Dark mode sounds like one simple switch. In reality, it lives in system settings, browser appearance panels, and app menus, which is why one screen stays bright after everything else turns dark. Start with the device setting, then change any app or browser that still needs its own switch.
1. Turn on dark mode on iPhone and iPad
- 1.Open Settings.
- 2.Tap Display & Brightness.
- 3.Select Dark.
- 4.To schedule it, turn on Automatic, tap Options, and choose a schedule.
- 5.For a faster toggle, open Control Center, touch and hold the brightness bar, then tap Dark Mode.
Add a dedicated Dark Mode button by opening Control Center, touching and holding a blank space, tapping Add a Control, and selecting Dark Mode.
2. Make Android use dark theme
This fixes Android system screens and apps that follow the device theme.
Open the Settings app.
Next, tap Display.
Turn Dark theme on.
For quick access, open Quick Settings and tap the Dark theme tile.
On Pixel, open Settings > Display & touch > Dark theme. To schedule it, tap Schedule and choose Turns on at custom time, Turns on from sunset to sunrise, or Turns on at bedtime.
3. Switch Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets
On Samsung Galaxy, use Settings > Display > Dark.
For the quick toggle, swipe down from the top with two fingers to open Quick settings, then tap Dark mode.
To schedule it, touch and hold Dark mode, turn on Turn on as scheduled, choose Sunset to sunrise or Custom schedule, tap Set schedule, choose the Start and End times, then tap Done.
4. Set dark mode on Windows
This changes Windows and supported apps from light to dark.
Open the Settings app.
Then go to Personalization.
Select Colors.
Open Choose your mode.
Select Dark.
To separate Windows from app colors, select Custom, then set the Windows and app choices shown there.
5. Use dark appearance on Mac
On Mac, open System Settings > Appearance > Dark.
To let macOS switch automatically, choose Auto; macOS changes appearance based on the Night Shift schedule after the Mac has been idle for at least one minute.
For a quick toggle, click Control Center in the menu bar, click the disclosure button next to Display, then click Dark Mode.
6. Change Chromebook and Chrome
This covers your Chromebook theme and Chrome’s own browser appearance.
On a Chromebook, right-click the desktop.
After that, select Set wallpaper & style.
Under Theme, choose Dark, or choose Auto for a timed light and dark schedule.
In Chrome on desktop, open a new tab and click Customize Chrome.
Go to Appearance.
Choose Dark, or choose Device to follow your computer theme.
In Chrome for Android, tap More > Settings > Theme, then choose Dark or System Default.
7. Put common browsers in dark mode
In Microsoft Edge, open Settings and more > Settings > Appearance > Overall appearance, then choose Dark.
In Firefox on desktop, open the Menu button, go to Add-ons and themes or Extensions and themes, select Themes, then enable Dark.
To make supported websites use a dark preference in Firefox desktop, open Settings > General > Language and Appearance > Website appearance, then choose Dark.
In Firefox for Android, tap the three-dot Menu > Settings > Customize > Theme, then choose Dark or Follow device theme.
In Firefox for iOS, open Settings > Appearance, then choose Dark or Automatic.
Skip older Firefox complete-theme instructions; Mozilla no longer supports complete themes, so the built-in Dark theme is the current path.
8. Enable dark mode in popular apps
In Facebook, go to Settings & privacy > Preferences > Dark mode, then choose On, Off, or System.
In Messenger, go to Chats > Menu > Settings > Dark mode, then choose On, Off, or System.
In Instagram, the route depends on the device.
On iPhone and iPad, dark mode cannot be turned on or off inside the Instagram app, so set Dark in iOS Settings > Display & Brightness instead.
On Instagram.com from a computer, click More in the bottom left, click Switch appearance, then click Toggle to turn dark mode on.
In the Android app, use Your app and media > Accessibility and translation > Dark mode, or turn on your phone’s dark theme and let the app follow it.
In WhatsApp, open Settings > Appearance > App Theme, then choose Dark or System default.
On iPhone, turn on iPhone dark mode first, then open WhatsApp.
In Gmail on a computer, open Settings > Quick settings > Theme > View all > Dark, then select Save.
In Gmail for Android, open Menu > Settings > General settings > Theme, then choose Dark or System default.
On iPhone and iPad, turn on system Dark Mode, then open Gmail.
In Google Calendar for Android, open Menu > Settings > General > Theme, then choose Dark.
Calendar’s Theme control has no system option, but on Android 10 and up the app and its widgets switch to dark automatically when your system dark theme or battery saver is on.
In YouTube on a computer, click your profile picture, click Appearance, then select Dark theme or Use device theme.
In the YouTube app on Android 10 and up or iOS 13 and up, tap your profile picture > Settings > General > Appearance, then choose Dark theme or Use device theme.
9. Fix apps that still look light
Start with the app’s own theme menu, because some apps keep a separate setting after your phone or computer is already dark.
On Android devices with Expanded dark theme, use Settings > Display & touch > Dark theme > Expanded to darken more app surfaces, then tap Settings next to Expanded and turn off any app that looks wrong.
On Android, Battery Saver may turn Dark theme on automatically, and you can’t use Battery Saver with the light theme; to stop it, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver > Turn off now, then use Set a schedule > No schedule.
On work or school devices, locked appearance controls belong to your organization’s device administrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I automate iPhone dark mode with Shortcuts?
Yes. In Shortcuts, create or edit a shortcut or automation, add Set Appearance, then set it to Dark or Toggle Appearance.
Is Night Shift or Night Light the same as dark mode?
No. Night Shift, Night Light, Eye comfort shield, grayscale, color inversion, and Extra dim are display or accessibility comfort tools, not system or app dark themes.
Does Chrome dark mode force every webpage into dark colors?
No. Chrome Appearance sets Chrome to Dark or Device. For pages that stay light, use that site’s own dark setting or a supported browser setting instead.
Does Facebook dark mode work in a mobile browser?
No. Meta says Facebook dark mode is not available on mobile browsers. Use the Facebook app and set Dark mode from Settings & privacy.
