How to Enable Dark Mode in Google Docs

Dark mode has become an increasingly popular display option across devices and applications. By displaying light text on a dark background instead of dark text on a light background, dark mode aims to reduce eye strain in low light conditions.

While Google Docs does not natively support a dark mode, there are a few methods you can use to enable dark mode when working on documents, spreadsheets, or presentations.

Benefits of Using Dark Mode

Here are some of the benefits of using dark mode:

• Reduces eye strain – Staring at a bright screen in a dark room can strain your eyes. Dark mode creates less contrast between the screen and your surroundings, placing less strain on your eyes.
• Lowers brightness – Even if you turn down the brightness on a light mode screen, it is still emitting more light than a dark mode screen. Dark mode allows you to work in low light conditions more comfortably.
• ** Saves battery life** – Dark mode uses less battery power, especially on OLED smartphone screens where black pixels do not emit any light.
• Looks sleek – Many people find the aesthetics of dark mode to be cleaner and more modern.

How to Enable Dark Mode on Mobile

Enabling dark mode on the Google Docs mobile app is simple:

1. Open the Google Docs app on your Android or iOS device
2. Tap on the menu icon in the top left corner
3. Select Settings
4. Choose Theme
5. Tap on Dark to enable dark mode

The Google Docs app will now display documents with a dark background and light text. This setting carries over to Google Sheets and Google Slides as well.

How to Enable Dark Mode on Desktop using Extensions

Since the desktop version of Google Docs does not support dark mode natively, you need to use a third party browser extension. Here are the steps:

Google Chrome

1. Install Google Docs Dark Mode from the Chrome Web Store
2. Once installed, the extension will automatically enable dark mode on Google Docs
3. You can toggle dark mode on or off by clicking on the extension icon

Mozilla Firefox

1. Install Dark Reader which forces dark mode on all websites
2. Customize options for Google Docs specifically under the site list
3. Toggle the extension on or off via the toolbar icon

Microsoft Edge

1. Install Dark Reader from the Edge Add-ons store
2. Follow same instructions for customizing and toggling as Firefox

Previewing Documents in Light Mode

When you enable dark mode in Google Docs, it changes the background color to dark and text color to light. However, collaborators on your documents may still have light mode enabled.

To preview how your document will look to collaborators using light mode:

1. Open the Google Docs document
2. Click on the More menu in the top right
3. Select View in light theme

The document background will temporarily switch to white so you can confirm formatting and colors look as expected.

Customizing Dark Mode

Some browser extensions allow customizing dark mode to get the right balance:

• Adjust background color and opacity
• Change font style and weight
• Enable dark mode for images
• Set conditions like time of day to enable dark mode

Play around with the settings until dark mode in Google Docs feels comfortable for your eyes.

Should You Use Dark Mode?

While dark mode generally aims to reduce eye strain by lowering brightness and blue light exposure, some studies suggest light mode may allow faster reading comprehension for some users.

In the end, dark mode vs. light mode comes down to personal preference. If you frequently work on documents in low light conditions, dark mode can provide a better viewing experience. But it likely will not drastically transform how long you can stare at a screen without eye strain.

Give dark mode in Google Docs a try to see if you find it helps with focus and visual comfort, or stick to light mode if you prefer reading on a bright white background. Having the option to enable dark mode along with extensions that allow fully customizing your theme provides flexibility to suit your needs.