Develop Reference

android:elevation applied to toolbar AND its title

I use a very simple style to format my Toolbar, I use android:elevation to display a shadow under the Toolbar like this:
<style
name="AppToolbarTheme"
parent="AppTheme">
<item name="android:background">#color/colorPrimary</item>
<item name="android:titleTextColor">#android:color/white</item>
<item name="android:elevation">4dip</item>
</style>
And I'm applying it simply like that:
<Toolbar
android:id="#+id/main_toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:theme="#style/AppToolbarTheme"/>
The shadow displays under the toolbar like I want, howerver it is also somehow applied to the title of the toolbar which looks very weird:

Remove <item name="android:elevation">4dip</item> from style and put it in toolbar xml
<Toolbar
android:id="#+id/main_toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:theme="#style/AppToolbarTheme"
android:elevation="4dp"/>

I was looking at this and helped me to identify my mistake, which I think it is the same as yours:
You are using style properties (Widget) in a theme. Theme are used to define global properties such as colorOnSurface, colorSurface, primaryColor, etc. Here you are using:
<item name="android:background">#color/colorPrimary</item>
<item name="android:titleTextColor">#android:color/white</item>
<item name="android:elevation">4dip</item>
which are specific to a toolbar.
I recommend to define a style like below (you can set whatever parent you want as long as it is Widget.whatever.Toolbar)
<style name="Widget.Toolbar" parent="Widget.MaterialComponents.Toolbar.Surface">
<item name="elevation">4dp</item>
</style>
<androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
style="#style/Widget.Toolbar"/>
What I am doing at the moment is using appbar, so you can apply elevation there instead:
<com.google.android.material.appbar.AppBarLayout
android:id="#+id/appbar"
android:theme="#style/Theme.AppBarTheme"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
</com.google.android.material.appbar.AppBarLayout>
<style name="Theme.AppBarTheme">
<item name="elevation">6dp</item>
<item name="toolbarStyle">#style/Widget.Toolbar</item>
</style>
<style name="Widget.Toolbar" parent="Widget.MaterialComponents.Toolbar.Surface">
<item name="android:titleTextColor">#android:color/white</item>
</style>

You use
android:theme="#style/AppToolbarTheme"
in your toolbar and in that case it add elevation to nested components as well 'cause you define a theme.
Use
style="#style/AppToolbarTheme"
instead.

Tint CheckBox and Toolbar with different colors in nested preference activity

When I first start looking over this question I found this question, but the answer didn't work for me. I am working on a KitKat phone, but from what I read, this can be done on a pre-lollipop versions using the AppCompat library. I am using this GitHub repo, and more specificaly this code sample to create nested preference screen.
Here is my AppTheme.SettingsTheme for the SettingActivity in the code sample:
<style name="AppTheme.SettingsTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
<item name="titleTextStyle">#android:color/white</item>
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/colorPrimary</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/colorAccent</item>
<item name="colorControlNormal">#fff</item>
</style>
This line: <item name="colorControlNormal">#fff</item> changes the Toolbar from having a white text and black back arrow, to having both the text and back arrow appear white (which is good).
The issue is that I have a CheckBoxPreference which is tinted with this line also, so when it in not check, I can barely see it (box color is white).
I tried creating a special theme just for the toolbar (again from this answer) and doing the <item name="colorControlNormal">COLOR</item>, but its just doesn't affect to toolbar.
I also tried to tint the CheckBoxPreference alone, but it seems that in involves creating a custom layout for it, and this brings a lot more work.
Here is my toolbar layout, currently with no specific theme:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
tools:context=".ui.activities.settingsActivity.SettingsActivity">
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="?colorPrimary"
android:minHeight="?actionBarSize"
app:navigationContentDescription="#string/abc_action_bar_up_description"
app:navigationIcon="?homeAsUpIndicator"
app:title="#string/activity_settings_title"
app:titleTextColor="#android:color/white" />
</android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>
Can anybody explain how to tint the CheckBoxPreference and Toolbar seperatly? I don't care which one of them I tint using the ActivityTheme and which one I tint on its custom theme. The answers I found didn't work.

Use the theme for your Toolbar specifically, instead of for your entire Activity. This is what the ThemeOverlay styles are meant for (they use the colorControlNormal attribute when necessary). You can also define a separate "popup" theme if you would like light-themed pop-ups from your dark Toolbar:
<style name="SettingsTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/colorPrimary</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/colorAccent</item>
</style>
<style name="SettingsTheme.AppBarOverlay" parent="ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"/>
<style name="SettingsTheme.PopupOverlay" parent="ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light"/>
Then you can apply these styles in your layout:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:theme="#style/SettingsTheme.AppBarOverlay"
tools:context=".ui.activities.settingsActivity.SettingsActivity">
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="?colorPrimary"
android:minHeight="?actionBarSize"
app:navigationContentDescription="#string/abc_action_bar_up_description"
app:navigationIcon="?homeAsUpIndicator"
app:title="#string/activity_settings_title"
app:popupTheme="#style/SettingsTheme.PopupOverlay" />
</android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>

