How To

How To Make Mac Dark Mode

March 25, 2024

In the OS X 10.10 Yosemite release, Apple included a dark mode for Mac users. Before Apple rebranded OS X as macOS, Yosemite was released in 2014. Since then, dark mode has been included in every macOS update. One can switch to night mode for various reasons.

It’s easier on the eyes, particularly in dim lighting. It can also help you concentrate on the material at hand rather than the user interface, making for a somewhat less distracting screen. In some cases, you may even be able to get a little more use out of your battery.

Once upon a time, a dark theme for Mac required the use of a third-party software. To activate the dark theme in Mac OS, all you need to do now is use the system preferences. Some versions of macOS allow you to switch to “auto” mode, which we’ll discuss further down.

Here, we outline four simple approaches to achieving dark mode on a Mac and provide detailed instructions for each. We also cover the process of enabling dark mode in earlier releases of macOS. What are we waiting for?

Instructional Guides How To Make Mac Dark Mode:

Follow the links below for detailed instructions on activating dark mode on your Mac.

Method 1: Activating Dark Mode in Mac OS X’s Preferences

Here’s how to activate dark mode in macOS Ventura on your MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Pro, or Mac Mini.

To access System Preferences, either click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the menu bar or press the command plus space keyboard shortcut.
Once the system preferences menu has loaded, click the “Appearance” tab. There are three different colour schemes available in the Appearance panel: Light, Dark, and Auto.
Turn on night mode before closing the window.

If you’re using OS X Yosemite or later, or the older macOS Monterey or Big Sur (which are still receiving updates from Apple), then you can enable dark mode by following the instructions below.

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Method 2: How to Turn on Mac’s Night View in System Preferences

If you’re using macOS Big Sur (or later), you can toggle dark mode on and off quickly from the menu bar. To activate your MacBook’s dark mode, head to the system preferences menu and follow these steps:

To access this feature, select the menu item depicting two stacked sliders. A screenshot depicting this is provided below.
Select Display from the menu that appears after you’ve opened the Control Centre by clicking on the icon.
Toggle Dark Mode on and off by clicking the corresponding icon in the following panel.

If you’re using a Mac with Big Sur or later, this is one of the easiest ways to switch to dark mode in your MacBook Air. If you’re using macOS Ventura, however, accessing System Settings may be nearly as easy, requiring at most an extra click.

Method 3: Siri-Based Mac Dark Theme Activation

With macOS Big Sur and later, Apple added support for activating the dark theme via Siri. Here’s how to activate Siri’s night mode:

Say “Hey Siri” or tap the Siri button on the right side of the top toolbar to activate Siri.
Instruct Siri to “dark mode” or “turn dark mode on.”

Method 4: How to Activate Mac’s Night Shift Mode Automatically

Automatic activation of dark mode is available in macOS Catalina (2019) and later. Light mode can be used during the day, and dark mode can be used at night, to protect your eyes in both bright and dim environments. To activate automatic mode in macOS Ventura, follow these steps:

To access System Preferences, either click the Apple menu item (cmd + space bar) or the search tool (the magnifying glass icon on the far right of the menu bar).
Select the Appearance menu. Choose Automatic in the following menu.