of no selection highlight when High Contrast enabled

Here is a screen recording of the bug. As you can see, the text region was correctly selected so that it could be copied. However, the selection did not have a highlight color.
Comment 5 V Stuart Foote 2025-12-01 02:00:30 UTC
(In reply to triattack238 from comment #4)
> Created attachment 204353 [details]
> Video demonstration of no selection highlight when High Contrast enabled
> 
> Here is a screen recording of the bug. As you can see, the text region was
> correctly selected so that it could be copied. However, the selection did
> not have a highlight color.

Sorry, simply can not reproduce.

Win11 with any of the Contrast Themes: Aquatic, Dusk, Night sky, or the light scheme Desert--all of which trigger the HC behavior (noted by shift to Sifr icon theme). And all of which provide contrasting selection "highlight"

Have you checked with a cleared to defaults LibreOffice profile or in the SafeMode profile?
Comment 6 triattack238 2025-12-01 02:03:08 UTC
Yes, that is the first thing I tried. Safe mode did not return the highlight, only turning off high contrast did.
Comment 7 Michael Weghorn 2025-12-01 12:48:26 UTC
I currently cannot reproduce on Linux.

Can you please add the exact version information from "Help" -> "About LibreOffice" and give further information on what desktop environment you're using and what style/theme-related settings you have made in your desktop environment (e.g. light/dark mode, what style/theme is set there)?


Version: 26.2.0.0.alpha1+ (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 9187f38b48956acc892fbf3e7fe0d1942fcfb6f2
CPU threads: 32; OS: Linux 6.17; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3
Locale: en-GB (en_GB.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: CL threaded

Version: 26.2.0.0.alpha1+ (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 9187f38b48956acc892fbf3e7fe0d1942fcfb6f2
CPU threads: 32; OS: Linux 6.17; UI render: default; VCL: qt6 (cairo+xcb)
Locale: en-GB (en_GB.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: CL threaded