Does Chrome Have a Dark Mode?

Google has jumped on the bandwagon and now offers dark mode for Chrome. Initially, this feature is available to macOS users once they select the dark mode for the entire system. And soon enough it should be available to Windows users as well.

Be it as it may, there are several ways to get the desired dark mode on the desktop version of Chrome. Plus, there are specific methods to get the same looks on your smartphone. This write-up gives you all the tips and tricks to enjoy the browser in different shades of grey and black, regardless of the device you are using.

Chrome Dark Mode macOS Users

First, you need to set your Mac to the dark mode. Launch System Preferences, select General, and click on Dark next to Appearances. Your Chrome should instantly go into the dark mode and match the rest of the apps.

It looks much like the old incognito window and you get charcoal grey tabs, toolbar, and homepage. In addition, the webpages that support the mode will follow suit. As for the other browser pages like Settings, they remain in the default color scheme but that might change with a future update.

Speaking of updates, you should make sure that your Chrome is up-to-date for the dark mode to work. It’s also worth noting that incognito and normal browsing look almost the same with the dark mode on. This is why the incognito icon appears in the address bar.

Alternative Methods

Some users struggle to turn on the feature from the native options. If you are one of them, a quick fix is to get a dark theme or special extension for Chrome. Here is how to do it.

Dark Theme

Click the three little dots to the right of the address bar to access the menu. Select Settings and click on Themes under Appearances. If you already have a theme installed, navigate back to the Chrome Web Store and Just Black theme should be the first one that pops up.

Open the theme and click “Add to Chrome” to install it on your browser. To be honest, Just Black is quite moody and might be too dark for some users, but feel free to give it a try to see if it’s the right fit.

Dark Extensions

There are a number of dark mode extensions for Chrome, but Dark Reader stands out due to customization options. This extension has the ability to put any webpage in dark mode and make reading easier.

In addition, it allows you to change page brightness, tweak fonts, and use the sepia filter. The final result looks like the Smart Invert option you get on an iPhone, but we’ll get to that in the next section.

Chrome Dark Mode on Mobile Devices

Android and iOS users should be able to enjoy Chrome in the dark mode on their smartphones and tablets. That said, dark mode is still not widely available on all Android smartphones and there’s a special hack to get it on iPhones and iPads.

iPhones/iPads 

Until iOS 13 officially rolls out early autumn 2019, iPhone and iPad users can get the dark mode via Smart Invert. This feature is designed to invert the screen colors and leave media such as photos and videos intact.

To reach the feature, launch Settings, select General, and tap on Accessibility to get more options. Hit Display Accommodations and select Invert Colors. Tap the button next to Smart Invert to toggle it on.

This hack works great for native apps and some social media apps like Instagram and Facebook, but there are some shortcomings for Chrome. To be precise, all colors get inverted on Chrome since the mobile app still doesn’t support the dark mode.

During testing, the thumbnail images on the main page of TechJunkie website appeared inverted. But once you access the article, the images should look normal and you’ll get a nice reading experience with a black background and white font.

Android

The availability of the dark mode on Android smartphones depends on the brand and model you are using. For example, if you are using Google Pixel with Android Q installed you can enjoy the dark mode across all apps.

For Samsung users, the One UI update on Android 9 Pie allows for Night Mode which is similar to the dark mode. Plus, there are a few third-party apps that allow you to customize the dark mode, regardless of your Android device.

Come to the Dark Side

In the end, it’s worth noting that the dark mode will be widely available for Chrome soon. In the coming months, an update should allow you to have the mode across your devices, Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS. It’s safe to guess there’ll be a switch in Chrome settings to easily toggle on the mode.