How to Enable Dark Mode on Any Device (2026)
Dark mode is built into every major operating system now, but each one hides the switch somewhere different. Here is the fastest path to dark mode on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and — the part most guides skip — the websites that still blast you with white.
Two things control whether your screen is dark: your device theme (the operating system) and the app or website you are looking at. Set the system to dark and most apps follow. Websites are the holdout — many ignore your system setting entirely, which is where a browser extension comes in. We will cover both.
Enable dark mode on Windows 11 & 10
Open Settings → Personalization → Colors, then set Choose your mode to Dark. That darkens the taskbar, Start menu, and built-in apps. On Windows 10 the same option lives under Settings → Personalization → Colors → Choose your color.
Enable dark mode on Mac
Go to System Settings → Appearance and pick Dark (or Auto to switch with sunset). macOS applies it across the Dock, menu bar, Finder, and any app that supports appearance.
Enable dark mode on iPhone & iPad
Open Settings → Display & Brightness and tap Dark. Turn on Automatic just below if you want it to follow a schedule or sunset. Safari, Mail, and most apps switch instantly.
Enable dark mode on Android
Open Settings → Display → Dark theme (called Dark mode on some Samsung and other skins) and switch it on. You can also add a Dark theme tile to your Quick Settings for one-swipe toggling.
The part everyone misses: websites
Your system setting only reaches a website if that site chose to support it — and most did not. That is why Google Docs, your bank, news sites, and half the web stay bright even with your phone or laptop in dark mode. The fix is a browser extension that forces a dark theme onto any site, generating one on the fly where none exists.
That is exactly what Modern Dark Mode does: it darkens every website in Chrome, respects your eyes at night, and lets you whitelist the few sites you want to keep light. It runs locally with no account.
Frequently asked questions
Does system dark mode change websites too?
Only sites that specifically added dark-mode support will follow your system setting. The majority of the web ignores it, so to darken every site you need a browser extension that forces a dark theme onto pages that do not have one.
How do I schedule dark mode to turn on at night?
iPhone: Settings > Display & Brightness > turn on Automatic. Mac: System Settings > Appearance > Auto. Android: Settings > Display > Dark theme > Schedule. Windows does not have a native schedule, but Auto Dark Mode apps and browser extensions can handle it.
Is dark mode actually better for your eyes?
In low light, dark mode reduces glare and eye strain and can save battery on OLED screens. In bright rooms, light mode is often easier to read. The best setup is scheduling: light by day, dark at night.
Dark mode on every website, not just your apps
Modern Dark Mode forces a clean dark theme onto any site in Chrome — the ones that never added their own. Runs locally, no sign-up, whitelist anything you want to keep bright.
Get Modern Dark ModeKeep reading
Safari dark mode: the complete guide
Turn on dark mode in Safari on Mac, iPhone, and iPad — plus forcing it on stubborn sites.
Override force-dark on Android
The developer option that darkens apps with no dark theme.
Why is my phone in dark mode?
Four reasons a phone goes dark on its own, and the fix for each.