It has been proven that long exposures to screen light can affect your eyesight negatively. If you have to spend a long time working on a computer screen, you need to find a way to protect your eyes. Apple has introduced dark mode in its Mac devices to help you better safeguard your eyes. It requires a couple of clicks to enable dark mode on Mac.
Stick with the article to learn different ways to turn on dark mode on Mac. It will also explain methods to switch to dark mode on different macOS versions.
CONTENTS
Method 1: Enable Dark Mode on Mac via System Settings
The easiest way to enable dark or light mode on your Mac is to use its system settings. Depending on which macOS version you are using, the process to enable dark mode can differ slightly. The dark mode is only available on macOS Mojave and later versions. Below are the steps needed to enable dark mode on Mac via the system setting:
For macOS Ventura
Step 1: Navigate to “System Settings” in the Dock and click it. Now navigate to and select “Appearance” from the left toolbar.
Step 2: Here, you can choose “Dark” to enable the dark mode on your Mac. You can also accent color to compliment the dark mode.
For macOS Mojave to macOS Monterey
Step 1: Click the Apple logo from the top left corner and select “System Preferences.” Move to “General” and tap it.
Step 2: Select “Dark” from the “Appearance” section located at the top of the “General” settings. It will enable dark mode on your Mac.
Method 2: Switch to Dark Mode via Control Center
Apple has introduced “Control Center” to quickly access some most used features in macOS Big Sur and later versions. It allows you to quickly use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, and many more features without going through complex procedures. You can also switch to dark mode on Mac using the display tab in Control Center. Follow these steps to switch to dark mode via Control Center.
Step 1: On your Mac, go to the “Control Center” located in the top right corner and click it. The icon will be located between the “Date” and “Wi-Fi” icons on Mac’s screen.
Step 2: Press the “Display” tab in the Control Center to open quick display settings. Here, switch on the dark mode by tapping “Dark Mode.”
Method 3: Turn on Dark Mode with Siri
It is also possible to use “Siri,” the virtual assistant developed by Apple, to turn on or off the dark mode on your Mac. First introduced in macOS Sierra, Siri has been an integral component of macOS. It allows users to run Mac processes using voice commands. If your Mac is compatible with Siri, you can use the following steps to use it to turn on dark mode on your Mac:
Step 1: Activate Siri on your Mac by saying, “Hey Siri.” You can also use Siri by pressing the “Siri” icon from the top right corner of your Mac’s screen.
Step 2: Once enabled, use a voice command like “Turn on dark mode” or “Switch to dark mode.” It will enable the dark mode on your Mac using Siri.
Method 4: Make Dark Mode with Mac Shortcuts App
If you switch between dark and light modes on your Mac frequently, you can make a dark mode shortcut to avoid using settings. Apple provides a great Shortcuts app on macOS, which can be used to create different shortcuts easily. It is excellent for people who want to keep their most used settings at a tap away. Here is how you can make dark mode on Mac shortcut:
Step 1: Use the “Command + Space” key to open Spotlight Search. Here, search “shortcuts, ” select the “Shortcuts” app, and open it.
Step 2: Tap the “+” icon from the top right corner and search “dark mode” on the right sidebar. Now drag the “Set Appearance” from the right sidebar to the main area.
Step 3: Click the “i” icon from the right sidebar and press “Add Keyboard Shortcut.” Here you can define your desired keyboard shortcut key to easily toggle the dark mode.
Method 5: Toggle Dark Mode with Third-Party Software
In case none of the above-given methods not working for you or you use a macOS with no dark mode support, you can use a third-party app. There are multiple apps available on the internet like this. NightOwl is one the lightest and safest apps to install on your Mac for dark mode. Below are the steps that can be followed to use NightOwl to enable dark mode on Mac:
Step 1: Download and install “NightOwl” from its official website on your Mac. Once it is installed, open it and provide the required permissions.
Step 2: A toggle button to enable or disable dark mode through NightOwl will appear on the top toolbar of your Mac’s screen. You can use it to turn on dark mode whenever you need.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained 5 different ways to switch to dark mode on Mac. These methods ranged from using Mac’s own settings to using third-party software. You should be able to use one of these methods to enable dark mode on your Mac. It is an important utility that provides you with a distraction-less working environment and protects your eyes.
