Release

Velta 1.5.3: pure black, documents that open, a list that steps aside

5 November 2026 · 2 min read

A pure-black AMOLED option for the dark theme, stickers in the attachments menu, documents that open in your default app, and a chat list you can collapse on wide windows.

1.5.3 is a comfort release: small switches that make Velta fit the screen and the way you work, plus a fix for files that wouldn’t open.

Pure black (AMOLED)

With the dark theme on — including Auto when it resolves to dark — Theme now offers Pure black (AMOLED). The main and chat backgrounds go to true black, which OLED screens switch off entirely. Headers, menus and the composer stay slightly grey so the layout keeps its shape. Every screen was rechecked for WCAG AA contrast in the new theme.

Documents open in your default app

Tapping a PDF, a Word document, a text file or any other non-media attachment now opens it in the app your system uses for that type. Attachments are stored encrypted, so Velta first writes a decrypted temporary copy with the original file name and hands that over; old copies are cleaned up after a day. On Android, if no installed app can open the file, Velta says so and offers Save as…. In the browser version, PDFs and text open in a new tab and everything else downloads. Photos, video, audio, mini-apps and HTML still open inside Velta. “Show in folder” is next.

A chat list that steps aside

On wide windows — desktop, the web app, or a tablet or phone in landscape — a small chevron above the Menu button slides the chat list out so the conversation gets the full width. Press it again, or Ctrl+B (⌘B on Mac), to bring the list back. While it is hidden, the button shows how many unread messages are waiting. Narrow screens are unchanged.

Stickers where the attachments are

Prefer a cleaner composer? Stickers in attachments menu (Chat appearance, off by default) removes the sticker button and adds Stickers to the attachments menu instead. The reply you were writing stays attached.

Also in this release

Stickers and mini-apps keep the reply you started.
A mini-app’s update no longer counts as a reply.
Mini-app info lines show who sent them as a profile chip.
The @mention picker shows a loading row, lists the people starting with that letter first in big groups, and refreshes when members change.
In the browser version, attachments work again with the in-browser core.
Profile data encryption remains shipped on Android and a preview on desktop and in the browser; attachment encryption is still in progress.