You may wish to force dark mode for web contents to gain more control over how websites look, especially when the pages you visit have bright white backgrounds. A dark appearance changes the colors of a website, while the right brightness and contrast settings are a matter of personal preference.
There are several ways to enable dark mode for web content. Google Chrome offers an experimental setting, some websites have their own dark themes, and Night Eye lets you enable or customize dark mode on supported websites. This guide explains how each option works on desktop, Android, iPhone, and iPad.
How to force dark mode for web contents in Google Chrome
Google Chrome has a hidden experimental option that can turn light-colored websites dark. It is called Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents. Unlike Chrome's regular dark appearance, which changes the browser interface, this option attempts to change the colors of web pages themselves.
To force dark mode for web contents in Chrome on your computer, follow these steps:
- Open Chrome and enter chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark in the address bar.
- Find Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents. Some older Chrome versions may use a slightly different name.
- Open the drop-down menu next to the flag and select Enabled.
- Click Relaunch to restart Chrome and apply the setting.
- Visit a website with a light background to check how its colors appear.
Chrome will now try to use a dark appearance on websites that do not provide one. The results vary: some menus, images, buttons, or text may not look right. The flag may also change or disappear in future browser versions. Google explains these limitations in its guide to Chrome flags.
To turn forced dark mode off, return to chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark, choose Default or Disabled, and relaunch Chrome. If you cannot find the option, your Chrome version may not expose it.
How to enable dark mode on any website without force dark mode
Fortunately, you do not have to rely on an experimental browser flag to make web content dark. Night Eye offers a convenient way to enable dark mode on supported websites. Once installed, it automatically converts pages as they load, and you can switch it off or adjust the appearance whenever you want.
To enable dark mode using the Night Eye browser extension in Chrome, follow these steps:
- Go to the bottom of this article and click the Google Chrome icon, or open the Night Eye download page.
- In the Chrome Web Store, click Add to Chrome and confirm Add extension.
- Open a website. If it was already open during installation, refresh the page.
- Click the Night Eye icon in the Extensions menu to switch between Dark, Filtered, and Normal modes.
Night Eye also lets you adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, dimming, and color warmth. You can keep the same appearance across websites or choose different settings for individual pages.
What if a website already has built-in dark mode?
You can still use Night Eye to modify its appearance to your liking. Keep the website's own dark theme enabled and try Filtered Mode to adjust brightness, contrast, warmth, and dimming while preserving the original colors. If you prefer Night Eye's full conversion, you can use Dark Mode instead and compare the result.
If Chrome's experimental forced-dark setting is enabled at the same time, consider disabling it before using Night Eye. Applying more than one darkening method can produce unexpected colors on some pages.
How to enable dark mode for Chrome on Android
Although you can use Android's dark theme, it does not necessarily force every website to appear dark. Chrome has a built-in Dark theme for its browser interface, and some websites follow that setting automatically.
To turn on Chrome's regular dark theme on Android:
- Open Google Chrome on your Android phone or tablet.
- Tap the three-dot menu and go to Settings.
- Select Theme.
- Choose Dark, or System Default to follow your device's appearance.
If you want to try forcing dark mode on web pages, enter chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark in Chrome. If Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents is available, you can set it to Enabled and relaunch the browser. This is an experimental option, so it may not appear in every Android Chrome version or work correctly on every website.
Chrome for Android does not support installing Night Eye as a regular desktop-style Chrome extension. For more control over website colors on Android, Night Eye is available through compatible browsers, including Firefox for Android, Edge for Android, and Yandex Browser for Android. See the Night Eye Android installation guide for browser-specific options.
How to enable dark mode for Safari on iOS
On iPhone and iPad, the device's Dark appearance can change Safari's interface and websites that support the system color preference. However, Safari does not have a universal switch that forces every website into dark mode.
You can still enable dark mode for more websites using a Safari extension. Night Eye works with Safari on iPhone and iPad and lets you adjust the appearance of supported pages, including websites that already offer a dark theme.
To enable Night Eye for Safari on iOS or iPadOS, follow these steps:
- Download Night Eye for Safari from the App Store.
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Go to Apps > Safari > Extensions. On older system versions, Safari may appear directly in Settings.
- Select Night Eye and turn on Allow Extension.
- Under website permissions, allow Night Eye access to All Websites if you want it to work across the sites you visit.
- Open a website in Safari and use the Night Eye extension to choose your preferred appearance.
You can also manage extensions from Safari's page menu. If an extension is not changing a website, check its permissions and reload the page. Apple's Safari extension guide explains how to manage these settings.
Enable dark mode on any website
Not every website offers built-in dark mode, and the available settings may not match your preferences. Night Eye can convert supported websites to a dark appearance or customize sites that already have their own dark theme. You can also choose Normal Mode whenever you want to see a page as originally designed.
Night Eye provides smart color conversion, individual website settings, no ads, and built-in support. Website color processing happens locally on your device, and Night Eye does not collect your browsing history.
Install Night Eye dark mode extension
