This article takes you easily through the process of enabling Google Chrome Dark Mode on your desktop browser, Android, or iOS.

What is Dark mode?

Dark Mode (or Dark Theme) is a user interface display setting for applications, browsers, operating systems, and even websites. Dark mode replaces the default display of dark text against a light background with light text against a dark background. Dark mode minimizes eye strain and prolongs battery life by reducing screen brightness. It is also used solely for its aesthetics.

dark mode or dark theme on google chrome

How to set dark mode on Chrome?

Enable a dark mode on PC (Windows)

 

Similar to most Windows programs, Chrome automatically turns to dark mode if you turn on the Dark Theme in Windows. However, that does not imply all the web pages’ content will adopt the Theme. Thus, the option is not actually a full dark mode.

 

Set dark Theme as the system default in Chrome

Chrome does not have an official dark mode for Windows users. However, if you change your PC mode to Dark, it will be reflected on Chrome.

That is to say, the way to set dark Theme as the system default is to make the changes through your computer’s settings.

You can do so by following these steps:

1. Right-click on Windows Desktop and select “Personalize”

Dark mode on Windows select personalize

2. Click on Colors and select Dark under “Choose your color”

The dark Theme will apply to Chrome’s toolbars, menus, settings, and homepage. However, it will not apply on websites.

Dark mode on Windows select the default

 

Apply dark mode to web content on Chrome

As detailed in the above instructions, the dark desktop mode does not change Chrome’s display of web content. If your intention is to see websites in dark mode, you will need to make these changes within Chrome.

The browser has a hidden dark mode that is much powerful and useful when trying to achieve your use case. It will turn all the websites’ backgrounds to black and make text white for ease of readability.

 

Follow these steps to turn on dark mode for all web contents within Chrome:

1. Paste in the following Link in Chrome browser – chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark

Set a dark mode on Mac chrome step 1

2. Locate the option “Force Dark Mode for Web Contents”

When you copy and paste the above URL on the browser tab, it opens up the Experiments page and highlights “Force Dark Mode for Web Contents” for ease of notice.

Set a dark mode on Mac chrome step 2. png

3. Change the setting to Enabled

Click on the drop-down arrow and choose “Enabled” to turn on dark mode for Chrome and its web contents.

Set a dark mode on Mac chrome step 3

4. Relaunch the browser

The changes you make will take effect the next time you relaunch your browser. You can manually close everything and re-open Chrome, or you could simply click on the Relaunch button that shows at the bottom, right-hand side.

Set a dark mode on Mac chrome step 4

And there you have it! Enjoy your dark-themed Chrome plus all its web content!

Enable a dark mode on Mac

Change to dark mode theme on Chrome for macOS

1.  Launch Chrome and paste in the following link – chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark

Set a dark mode on Mac chrome step 1

2. Locate the option “Force Dark Mode for Web Contents”

When you copy and paste the above URL on the browser tab, it opens up the Experiments page. Look for “Force Dark Mode for Web Contents” and note its current setting. It will be the default, which is the light Theme.

Set up dark mode on a MAC chrome step 4

3. Change the setting to Enabled

Click on the drop-down arrow and choose “Enabled” to turn on dark mode for Chrome and its web contents.

Set a dark mode on Mac chrome step 3

4. Relaunch the browser

The changes you make will take effect the next time you relaunch your browser. You can manually close everything and re-open Chrome, or you could simply click on the Relaunch button that shows at the bottom, right-hand side.

Set a dark mode on Mac chrome step 4


Set dark Theme as the system default

1. Navigate to System Preferences from the menu bar

Set a dark mode on mac step 1

2. Click on General

Set a dark mode on mac step-2

2. Under Appearances, choose “Dark”

Set a dark mode on mac step3

After making your selection, close System Preferences.

The wallpaper background changes immediately you move to a dark appearance. However, you have the liberty of changing the wallpaper image anytime.

