How to Use Google Docs Dark Mode

This article explains how to use Google Docs dark mode, including how to turn Dark Mode on and off in the Google Docs web app and in the iOS and Android apps.

How to Turn On Dark Mode for Google Docs

The process for turning on Dark Mode in Google Docs is different depending on whether you’re using the mobile app on your phone or tablet or the web version in your browser. The mobile app has a native Dark Mode you can toggle on and off, but the web app doesn’t.

Use an Browser Extension to Enable Dark Mode on the Web

To enable Dark Mode on the Google Docs website, you need to install a web browser extension for your browser.

Here’s how to turn on Dark Mode on the Google Docs website:

1. Add a Google Docs Dark Mode extension to your web browser.

   The Google Docs In Dark extension from the Chrome Web Store is pictured here, and it works for both Chrome and Edge. There are numerous extensions that do the same job though, so you can also just search the extensions for your web browser and install one that meets your needs.

2. With a document open in Google Docs, click the Dark Mode extension icon in the upper right corner of the web browser window.

3. Click the toggle.

4. Google Docs will switch to Dark Mode. If the document doesn’t switch to dark mode immediately, refresh the page.

   Some web browser extensions don’t work with others. If you can’t get Google Docs In Dark to work, try disabling your ad block extension on Google Docs.

How to Turn On Dark Mode In the Google Docs App

The Google Docs app on Android and iOS has a built-in dark mode you turn on from inside the app. The process works exactly the same on both Android and iOS. When this option is enabled, the app itself and all of your docs will be displayed in Dark Mode. If you need to turn off Dark Mode temporarily to see how your document looks in Light Mode, the Google Docs app has a toggle for that.

Here’s how to turn on Dark Mode in the Google Docs app:

1. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the Google Docs app.

2. Tap Settings.

3. Tap Choose theme.

4. Tap Dark.

5. When you open your first document in Dark Mode, you'll need to tap OK to proceed.

   This step may not apply in the Android app.

How to Turn Off Dark Mode On the Google Docs Website

Since the Google Docs website relies on a browser extension to enable Dark Mode, you can permanently disable Dark Mode by disabling or removing the extension. If you only want to disable Dark Mode temporarily, or you only want to use it sometimes, then you can switch it off using the extension controls. This is usually accomplished by clicking the same toggle you used to turn on Dark Mode.

Here’s how to turn off Dark Mode on the Google Docs website:

1. Click the Google Docs Dark Mode extension icon in the upper right corner of your browser window.

2. Click the toggle to turn it off.

3. The extension will disable Dark Mode.

How to Turn Off Dark Mode in the Google Docs App

If you’re done with Dark Mode in the Google Docs app, you can switch it off the same way you turned it on by adjusting the default app theme. Here’s how to turn off Dark Mode in the Google Docs app:

1. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the Google Docs app.

2. Tap Settings.

3. Tap Choose theme.

4. Tap Light.

   If you select System Default, the app will switch between Light Mode and Dark Mode based on your phone’s default system settings.

Can You Check Light Mode in the Google Docs App?

If you like working in Dark Mode, but you need to see how your document looks in Light Mode, the Google Docs app has an easy toggle that you can use to flip between these modes without turning Dark Mode off throughout the entire app. This option is only available if the app is set to Dark Mode, so you won’t see the toggle at all if the app is set to Light Mode.

Here’s how to temporarily preview a document in Light Mode when Google Docs is set to Dark Mode:

1. With Dark Mode active, open a document.

2. Tap the menu icon.

3. Tap the View in light theme toggle.

4. The document will switch to Light mode.

   To stop previewing in Light Mode, tap the three horizontal dots icon and tap the Preview in light mode toggle again.