Styling Toolbar does not work using AppCompat

I am trying as best I can to style the ActionBar (i.e. an android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar) in my app, but it just won't work. I am following the official documentation when trying to achieve this. What I am really trying to do is to make the title color white. It is currently displayed in black. My target API is 11.
What am I doing wrong?
res/values/themes.xml
<resources>
<!-- Base theme applied no matter what API -->
<style name="MMTheme.Base" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light">
<item name="windowNoTitle">true</item>
<item name="windowActionBar">false</item>
<item name="android:textColor">#color/mm_dark_gray</item>
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/mm_brown</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/mm_dark_gray</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/mm_green</item>
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MMActionBar</item>
<item name="android:actionBarTabTextStyle">#style/MMActionBarTabText</item>
<item name="android:actionMenuTextColor">#color/mm_green</item>
<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/MMActionBar</item>
<item name="actionBarTabTextStyle">#style/MMActionBarTabText</item>
<item name="actionMenuTextColor">#color/mm_green</item>
</style>
<style name="MMTheme" parent="MMTheme.Base"></style>
<!-- ActionBar style -->
<style name="MMActionBar" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.ActionBar">
<item name="android:background">#color/mm_green</item>
<item name="android:titleTextStyle">#style/MMActionBarTitleText</item>
<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="titleTextStyle">#style/MMActionBarTitleText</item>
</style>
<!-- ActionBar title text -->
<style name="MMActionBarTitleText" parent="#style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textColor">#color/mm_white</item>
<!-- The textColor property is backward compatible with the Support Library -->
</style>
<!-- ActionBar tabs text -->
<style name="MMActionBarTabText" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.ActionBar.TabText">
<item name="android:textColor">#color/mm_green</item>
<!-- The textColor property is backward compatible with the Support Library -->
</style>
</resources>
The inflated android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/mm_toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize"/>
In the Activity
// Setup main Toolbar
Toolbar toolbar = (Toolbar) mInflatedActivity.findViewById(R.id.mm_toolbar);
setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
getSupportActionBar().setIcon(R.drawable.ic_launcher);
I have tried everything I can think of and searched a lot online, but I cannot make it work. What am I missing?
Current result is (nevermind the search icon):
Adding style="#style/MMActionBar" to the xml properties of the android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar results in this:
Changing main parent theme to Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar does nothing.

Just use this in yout layout xml
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
android:background="#color/red600"
app:popupTheme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light"
app:theme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar" />
Set theme in xml itself to ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar which will make title text white.
app:popupTheme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light"
app:theme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"
And I guess this is the right way to theme Toolbar, since according to official Android Developer blog
Styling of Toolbar is done differently to the standard action bar, and
is set directly onto the view.
Here's a basic style you should be using when you're using a Toolbar
as your action bar:
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize"
app:theme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.ActionBar" />
The app:theme declaration will make sure that your text and items are
using solid colors (i.e 100% opacity white).

I have faced same problem. The following solution solved my problem.
For this you need to make changes at two places.
1.Modify your toolbar xml like this,
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:background="#color/ColorPrimary"
android:elevation="2dp"
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/TV_tool_bar"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="My App Name"
android:textSize="18sp"
android:textColor="#FFFFFF"/>
</android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar>
Modify like this in your activity file.
Toolbar toolbar = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.tool_bar);
setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
getSupportActionBar().setTitle(null);
Thats it. This will make your title color white. Cheers..!

Use this to change colors of the letters on the toolbar:
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#color/ColorPrimary"
android:theme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark"
android:elevation="4dp"
>
</android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar>

Tint CheckBox and Toolbar stuff separately

I'm currently using the usually amazing appcompat-v7 library in my application and I'm trying to tint my CheckBoxes without changing the Icon-Colors in the Toolbar (like the back arrow or those three dots).
Following how it looks currently - as you can see not only the CheckBox is tinted pink, the back-arrow / three-dots are also tinted pink.
My code:
Layout
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:background="#android:color/white"
android:orientation="vertical">
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="?actionBarSize"
android:background="?colorPrimary"
android:elevation="4dp" />
<CheckBox
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="16dp"
android:text="My CheckBox" />
</LinearLayout>
Application-Theme
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
<item name="colorPrimary">#FFC107</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#FFA000</item>
<item name="android:textColorPrimary">#FFF</item>
<item name="android:textColorSecondary">#FFF</item>
<item name="colorControlNormal">#E91E63</item>
</style>
Question
What do I need to change so that the Checkbox gets pink and the Toolbar-stuff keeps being white?
Side-Note:
I guess the main problem is that I simply can't find a page where every single appcompat attribute is described. It's basically just all-out trial and error since the names of those attributes are no clear indication.

You're basically facing the same issue as described in this or this question.
So the only thing you need to do is to create a Style for your Toolbar which uses an other theme as the Activity.
Toolbar style / theme example
<style name="MyToolbarStyle">
<!-- potential other attributes -->
<item name="theme">#style/MyToolbarTheme</item>
</style>
<style name="MyToolbarTheme">
<!-- Used to tint the back arrow, menu and spinner arrow -->
<item name="colorControlNormal">#FFF</item>
</style>
Add this Style to your Toolbar and your issue should be fixed (it is important not to use the theme directly):
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
style="#style/MyToolbarStyle"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="?actionBarSize"
android:background="?colorPrimary"
android:elevation="4dp" />

AppCompat v21 Dark ToolBar style

I want my ToolBar to serve as an ActionBar and I want it to look like a light theme with a dark action bar. I can't seem to find the right combination to do it.
This is what I have in styles.xml
<style name="Theme.MyTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="windowActionBar">false</item>
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/my_awesome_color</item>
<item name="android:textColorPrimary">#color/my_awesome_text_color</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/my_awesome_darker_color</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/accent</item>
</style>
And My toolbar
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/my_awesome_toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize" />
Currently I get this
What I want is that the menu items be white as well
Is there an elegant solution or do I have to choose a custom style for each one of the toolbar's items? It seems there should be.

You can use the following theme on your Toolbar to get it to appear "dark". The first portion app:theme themes the color of the text on Toolbar to be light among other things. The app:popupTheme is for styling the overflow menu indicator to be light.
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:minHeight="#dimen/triple_height_toolbar"
app:theme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"
app:popupTheme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light" />

I am sure am a bit late but to do that in your theme add:
<item name="android:textColorSecondary">my_awesome_text_color</item>