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SAP GUI Display Recommendations

Change The Look of the GUI (Color Settings)
Turn Off The New Visual Design
History Drop Down

GUI Changes

SAP's new version of the GUI (Graphical User Interface) offers an improved visual design and some additional functionality. However, this new design may come at a cost in response time to users with older and/or slower computers. If this occurs, see the section below on Turn Off The New Visual Design. There are several changes that can be made to the new GUI that can affect its look, function, and overall performance.

  • Start the GUI
  • Look in the upper right-hand corner of the SAP GUI for the settings icon. Clicking on this will present a drop-down with a multitude of options.


Clicking on this will present a drop-down with a multitude of options.

Look of the GUI

Like all Windows components, the color of the GUI may be customized to your liking.

  • Select the "New Visual Design" option and click the "Color Settings" tab at the top.
  • Select a new color scheme that meets your preferences or try your hand at making your own with the color bars at the bottom.
  • Under the "General" tab are other settings to customize the GUI. Font size can be increased or decreased, a "High Contrast Theme" can be applied, and Sounds can be turned on and off. Turning off the sounds will slightly increase the response of the GUI.

Turn Off New Visual Design

You can also remove the new visual design entirely, which provides the best overall response; the resulting screens are very similar to older versions (4.x) of the GUI.

  • Go to the Control Panel (Start > Settings > Control Panel)
  • In the Control Panel open the SAP Configuration applet.

  • Uncheck the Use New Visual Design and click on OK.

History Drop Down

In all entry fields, a list of the most recently used entries will open in a drop-down menu when you begin to type. This may be more efficient for many users, as you can select a previous entry without keying it entirely, but it is easily turned off if it becomes an annoyance.

  • From the SAP settings menu, select "Options." Select the "Local Data" Tab.

  • If you do not like the drop down menu, select the "Off" button and Click OK.
  • The other settings there are self-explanatory for adjusting the history setting.