Dark mode isn’t just a trendy feature—it’s an essential tool for reducing eye strain and saving battery life on devices. With its growing popularity, many apps and operating systems, including Windows, have integrated dark mode to cater to user demands.
Here’s a straightforward guide on how to activate dark mode in Windows, Google Chrome, Microsoft Word, and Gmail, enhancing your digital experience.
Activating Dark Mode in Windows
Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft has integrated a native dark mode that’s easy to enable:
- Start Menu: Click the Windows button or press the Windows key on your keyboard.
- Settings: Click the gear icon to open settings.
- Personalization: Navigate to this option.
- Colors: Find this selection in the sidebar.
- Choose Your Color: Select ‘Dark’ under the “Choose your color” menu.
This change will apply a dark theme across the system, affecting all compatible apps and interface elements.
Enabling Dark Mode in Google Chrome
Google Chrome offers a dark mode that can match your system settings or be set independently:
- Open Chrome: Click on the three dots in the upper right corner to access the menu.
- Settings: Scroll down to this option.
- Appearance: Find this on the sidebar.
- Theme: Here, you can select ‘Light’, ‘Dark’, or ‘Device’ to sync with your Windows theme.
Setting Chrome to ‘Device’ mode will automatically apply Windows’ dark or light theme to the browser.
Switching to Dark Mode in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word has recently embraced dark mode, which is especially useful for long writing sessions:
- Open Word: Start with a new document or an existing file.
- Account Settings: Click on your account.
- Office Theme: Select ‘Black’ from the options to enable dark mode.
Word also offers a system setting option that adjusts the theme based on your Windows settings.
Turning on Dark Mode in Gmail
Gmail allows for various themes, including dark mode, offering a personalized email experience:
- Open Gmail: Use any browser, not just Chrome.
- Settings: Click the gear icon in the upper right corner.
- Themes: Choose ‘Dark’ or any other preferred theme.
Gmail also lets you customize your background, including the option to use personal photos from Google Photos.
Why Use Dark Mode?
Dark mode not only helps in reducing the glare from your screen, which can lead to less eye fatigue during extended use, but it’s also beneficial for devices with AMOLED or OLED screens, significantly reducing battery consumption. For instance, at 50% brightness, dark mode can save up to 14% battery, which can increase to 60% at lower brightness levels.
With these simple steps, you can switch to dark mode across your most-used applications and enjoy a more comfortable digital environment, whether you’re working late hours, gaming, or just browsing the internet.