How to make youtube app dark mode

To enable dark mode on the YouTube website, click your profile picture, then select Appearance > Dark Mode. On an iPhone or iPad, tap your profile picture, then go to Settings > General > Dark theme. On an Android device, tap your profile picture, then navigate to Settings > General > Appearance > Dark Theme.

YouTube’s dark mode provides an easier-on-the-eyes viewing experience. It’s particularly nice when watching videos in the dark or at night. YouTube’s dark theme is available on the YouTube website and in YouTube’s mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android.

Table of Contents

Enable Dark Mode On the Web
Enable Dark Mode On iPhone and iPad
Enable Dark Mode On Android

Enable Dark Mode On the Web

On YouTube’s desktop website, click your profile icon found in the top-right corner of the page. Then select the “Appearance: Device Theme” option in the menu.

How to make youtube app dark mode

If you aren’t signed in, click the menu button (it looks like three vertical dots) instead. You’ll find the same “Appearance: Device Theme” option here.

How to make youtube app dark mode

By default, YouTube will follow your computer’s system-wide theme settings. Choose “Dark Theme” from the following page. This setting applies to your current web browser only, so you’ll have to enable the dark theme on each computer you use—it doesn’t sync with your Google account.

How to make youtube app dark mode

To undo this change, click your profile picture or three-button menu button again, select “Appearance: Dark,” and choose “Use Device Theme” (if your computer is using a system-wide light mode) or “Light Theme.”

For a complete dark mode on your desktop, enable dark mode in your Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge browser. You can also enable a dark theme in Gmail, too. You can also activate Windows 10’s built-in dark mode.

RELATED: How to Enable Dark Mode for Google Chrome

Enable Dark Mode On iPhone and iPad

The YouTube app for iPhone and iPad has its own dark mode option, too. To enable it, open the app and tap your profile icon in the top-right corner of your screen.

How to make youtube app dark mode

Next, tap “Settings” found at the bottom of the menu that appears.

How to make youtube app dark mode

Choose the “General” option.

How to make youtube app dark mode

Finally, toggle on “Dark Theme.”

How to make youtube app dark mode

To use YouTube’s normal light theme again, return to this submenu and toggle off the “Dark Theme” slider.

RELATED: Dark Mode Isn’t Better For You, But We Love It Anyway

Enable Dark Mode On Android

As with the other platforms, the YouTube for Android app follows your device’s system-wide theme settings. But if you don’t want everything on your Android phone or tablet to be in dark mode, you can manually change it in the YouTube app.

RELATED: How to Turn on Dark Mode on Android

Start by opening the app on your Android device and tapping on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the screen.

How to make youtube app dark mode

Next, select the “Settings” option found at the bottom of the menu.

How to make youtube app dark mode

From there, choose “General.”

How to make youtube app dark mode

Select “Appearance” from the list of options. This menu is where you can choose between a dark and light theme.

How to make youtube app dark mode

The “Use Device Theme” option will be highlighted by default. Select “Dark Theme” to instantly transform the YouTube app’s interface.

YouTube is a dark place filled with misinformation and radicalisation rabbit holes, so it isn't a great idea to spend a lot of time following its breadcrumb trail of suggested videos. But if you or a loved one still insist on doing so — or are brashly confident in your unique ability to resist the YouTube algorithm Pied Piper — dimming the video streaming platform's background by turning on its night mode could help reduce glare.

Here's how to turn on dark mode when using YouTube's desktop website.

  1. Open YouTube.

  2. If you're logged in, click on the profile icon in the top right corner. If you aren't logged in, click on the "⋮" vertical ellipsis in the top right corner. This will open a menu.

  3. Click "Appearance" (it will be next to a crescent moon icon). This will open another menu.

  4. Choose "Dark theme." You can also choose "Light theme" if you want to switch back, or "Use device theme" if you want YouTube to conform to the rest of your computer's theme settings.

SEE ALSO: How to turn on Reddit's dark mode

Here's how to turn on dark mode in the YouTube mobile app.

  1. Open YouTube.

  2. Tap on the profile icon in the top right corner. This will open a menu.

  3. Tap "Settings," then tap "General." 

  4. Tap the "Dark theme" toggle to turn the mode on or off.

YouTube's night mode won't do anything to stop your brain's slide into dangerous conspiracy theories. But at least it might save your eyes some strain.