Enable a dark mode on Android

Activate on dark mode Android OS

The dark Theme on Android gives your phone a more classic look and feel. You have the opportunity to play around with this Theme to a greater extent, especially if you are using the latest Android 10.

When enabled, this Theme essentially flips the appearance of your menus and every native Google app (YouTube, Gmail, Chrome, among others). Dark Theme can also be picked by other third-party apps such as Reddit and Instagram. The list of supported apps continues to increase as developers realize a greater uptake of the Theme.

1. Open the Settings app
2. Scroll down to the Display section

Set a dark mode on android steps 1-2

3. Toggle “Dark Theme“

From the display options, locate Dark Theme. In most Android phones, this should be just below the Sleep settings. Toggle the button to turn on Dark Theme.

This changes your Android phone theme to a dark theme as shown:

If you do not see the option, you may have to drag the Quick Settings bar up to the end. Look for the edit icon, represented by a pencil-like symbol. Click on it and locate the Dark Theme setting. Drag it to align for ease of access in the future.

Set a dark mode on android steps 3-4-min

Enable a dark mode on iPhone

Activate on dark mode iPhone iOS

1. Go to iOS settings
2. Click on Display & Brightness
3. Under appearance, click on Dark mode

You could also turn on the Automatic option for Dark and Light themes. Doing so means that your phone will change the Theme automatically depending on the timeframes you will have defined.


Change dark mode theme on iPhone iOS

iPhone iOS allows you to create a shortcut for changing dark mode with a simple click. With such a shortcut, you will not have to keep navigating deep into the settings to change your iPhone mode.

1. Navigate to Settings > Control Center

2. Check under More Controls and add Dark Mode


Why is dark mode not working on iPhone iOS?

If dark mode is not working on your iOS Gmail app, you will need to perform several checks:

I) Confirm software compatibility

The Dark Theme is not available in all iOS versions. Make sure that you are using the relevant iOS that supports Dark Theme. You need iOS 13.0 and later.

II) Gmail app is not updated

By default, the latest version of Gmail is designed to pick up the phone’s Theme. That is, if you change your phone to Dark Theme, Gmail should immediately pick the Theme. If it doesn’t, the chances are that you need to check whether the app has a pending update in App Store.

III) The phone needs a restart

If you are certain that your phone meets all the requirements, you may perform a restart on the Android device to have it working normally. Most users report that a simple restart helped sort out the issue of Dark Theme not showing in Android Gmail.

FAQs

The terms dark mode and dark theme are more of the same thing. Some Android devices will use any of these terms in their setting. When you turn the feature on, it will meet the same purpose regardless of the name used. iOS simply calls the feature “Dark” while Chrome uses the name “Dark Mode.”

Dark mode is designed to reduce screen brightness by changing interface colors to a darker shade. This is done in order to minimize eye strain when using your device in underlit surroundings, as well as conserve battery life.

Night mode is similar to dark mode in that it’s meant to minimize eye strain when using your device in low-lit surroundings.

However, as opposed to Dark mode, which darkens the colors and shades of a specific app or interface design, Night mode changes the backlight color emitted by your device. It filters out the blue-white light emitted from the screen which turns your screen yellowish.

Dark mode also differs from Night mode in that it’s manually turned on and off and set indefinitely, while Night mode automatically activates when the room light dims and deactivates when it brightens or is active between certain hours of the day (from evening to morning).

The unique purpose of Night mode is to prepare your brain for sleep by mimicking the changes in natural sunlight. The underlying reason is that the blue-white light radiating from mobile devices and computer screens sends a signal to your brain that it’s a day out, which keeps your brain artificially awake. When using your device in the couple hours prior to bedtime this makes it very hard to fall asleep.

The latest versions of Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android support Night mode as a native implementation or through third-party apps.

Conclusion

To wrap up, Dark Theme in Android, iOS, macOS, or Windows provides you an opportunity to have a great viewing experience in low-light environments. It does not matter what the device or OS calls this setting. It does the same thing. When enabled, you can easily read your Gmail emails without stressing your eyes.