Dark mode is everywhere. All the major operating systems—Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS—now offer dark themes, which default to light text on a black background. It looks really cool, and tech companies argue that dark mode will improve the time you spend on a screen.
Microsoft says dark mode can “reduce eye strain.” Google says it “improves visibility for users with low vision and those who are sensitive to bright light.” The marketing message got through: people want this.
I use dark mode on all of my devices, and have done for the last ~3 years. But I wanted to figure out whether it actually impacts productivity as much as I think it does—or if it’s just a design hack to get me spending more time in front of screens.
Table of contents:
What is dark mode?
Dark mode is a device or app setting that turns your screen from the standard black-text-on-white-background theme to the opposite. It’s higher contrast and helps to reduce blue light exposure, preserve battery life, and make apps look more aesthetically pleasing.
Also known as “dark theme” or “night mode,” it’s been implemented by UX designers at brands like Microsoft, Google, and Apple. Most browsers, apps, and devices now have dark mode functionality, so you can ditch the harsh white screens in favor of more muted versions.
The benefits of dark mode
Dark mode isn’t just a design trend. Here are some of the benefits of switching over to it.
Reduced blue light exposure
Dark mode is easier on the eyes and can reduce strain (which is important if, like me, you stare at screens all day long). When your screen is in dark mode, you’re not staring into artificial blue light—which is known to impact sleep, cognitive performance, and alertness.
Even if you don’t go full dark mode, using it at certain times of the day—for example, in the evenings just before you go to sleep—can reduce blue light exposure and help you drift off more easily.
The long-term effects of overexposure are even more concerning. Harvard reports that excessive and constant blue light exposure can cause damage to the retinal cells in your eyes and contribute to more serious vision problems.
Save battery life
Most companies claim that dark mode can save battery life. Dimming a lightbulb uses less energy, so why wouldn’t darker screens work the same way?
The truth is a little more complicated: dark mode really can save battery life, but the most impactful savings come if you’re using the display setting on a premium device with an OLED display. This is because backlit LED screens, which are found in most older computers and phones, don’t actually use less energy to project black.
This is changing, however, because of OLED, which is a new kind of screen that’s offered in premium devices. For example, there’s rumors that all iPhones sold after 2025 will have OLED screens. On these displays, black pixels actually cast no light—which makes the case for dark mode’s battery saving abilities.
Aesthetic appeal
An aesthetic-looking workspace might not have a well-documented impact on productivity, but I’m more likely to enjoy apps if I like how they look. So if you like the vibe of dark mode, that might be reason enough to switch.
The downsides of dark mode
The backlash against dark mode arguably started with Adam Engst’s extremely detailed article for TidBITS, which argues that light text on a dark background is objectively worse than the traditional black on white. It argues there are very few contexts, in the natural world, where bright things show up against a dark backdrop, and this shaped how our eyes evolved.
Research shows that this has consequences. A Wired article mentions research by Susanne Mayr, a researcher at the University of Passau in Germany. In six different studies, she found that subjects have a higher reading comprehension while reading black text on white backgrounds.
Dark mode is also objectively worse for people with astigmatism, an eye condition which is surprisingly common. A Gizmodo article cited Jason Harrison, then a postgraduate researcher at the Sensory Perception & Interaction Research Group at the University of British Columbia in Canada:
“People with astigmatism (approximately 50% of the population) find it harder to read white text on black than black text on white. Part of this has to do with light levels: with a bright display (white background) the iris closes a bit more, decreasing the effect of the “deformed” lens; with a dark display (black background) the iris opens to receive more light and the deformation of the lens creates a much fuzzier focus at the eye.
None of this is to say that you shouldn’t use dark mode, assuming you like it. It’s just to say that research suggests that, for most people, it won’t result in a productivity boost, and if anything, it might make you slightly less productive.
How to enable dark mode
If you’ve decided to give dark mode a try, here are tutorials for the most common devices.
Note: Most apps give you the option to turn on dark mode just for the app or to use your device’s settings. If you want to just turn on dark mode for Instagram, for example, you can follow the platform’s instructions or change the settings on your device.
On iPhone and iPad
To enable dark mode on your iPhone or iPad:
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Open the Settings app.
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Tap Display & Brightness.
