Live preview
Interactive Obsidian workspace preview
Switch between supported modes and workspace layouts. The preview loads the theme's real CSS in an isolated Obsidian-like frame, so split panes, reading view, source editor, callouts, tables, tags, and checkboxes can inherit theme styling.
Actual CSS preview
This isolated Obsidian mock loads the theme's real CSS from its GitHub repository, so special fonts, backgrounds, callouts, tabs, and editor rules can render much closer to the installed app.
About Ayu
Ayu is an Obsidian community theme by bcdavasconcelos. It has 2 GitHub stars and is steadily gaining traction in the community. As a legacy theme, Ayu uses the older Obsidian CSS structure — most modern features still work, but you may want to combine it with a community CSS snippet for newer Obsidian functionality.
The theme is light-mode only. If you need a dark-mode alternative, the similar-themes section below has the most popular light-and-dark dual-mode themes. Installation is one click — open Obsidian, go to Settings → Appearance → Themes → Browse, search for "Ayu", and click Install. The theme's CSS is bundled with Obsidian's theme store, so there is no manual file copying or CSS snippet setup required.
Ayu was last updated 4 years ago and currently has no open issues on the GitHub repo. A clean issue tracker is a good sign of a stable, production-ready release.
The dark mode uses a pure white background that the live preview on this page shows in context — callouts, blockquotes, code blocks, and the in-app navigation all reflect the theme's actual CSS. If you want to compare Ayu with other themes that share the same mode support, the Similar Obsidian themes section below has the most popular alternatives ranked by GitHub stars.
Install in Obsidian
Open Obsidian and browse community themes from Appearance settings.
Settings → Appearance → Themes → Browse → Search "Ayu"Frequently asked questions
- How do I install Ayu in Obsidian?
- Open Obsidian and go to Settings → Appearance → Themes → Browse. Search for "Ayu", click "Install" and then "Use" to activate. After install you can switch modes from Settings → Appearance.
- Does Ayu support light mode?
- Yes. Ayu supports light mode — switch between them from Settings → Appearance. Only light mode is available — if you need the other mode, browse the /dark category for alternatives.
- Is Ayu actively maintained?
- Ayu was last updated 4 years ago. It has 2 GitHub stars. The repository has no open issues. Open the GitHub repository to follow updates, file issues, or contribute.
Similar Obsidian themes
More light themes with active previews and install details.
Popular Obsidian themes
High-star community themes to compare before choosing your setup.