Some people are very sensitive to the amount of light in their environment, and it can cause them discomfort. Even without such a condition, you may find it more comfortable to navigate your browser when the white color isn’t so bright.
Dark mode is also practical if you’re using a computer or a smartphone in a dark room, as most of us do right before we go to sleep.
Whatever your reasons are, we’re going to provide you with a list of the best dark mode extensions for Chrome so you can pick one that will suit your needs.
What Are the Best Dark Mode Extensions for Chrome?
Why would you even have to download an extension if Chrome already offers the dark mode option? Well, it does, but that mode doesn’t cover all the areas on your screen. What’s more, it doesn’t apply to website pages, and that’s where you usually need it the most.
That’s where these extensions step in. You can easily set them up and see which one works best in your case.
Here are our suggestions:
#1 Dark Reader
This Chrome extension is the number one choice for a significant number of users. It has quite a good rating on the Chrome Web Store, so you can download it without any concerns.
The Dark reader extension enables high contrast on every website, inverting the bright colors and making it more comfortable to read when in a dark room.
Moreover, there are plenty of customization options available too. You can set up different elements, such as the sepia filter, brightness, or contrast, to perfectly suit your eyes.
You may also appreciate that the extension doesn’t display ads, which makes your Chrome experience as enjoyable as when it is in bright mode.
When you download the Dark Reader, you will need to remove any similar extensions in case they interfere with how it works.
#2 Night Eye – Dark Mode on Any Website
This extension is another highly-rated option that may suit your requirements. It even runs offline and offers in-app purchases if you’re interested in adding more features to improve it.
The Night Eye extension is compatible with a wide range of devices. It works a bit differently from other night mode extensions since it doesn’t invert colors but instead uses individual algorithms of every website you visit. Therefore, if a website you’ve already opened offers a dark mode for its users, you will be able to control it. YouTube and Reddit are among these websites.
#3 Lunar Reader
Lunar Reader gives you the freedom to adjust the brightness settings, so it fits your needs precisely. Not everyone prefers the same level of brightness, so it’s good news that you can change it if you choose this extension. Unlike most other dark mode extensions, this one features a mode that can add a bit of a yellow shade to any website, so it feels more natural when you’re looking at it.
It also comes with a variety of other useful features, such as whitelists and blacklists. These can be particularly useful if you’re not the only one using the device you’ve installed the extension on.
#4 Dark Night Mode
If you’re looking for a simple extension without too many additional features, the Dark Night Mode may be a good fit. However, you may adjust the brightness level in the dark mode, but that’s about it.
This is a simple way to make scrolling Facebook, YouTube, and other websites more comfortable for your eyes at night.
The Dark Night Mode extension is a free open-source software that enables the dark mode on all the websites you navigate in real-time. Simultaneously, it doesn’t invert colors or distort images, so you can count on the same quality level as if you were using the regular mode.
How to Enable Extensions in Chrome
If you’re a newbie to Chrome extensions, don’t worry. Here’s a quick way to enable them.
- Launch your Chrome browser and enter the chrome web store in the search field.
- When you open the website, enter the desired extension in the field in the upper left corner. Press Enter.
- Click on the extension you want to install and then select Add to Chrome.
- Confirm you’re giving the extension any required permissions by clicking on Add extension. Since you might be giving it access to your data, make sure you’re only installing trusted extensions.
- When the extension is installed, you’ll see its icon on the right corner of the browser window, next to the search field.
If you can’t see the extension icon, click on the puzzle icon on the same corner where it says Extensions. You’ll find the newly installed one in the drop-down menu.
How to Enable Dark Mode in Chrome
You can enable dark mode in Chrome in several ways. One would of course be to install and enable one of the recommended dark mode extensions, but you can also use different settings available on your computer. You may not get the same results as with the extensions, but you can check if the following methods work for you.
1. Windows Dark Mode
- Go to the Start button in the taskbar at the bottom and click to open the main menu.
- Click on the gear icon on the left to open Settings.
- Select Personalization and from the menu on the left, choose Colors.
- Select Dark from the drop-down menu.
Your changes will apply, and you’ll see the Windows dark mode on your computer. That should affect Chrome as well. However, note that this change doesn’t affect websites – only some elements of your Chrome browser, such as the bookmark bar at the top, pop-up windows, notifications, etc.
Choosing a dark theme from Google Chrome’s Appearance tab in Settings works the same way. You can play around with colors and choose different dark themes from a pretty wide range of options, but the websites you visit will remain white.
2. Web Contents Flag
If you’re not happy with the result of the previous method, try this one.
- Open your Chrome browser and type in the following in the URL field: chrome://flags/
- When the new page opens, type in “dark” in the search field.
- You’ll see the Force Dark Mode for Web Contents, so choose Enabled in the drop-down menu next to it.
If you want to enable the dark mode on your mobile device, you can find this option under display settings. The steps may differ depending on the type of smartphone or tablet you are currently using. You may also be able to download a dark theme from the App Store or Google Play Store.
Known Issues with Chrome’s Dark Mode
Since using the flags page has always been a workaround, rather than an official way to set a dark mode in Chrome, you may experience bugs if you use this method. Some users have complained of white flashes, which is undoubtedly uncomfortable for their eyes.
With the latest Chrome update, which came out earlier this year, the flag pages we used to use seem to be gone. However, you can still try to use them to force a dark mode for the websites you visit – you may be in luck and make it work.
However, if you fail to get it working, don’t be disappointed. More and more websites have introduced dark modes for their websites so you can use their native options instead of forcing Chrome’s dark mode.
Additional FAQ
Do you have more questions about using a dark mode in Chrome? The following section may help.
How Can I Disable Dark Mode in Chrome?
Disabling the dark mode in Chrome works the same way enabling it does – you just need to pick the opposite option on the last step of the process.
If you’ve set up the Windows dark mode, just choose Light instead of Dark under Colors.
If you’ve done this via the flags page, select Disabled instead of Enabled.
Those who have installed a dark mode extension just need to remove it, and Chrome will return to its previous state.
Why Do I Need a Dark Mode Extension in Chrome?
According to experts, our eyes can get tired more quickly when reading from a bright screen in a dark room. It happens because they continually need to switch between a bright and a dark environment.
That puts an additional strain on your eyes, primarily due to the blue light emitted from a white screen. If you consume too much of this blue light daily, you may notice you have trouble falling asleep at night.
Experts also suggest that the room you’re working on your computer, or reading in, should be the same brightness as the device you’re reading from, if not brighter. That’s why you should enable the dark mode if you tend to use your computer and navigate through Chrome at night.
Take Care of Your Eyes
There are many ways to enable several levels of dark mode using Chrome. If nothing else works, you can download a free extension that will allow you to work on your computer or phone at night without too much strain on your eyes.
In this article, we’ve recommended a few extensions with excellent ratings, and we’re sure you’ll find one that works perfectly well for you and your devices.
Have you already tried some of the extensions from the list? Do you have other suggestions? Let us know in the comments section below.
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