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Under Appearance, choose Dark.
You can also set Dark Mode to turn on automatically. On the same Display & Brightness screen, toggle the Automatic button. Tap Options, and either set a custom schedule, or choose Sunrise to Sunset. The latter uses your location data to determine the sunrise and sunset for that day and adjust your screen’s display setting automatically.
Alternatively, you can toggle between the two display modes by adding the dark mode module to your Control Center:
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Slide down from the top-right of your screen.
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Long press a blank area until your options are highlighted.
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Tap Add a Control.
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Select Dark mode.
On Android
To turn on dark mode on an Android smartphone:
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Open Settings.
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Tap Display.
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Click Dark theme.
You can also swipe down from the top of your screen to open Quick Settings. Tap the Dark theme icon to turn it on or off quickly. (Note: you might need to tap the Edit button to add this feature to your Quick Settings.)
On Mac
Here’s how to enable dark mode on a Mac:
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Open your System Settings.
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Click Appearance.
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Switch to Dark.
Again, if you don’t want to switch to dark mode permanently, use the Auto setting to toggle between dark and light mode depending on the time of day.
In browser
Chrome
The process for enabling dark mode on Chrome depends on the device you’re using it on.
If you’re using Chrome on desktop (either Windows or Mac) or through the Chrome app for iPhone/iPad, the browser will match your system’s theme. This means if you’ve enabled dark mode on your computer or iPhone, Chrome will automatically load in dark mode too.
If you’re using the app on an Android device, there are more Chrome customization options available:
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Open the Chrome App.
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Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.
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Go to Settings.
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Choose Theme.
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Select Dark mode (or system default to use your device’s default settings).
Safari
Safari doesn’t have a standalone feature to turn the browser into dark mode. Instead, it relies on your device’s settings to determine the display mode. Follow the steps above to enable dark mode on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, then reload Safari to enjoy the darker theme.
Microsoft Edge
To turn on dark mode on the desktop version of Microsoft Edge:
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Open the browser.
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Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.
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Go to Settings.
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Choose Appearance.
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Under Theme, select Dark mode or System default to match your device’s settings.
Alternatives to dark mode
If dark mode leads you to scrolling when you should be sleeping or focusing on something more important, dark mode might actually derail productivity—not help it.
Here are some alternatives if you’re not ready to go fully into the dark:
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Schedule dark mode. Dark mode is great in low-light environments, but less so during the day. One compromise is to use light mode during the day and dark mode at night. Android’s “Bedtime Mode” and Apple’s “Auto Appearance” feature on Mac can trigger this automatically.
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Use blue light glasses. These accessories diminish blue light before it goes into your eyes. Most eyewear brands offer the filters built into their lenses, so you can check this box once and never think about excessive blue light exposure again.
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Use a screen tint. These colored overlays stick onto your device’s screen to tone down the light and colors coming out of it. You can pick up desktop versions for around $20 on Amazon, or download a screen tint app on your smartphone’s App Store to get the same effect.
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Read on paper-like displays. eReaders and digital notebooks use paperlike displays. There’s no backlit screen (the part that emits blue light), making them a great alternative to dark mode.
Is dark mode worth it?
While dark mode can save battery life, reduce blue light exposure, and make your devices look more aesthetically pleasing, the conclusion is: there’s no hard evidence on whether it impacts your productivity.
Instead, I invite you to do your own experiments. Enable dark mode on your devices, or turn it on at certain parts of the day (e.g., just before bed) and see if you notice a difference.
Dark mode FAQs
What is the point of dark mode?
People use dark mode to reduce eye strain and limit how much blue light they’re taking in. Others opt for dark mode as a design choice to make their screens look more aesthetically pleasing.
Is dark mode healthy for your eyes?
In some scenarios, dark mode is healthier for your eyes because it reduces how much blue light you take in. In low-light environments, in particular, dark mode reduces screen brightness, which can reduce eye strain and help your eyes adjust.
Is dark mode good for productivity?
There is no proven evidence to show that dark mode is beneficial for productivity. Most people use it to reduce blue light exposure, make their screens more aesthetically pleasing, and save battery life.
This article was originally published in November 2019 by Justin Pot. The most recent update was in June 2025.