Tired of Glare? Unlock Google Docs Dark Mode on ALL Your Devices (Yes, Desktop Too!)

Dark mode has become a fixture among devices and apps, but some platforms still don’t fully support it. Google Docs is one of those frustratingly light mode-only services, but fear not. You can use dark mode in Google Docs through a few workarounds.

No matter what kind of device or browser you use, there’s a Google Docs dark mode method out there for you. Here’s a closer look at all the ways you can activate it.

Activate Google Docs Dark Mode on Mobile

Google Docs has a built-in dark mode, but you’ll notice from Google’s official support page that it’s only on iOS and Android. Still, it’s a handy feature if you use Docs, Sheets or Slides on your phone.

Activating dark mode on iOS or Android is fairly straightforward. Start by opening the Google Docs app and tapping the Menu icon in the top left. From there, tap “Settings,” and then tap “Theme” if you’re on iOS or “Choose Theme” if you’re using an Android device.

Here, you’ll see options for “Light,” “Dark” and whatever your device is currently using as a default. Your app may already be in dark mode if your Android or iPhone’s settings have this setting turned on. Once you tap the theme of your choice, you can exit out of the settings, and you’ll be ready to roll.

Use Your Computer’s Accessibility Settings

While there may be no official Google Docs dark mode on desktop, you can use your computer’s accessibility settings as a workaround. Inverting the colors will typically override a website’s defaults, so even though Docs doesn’t have built-in support for a night mode, it will appear darker.

In Windows 11, which you should upgrade to before October 2025, open the “Start” menu and go to “Settings.” Open the “Accessibility” tab, and click “Color Filters.” 

In this submenu, you’ll see a few different options, but “Inverted” is the one you want. Make sure you have filters enabled with the button at the top, then select “Inverted.” Activating this will make all colors the opposite of their default, so some icons may look strange, but it will make backgrounds and pages in Google Docs black and the text white.

The process is largely the same on Windows 10, but the filter options will be under “Ease of Access,” not “Accessibility.”

It’s a similar process on a Mac, too. Open the Apple Menu, go to “System Settings,” then select “Accessibility” on the sidebar. Click “Display,” then click the switch for “Invert Colors.” Alternatively, you could turn on Night Mode in macOS, but it may not change the appearance of the sheets in Google Docs.

Use a Browser Extension on Desktop

One of the more popular ways to turn on dark mode in Google Docs is to use a browser extension. There are a few options here, but Dark Reader is one of the best.

Find Dark Reader in the Chrome Web Store. Click the “Add to Chrome” button and confirm when Chrome prompts you with a pop-up window. Once installed, Dark Reader will open a tab where you can donate, but you don’t have to pay to use it if you don’t want to.

From there, using the plugin is simple. Tap the icon in your extensions bar whenever you want to turn it on, and click the button in the top right corner to switch it on or off. You can also adjust several visual settings and set defaults for various websites if you feel so led.

Turn on Dark Mode in Firefox

Chrome is by far the most popular browser, but if you’re one of the 2.55% of people who use Firefox instead, you have another option for unlocking Google Docs dark mode. Firefox’s contrast settings let you override a website’s default colors.

Start by going into Firefox’s Settings and scrolling down to “Language and Appearance.” You’ll see an option for “Dark” mode, but the “Contrast Control” is what you want. Set that option to “Custom,” then click “Manage Colors.”

By default, “Text” is set to black and “Background” is set to white. Click each of these rectangles to pull up your color options and choose the inverse — white for “Text” and black for “Background.” Once you finish that, click “OK,” and your browser colors will be inverted.

It’s worth noting that the actual pages in Google Docs will remain white. However, the background and menus around them will be black, which is closer than you can get with Google’s built-in settings.

Use Browser Flags

Another way to turn on dark mode in Google Docs is through experimental browser features called “flags.” Both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, which uses the same underlying open-source code, support flags, including one for a browser dark mode.

Google Chrome

Open a new Chrome window and type “chrome://flags” into the search box. This will take you to a screen warning that some of the experimental features may affect your security or browser performance. That’s worth considering, so proceed with caution. Personally, I’d recommend going with an extension like Dark Reader, but you should choose for yourself.

Search for “dark mode” in the box at the top of the screen, and you’ll see an option come up. In the drop-down menu, select “Enabled” and relaunch your browser when prompted.

Microsoft Edge

The process is almost identical in Edge. The only difference is that you’ll type “edge://flags” into the search bar instead of “chrome.” Apart from that, follow all the steps above to enable dark mode.

Make Your Own Dark Mode in Google Docs

Finally, you can create your own Dark Mode in Google Docs itself. Open Docs and create a new document to begin. In the doc, click “File” and select “Page setup” from the drop-down menu.

Click “Pageless” at the top of the pop-up window, then set the background color to black or whichever dark color you prefer. Click “OK,” and the page on the screen will be black. The menus around it will still be their normal color, unless you have a browser dark mode activated.

Of course, you have to be able to see your text, too, so you’ll need to change the text color. Click the text color icon at the top and set it to white or another light color. Click the little arrow at the top-right corner to hide menus and make the document take up more of the screen if you want more of the display to be black.

Why Should You Turn on Google Docs Dark Mode?

So, why go through all of this trouble? Turning on dark mode can improve your battery life, as your screen won’t be as bright. That could make a big difference if you spend a lot of time working in Google Docs like I do.

The same goes for straining your eyes. I’ve noticed my eyes get tired after staring at a bright screen all day, and setting Google Docs to dark mode can ease things up a bit. The difference will be most noticeable if you’re in a darker room to begin with.

Some people simply prefer the aesthetic of a darker screen, too. Regardless, whether you want to save your eyes or want your browser to go goth, you have plenty of options for making Google Docs a little darker.

Unlock Google Docs Dark Mode on Any Device

No matter what device you use, browser you prefer or appearance you like, there’s a Google Docs dark mode method that works for you. Google may one day roll out built-in support on desktop, but for now, you can use these steps to turn the lights down.