To turn on dark mode in Chrome on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer:
- Open a new tab.
- At the bottom right of the New Tab page, select Customize Chrome.
- Under Appearance, select Dark.
You can also find the same choice in Chrome’s settings. Copy this address into the address bar and press Enter: chrome://settings/appearance
On a phone or tablet, the steps are different. See dark mode in Chrome on Android, iPhone and iPad.
Light, Dark or Device
Google’s Dark mode help describes the three choices under Appearance:
- Light: Chrome stays light.
- Dark: Chrome stays dark.
- Device: Chrome follows your computer’s light or dark setting.
Google says dark mode makes Chrome’s homepage, toolbar, settings and some other pages dark. To darken the websites you visit as well, see the last section.
Follow your computer’s dark mode
Choose Device in Chrome, then turn on dark mode for the whole computer:
- Windows 11 and Windows 10: open Settings > Personalization > Colors. Under Choose your mode, select Dark. Microsoft explains the options in Personalize your colors in Windows.
- Mac: open System Settings and select Appearance in the sidebar, then choose Dark, or Auto to switch between light and dark during the day. Apple’s guide is Use a light or dark appearance on your Mac.
Chrome then switches between light and dark whenever your computer does.
Why Chrome is dark when you didn’t turn it on
Google notes that Chrome may also look dark in an Incognito window. If you set Chrome to Device, it also turns dark when your computer switches to dark mode, for example on a schedule. To keep Chrome light, choose Light under Appearance.
Make websites dark too
There are two ways to show the websites themselves in dark colors.
A Chrome flag. The experimental Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents flag shows every website with a dark theme. Copy this address into the address bar, set the flag to Enabled, then select Relaunch:
chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark
Google’s guide to Chrome flags warns that features behind a flag may stop working or be removed without notice. Set the flag back to Default to undo it. Our list of useful Chrome flags explains how flags work.
An extension. Dark Reader in the Chrome Web Store darkens websites. Its listing says you can turn it on or off for specific sites, follow your computer’s dark mode, and leave sites that are already dark unchanged.