Dark Mode for Moodle and Blackboard Learning Platforms

Neither Moodle nor Blackboard has a dark mode switch for students on the web, unless your school has installed a theme with one. You can still read your courses in dark mode in Chrome, with a few precautions for quizzes and course files.

Does Moodle have a dark mode?

Not in Moodle's standard theme. What you see depends on the theme your school runs, and some schools add a dark option, so look in your profile's preferences first. The Moodle mobile app has its own appearance settings, which may include a dark option depending on the version and your school's setup.

Does Blackboard have a dark mode?

Blackboard's web interface doesn't offer a dark theme for students. On a computer, a browser extension is the practical route.

Darkening Moodle or Blackboard in Chrome

Modern Dark Mode darkens the page and then flips images, videos and embedded frames back to normal. On a learning platform that means:

• course images, diagrams and charts keep their real colors;
• embedded lecture videos look normal;
• files shown in a built-in viewer, such as PDFs and slides, usually stay white.

Lower the brightness slider a little if white documents feel glaring next to the dark page, and use the schedule if you only want dark mode for evening study.

When to switch it off

• Quizzes and exams. Turn dark mode off before a timed quiz, so nothing looks different from what your instructor set. Lockdown browsers and proctoring tools may require you to disable extensions anyway.
• Color-coded content. Gradebooks, rubrics and feedback that use colors (red for missing, green for done) change color in an inverted page. Check those with dark mode off.
• Text you format. Colors you pick in a forum post or assignment editor look different in dark mode from what others will see.

Keeping it off for your school's site only

To keep your learning platform in its normal colors while using dark mode elsewhere, add its address (for example moodle.yourschool.edu or yourschool.blackboard.com) to Modern Dark Mode's excluded sites.

On school Chromebooks

Managed Chromebooks often block extensions you install yourself. If yours does, lower the screen brightness, increase text size with Ctrl and +, and ask whether your school's theme offers a dark or high contrast option. See also dark mode for Canvas.