38.15 Inverse Video

User Option: inverse-video

This variable controls whether Emacs uses inverse video for all text on the screen. Non-nil means yes, nil means no. The default is nil.

User Option: mode-line-inverse-video

This variable controls the use of inverse video for mode lines and menu bars. If it is non-nil, then these lines are displayed in inverse video. Otherwise, these lines are displayed normally, just like other text. The default is t.

For window frames, this feature actually applies the face named mode-line; that face is normally set up as the inverse of the default face, unless you change it.