SAP Horizon
SAP Horizon is the current visual theme family of SAP Fiori, succeeding Quartz and Belize, and is delivered in SAPUI5 as Morning Horizon, Evening Horizon and two high-contrast variants. SAP Horizon changes colors, shapes, typography and the shell header across SAP Fiori apps and classic UIs, but does not change app layouts, floorplans or business logic.
Quick facts
- Type
- Visual theme family (SAP Fiori design)
- Layer
- Entry point & experience
- Theme IDs
- sap_horizon, sap_horizon_dark, sap_horizon_hcb, sap_horizon_hcw
- Set default with
- THEMING_DEFAULT_THEME launchpad configuration parameter (ABAP platform)
- Customized with
- UI theme designer (custom themes based on Horizon)
- Who works with it
- UX designers, launchpad administrators, SAP Fiori developers
- Applies to
- SAP S/4HANA (all deployment options), SAP BTP
Layer: Entry point & experienceWhere it sits ▾
Layer: Entry point & experience
Open the architecture map →What does SAP Horizon change?
SAP Horizon is a theme, so it changes how screens look, not what they contain. SAP's SAP S/4HANA documentation describes these signature elements:
- rounded corners on controls and containers;
- a simplified header bar and bolder page-header typography, so users see the most important information first;
- a harmonized look across SAP Fiori apps and classic UIs such as Web Dynpro ABAP and SAP GUI for HTML.
Floorplans, fields, actions and navigation stay exactly as the app defines them. A list report in SAP Horizon has the same columns and filters as in Quartz; only colors, spacing, shapes and fonts differ. SAP Horizon is therefore a visual layer over existing apps, not a redesign of their functionality.
Which SAP Horizon themes exist?
SAPUI5 delivers four SAP Horizon themes:
| Theme name | Technical ID | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Morning Horizon | sap_horizon | Light, standard theme |
| Evening Horizon | sap_horizon_dark | Dark theme |
| High Contrast Black | sap_horizon_hcb | Accessibility, dark background |
| High Contrast White | sap_horizon_hcw | Accessibility, light background |
According to the SAPUI5 supported-themes overview, Morning Horizon is supported as of SAPUI5 1.96 and the other three as of 1.101. The Quartz themes (sap_fiori_3 and its variants) are still available alongside them. The same theme names appear in UI5 Web Components and, as Horizon themes, in SAP GUI for Windows. Offering a high-contrast SAP Horizon variant matters for accessibility, so administrators should keep one available to users.
Which releases support SAP Horizon?
- SAP S/4HANA on-premise and Private Edition: SAP Fiori apps need SAP_UI 7.57 with SAPUI5 1.102 and SAP Fiori front-end server 2022. Web Dynpro ABAP and SAP GUI for HTML need SAP S/4HANA 2022 with AS ABAP 7.57 in the backend. SAP's release overview lists Horizon as the SAP Fiori theme for SAP S/4HANA 2022, 2023 and 2025, and Quartz for 2021 and older.
- Launchpad default: in recent ABAP platform releases, such as 2025 FPS02, the THEMING_DEFAULT_THEME launchpad configuration parameter defaults to sap_horizon; check the default for your release.
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition: theme changes arrive with the cloud release; check the release information for the default and the available themes.
- SAP BTP: apps choose their SAPUI5 version and theme; in SAP Build Work Zone, administrators manage the themes offered to users in the site's Theme Manager.
SAP Horizon availability is a function of the SAPUI5 and ABAP release, so check both before planning a switch.
What should you check before switching to SAP Horizon?
- Belize users. The Belize themes were deprecated in SAPUI5 1.120 and removed in 1.136, with sap_horizon as the recommended replacement. Users still on Belize must move.
- Custom themes. A corporate theme built on Belize or Quartz does not become SAP Horizon automatically. Rebuild it in the UI theme designer on a Horizon base theme.
- Freestyle CSS. Hard-coded colors or pixel offsets in custom SAPUI5 apps can clash with the new shapes and spacing. Theme parameters avoid this.
- Classic UIs. Check that Web Dynpro ABAP and SAP GUI for HTML screens run on a backend release that supports SAP Horizon, otherwise users see mixed looks.
- Default and choice. Administrators set the default with THEMING_DEFAULT_THEME; users can still pick another theme in their settings.
Alder Manufacturing's rollout plan, for instance, starts with its custom theme and its freestyle apps, because standard apps follow SAP Horizon without changes. A switch to SAP Horizon is mostly a check of custom styling, not of standard content.
SAP Horizon vs. Quartz vs. SAP Fiori Design Guidelines: what is the difference?
| SAP Horizon | Quartz | SAP Fiori Design Guidelines | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Current theme family | Previous theme family, still supported | Design-system documentation |
| Technical IDs | sap_horizon, sap_horizon_dark, _hcb, _hcw | sap_fiori_3, sap_fiori_3_dark, _hcb, _hcw | None — guidance, not code |
| What it controls | Colors, shapes, typography, shell header | Colors, shapes, typography | Principles, floorplans, patterns and control usage |
| SAP S/4HANA releases listed | 2022 and later | 1909 to 2021 | Not applicable |
SAP Horizon and Quartz are themes that implement the visual part of the SAP Fiori Design Guidelines; the guidelines themselves also define layout and behavior.
FAQ
Is SAP Horizon the default SAP Fiori theme?
In current releases, yes. SAP lists SAP Horizon as the SAP Fiori theme for SAP S/4HANA 2022 and later, and in ABAP platform 2025 the launchpad's default theme parameter is set to sap_horizon. Administrators can change the default, and users can choose another theme.
Is the Belize theme still supported?
No. SAP deprecated the Belize theme family in SAPUI5 1.120 and removed it in SAPUI5 1.136, together with Blue Crystal. SAP recommends sap_horizon as the replacement, and the Quartz themes remain available for teams that are not yet ready to move.
Does SAP Horizon apply to SAP GUI transactions?
Yes, with the right release. Transactions running in SAP GUI for HTML and Web Dynpro ABAP apps can use SAP Horizon from SAP S/4HANA 2022 with AS ABAP 7.57. SAP GUI for Windows offers its own Horizon themes in recent releases.
Can SAP Horizon be branded with corporate colors?
Yes. The UI theme designer creates custom themes based on SAP Horizon, for example with corporate colors and a logo. A custom theme built on Belize or Quartz has to be rebuilt on a Horizon base theme to get the SAP Horizon look.
Sources
- SAPUI5 SDK: Available themes
- SAPUI5 SDK: Supported themes
- SAP Help Portal: Getting the latest SAP Fiori design in your system landscape (SAP S/4HANA)
- SAP Help Portal: Launchpad configuration parameters (THEMING_DEFAULT_THEME)
- SAPUI5 SDK: Deprecated themes and libraries
- Applies to
- SAP S/4HANA on-premise · SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition · SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition · SAP BTP
- Last reviewed