Chrome OS dark mode: Here's how to enable it

Chrome OS lacked a very important feature, which was dark mode. However, Google eventually added the feature, starting with the beta channel, then the stable channel, until finally, it became a standard feature for everyone in the Chrome OS settings. Here’s how to enable dark mode on Chrome OS. It’s very easy, and your eyes will thank you for it.

Editor’s note: We used an ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 running Chrome OS version 134.0.6998.198. Some steps may change depending on your device and software version.

How to turn on the Chrome OS dark mode

Changing your Chromebook’s theme isn’t too hard, but the option is a bit hidden. Let’s walk you through the process step by step.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Go into the Wallpaper and style tab.
3. Click on Set your wallpaper & style.
4. Under the Wallpaper section, you will see the Theme section.
5. Here, you can select between Light, Dark, or Auto.

Bear in mind that Auto will require that you tell the Chrome OS your geographical location so it knows what time of the day it is where you are. Privacy-minded users may not like that idea.

How to enable dark mode in Chrome

Even if your Chromebook uses dark mode, this doesn’t mean the Chrome browser is doing the same. If you notice websites are using light mode, follow the same steps to get Chrome to showcase websites in dark mode.

How to enable Chrome dark mode in the settings:

1. Launch Chrome.
2. Click on the three-dot menu button.
3. Go into Settings.
4. Go into Appearance.
5. Click on the drop-down menu next to Mode.
6. You can now pick between Light, Dark, and Device. The last one syncs with the mode you set in the previous section.

Sadly, dark mode doesn’t always work, even if you set Chrome to use dark mode. This is likely due to web developers not updating their code to support this feature. If you want to force dark mode on these websites, you might have more luck using a Chrome Flag.

How to force dark mode on Chrome using Chrome Flags:

1. Launch Chrome.
2. In the URL bar, type in “chrome://flags”.
3. Search for “Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents”.
4. Click on the drop-down menu next to Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents.
5. Select Enabled.

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