By default, OpenSearch Dashboards uses the OpenSearch logo, but if you want to use custom branding elements such as the favicon or main Dashboards logo, you can do so by editing `opensearch_dashboards.yml` or by including a custom `opensearch_dashboards.yml` file when you start your OpenSearch cluster.
For example, if you're using Docker to start your OpenSearch cluster, include the following lines in the `opensearch-dashboards` section of your `docker-compose.yml` file:
Doing so replaces the Docker image's default `opensearch_dashboards.yml` with your custom `opensearch_dashboards.yml` file, so be sure to include your desired settings as well. For example, if you want to configure TLS for OpenSearch Dashboards, see [Configure TLS for OpenSearch Dashboards]({{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/dashboards/install/tls).
Customization of dark mode Dashboards is also available, but you first must supply a valid link to `defaultUrl`, and then link to your preferred image with `darkModeUrl`. If you don't provide a `darkModeUrl` link, then Dashboards uses the provided `defaultUrl` element for dark mode. You are not required to customize all branding elements, so if you wanted to, it's perfectly valid to change just the logo or any other element. Leave unchanged elements as commented.
We recommend linking to images that are hosted on a web server, but if you really want to use locally hosted images, save your images inside `assets`, and then configure `opensearch_dashboards.yml` to use the correct paths. You can access locally stored images through the `ui/assets` folder.
The condensed header view reduces the footprint of the header and frees up space on the page by combining navigational elements into a single header bar.
The current default view remains close in appearance to the two-bar header offered in the previous version of Dashboards, with minor differences. To specify the condensed header, add the configuration property `useExpandedHeader` to the `opensearch_dashboards.yml` file and set the value to `false`, as the following example illustrates.
In a future release, default behavior will become `useExpandedHeader: false`. If you want to retain the default view in subsequent releases, you can explicitly set the property to `true` in advance. Alternatively, you can also do this when upgrading.
{: .note }
The condensed view header appears as in the example below.
Home button | See #1. Returns to the home page and provides an indication when a page is loading.
Header label | See #2. The label also functions as a home button.
Navigation controls | See #3. Additional navigation controls on right-side insertion points.
#### Preserving nagivation elements in the default view
You can continue using the top header bar in the default view for custom navigation links (such as menu items and plugins). Follow the steps below to keep these elements in the top header in the default view.
1. Replace the property `coreStart.chrome.navControls.registerRight(...)` with `coreStart.chrome.navControls.registerExpandedRight(...)` and then replace the property `coreStart.chrome.navControls.registerCenter(...)` with `coreStart.chrome.navControls.registerExpandedCenter(...)`
2. Make sure the configuration property `useExpandedHeader` is explicitly set to `true`.
The following configuration enables the security plugin and SSL within OpenSearch Dashboards and uses custom branding elements to replace the OpenSearch logo and application title.
