Google Docs defaults to a light theme in most cases, but there’s an easy way to enable dark mode on Android, iPhone, iPad, and even in Google Chrome while writing on your computer. We’ll show you how.
While we’ll be focusing on Google Docs, you should know that the steps are exactly the same for Google Sheets and Google Slides.
RELATED: The Beginner’s Guide to Google Docs
Enable Dark Mode in Google Docs on Google Chrome
Google Chrome on desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux) allows you to enable dark mode in Google Docs (but do remember that this method forces dark mode on all websites). Follow these steps, but beware that, at the time of writing, it’s hidden behind a Chrome flag.
Warning: This feature is not available to everyone for a reason. Flags may not work correctly and can negatively impact your browser’s performance. Enable flags at your own risk.
RELATED: How to Enable Google Chrome Flags to Test Beta Features
In the address bar at the top of your Google Chrome browser, type chrome://flags.
Use the search box at the top to look for “Force Dark Mode.”
Click the drop-down menu next to Force Dark Mode for Web Contents and select “Enabled.”
Chrome will show you a prompt asking you to relaunch the browser to apply these changes. Make sure that you don’t have any unsaved work in the browser, and then click “Relaunch.”
Open the Google Docs website and you’ll see that the page color is now black and that the font color is now white.
Enable Dark Mode on Google Docs for Android or iPhone
The Google Docs app on Android and iPhone lets you quickly switch between light and dark themes. If you’ve enabled systemwide dark mode on Android or iPhone, Google Docs will have it enabled by default. However, if you want dark mode on Google Docs only, here’s what you need to do.
Open Google Docs and tap the three-line menu icon in the top-left corner.
Next, select “Settings.”
Now, choose the “Theme” option, which will allow you to pick dark mode. This option is called “Choose Theme” on Android.
Select “Dark.”
All documents in Google Docs will now open in dark mode. However, you can view documents in light theme if you wish. To do that, open any document in Google Docs and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
Toggle on “View in Light Theme.”
This will switch all documents in Google Docs to its light theme while still keeping the app in dark mode.
Now that you’ve started using Google Docs, you should find out how to view recent changes to your documents. While you’re at it, you should also check out how to use voice typing on Google Docs.
RELATED: How to See Recent Changes to Your Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides File
