Create something like CSS for PowerApps

[ChadVKealey]

One of the most common uses for PowerApps in our environment is to just make customized and better-looking forms for SharePoint lists. Styling those forms consistently, though, is tedious. I know that some "pros" suggest creating a screen with a set of objects or controls and use those for controlling the styles of the form. For example, create a label called "LabelStyle", set the text color to what you want to use in the form, then set the Color property for the form's labels to "LabelStyle.Color". This works, but, frankly, it's a pain in the neck. There should be a simpler option.

What I'm thinking is a "Theme" or "Style" feature that would let the designer specify properties like text size, color, font, etc. that would then become the defaults for the entire App. They'd still be able to customize these properties on individual cards, controls or objects, but the defaults would be defined in the Theme or Style.

[Audrie-MSFT]

We have planned several enhancements related to theming and styles. Although this may not be 1-to-1 with CSS files, we are working on making this easier for you. We are in agreement that this is needed to expedite app building.

Thank you for your patience as we work toward enhanced theming and styles.

Adding @emmac as FYI

Audrie

[ChadVKealey]

@Audrie-MSFT, that's great news! I actually didn't realize that there was already a "Theme" function (on the Home tab in the ribbon), which at least takes care of the color scheme part of it (although customizing a theme to specific colors would be helpful). 

If themes could be expanded to include other object properties (fonts, font classes [h1, h2, p, etc.]), I think that would make them much more useful.Also, if there were a way to export a Theme for sharing, that would really help us help our users create more consistent looking apps.

[emmac]

@ChadVKealey Yes this is stuff we are thinking about for sure- allowing customization of themes as well as sharing. This is on our roadmap, however in being completely transparent, the timeline for a fully fledged theming system is a little ways off. Our efforts are focused on other key scenarios, although you will be still be seeing some incremental updates to theming over the coming months. 🙂 

thanks for the details!

[rorybi]

Hi we’re implementing at an enterprise level and this will ensure proper branding and accessibility considerations can be met. Thanks for looking into it.

[Fier]

I understand that work is being done in increments. My viewpoint on this functionality is that I would like to mix two themes into one application so that it is clear to the user that certain controls (buttons, labels, etc) are performing work differently to the norm. (Just as 1 example, making an edit to an archived record instead of the live record.) To implement theming in this way, I would need the contol to select the theme settings based on a condition (default or other). In this context,  it would be fantastic to leverage custom themes.

[smerchatn]

@Audrie-MSFT I would add please allow the use of Office UI Fabric themes so when SHarePoint theme gets changed, the form should reflect.  This is badly needed!!

[PowerunAppy]

To have some css support would be most useful as we would be able to decorate our apps in a consistent manner.  I would particularly like to set up banners in the applications I write so that I can style the applications to be a good fit to the corporate style guide.

[YumnaAsim]

Hi, any progress on this?

[emmahiggy]

Is there an update on this?

[ChadVKealey]

Well, it's been almost 4 years since the initial MS Staff response that this was "on their roadmap", so I'm not really holding my breath on it. I believe there is some ability to create/distribute some kind of styles via the "Center of Excellence", but not 100% sure as I haven't even looked at that.