Dark Mode

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Dark Mode:

Why Noir is my all-time favorite Safari extension [Awesome Apps]

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Meet my favorite Safari extension.
Meet my favorite Safari extension.
Screenshot: Joe White/Cult of Mac

There are loads of Safari web extensions in the App Store, all of which pimp out Apple’s mobile browser in interesting and exciting ways. But the very best Safari web extension is called Noir. This must-have extension brings Dark Mode support to every website you visit.

Here’s why you should download it immediately.

Full-on ‘Dark Mode’ brings creativity into focus [Setups]

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The setup proper in
The setup proper in "Dark Mode." Atmospheric, eh? It's a space dedicated to creativity, but it also helps with focus.
Photo: Chris Denbow

Photographer and writer Chris Denbow puts an interesting twist on his computer setup. He credits its “Dark Mode” — which is obvious in the photographs of the desk and the room, but extends to the machines and the software he uses — for boosting his focus and creativity. He said the dark theme gives him a “space dedicated to creativity.”

“Introducing ‘Dark Mode,’ a minimal, monochromatic home office/workspace that helps eliminate distractions, [and] allows focus and productivity,” Denbow told Cult of Mac.

Toggle Dark Mode with a tap using Control Center on iOS and Mac [Pro tip]

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There's no need to dig around inside the Settings app to activate dark mode on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
There's no need to dig around inside the Settings app.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Control Center Pro Tips WeekWe want to help you master Control Center, one of the most powerful and underutilized features on Apple devices. Cult of Mac’s Control Center Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of this useful toolbox on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.

There’s no need to dig around inside the Settings app to activate Dark Mode on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Simply add the Dark Mode button to Control Center and you can quickly toggle it on or off in just a tap.

We’ll show you how in this Control Center pro tip.

Shop in the inky shadows of Apple Store’s new Dark Mode

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Apple Store’s new Dark Mode
Look for a new Mac or Apple Watch while in a darkened room without being blinded with the latest version of the Apple Store app.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Any developer taking flack for not yet adding Dark Mode to their software can take solace in the fact that the Apple Store app for iOS only now adopted this alternate look.

Shop for a new device or look for Today at Apple sessions in the dark more easily, thanks to this new version.

The great Dark Mode delay [Cult of Mac Magazine 348]

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Why so seriously slow? Adding Dark Mode is no cakewalk.
Why so seriously slow? Adding Dark Mode is no cakewalk.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

If your favorite apps don’t yet support Dark Mode, there’s a good reason. Making their apps work with Dark Mode can be a total pain in the butt for devs.

Get an inside look at the travails of adding this popular feature in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for that story, plus the rest of the week’s top Apple news, reviews and how-tos. (There’s plenty on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, too.)

Why it’s taking so long for apps to add Dark Mode

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Has your favorite app embraced the dark side yet?
Has your favorite app embraced the dark side yet?
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

This week, I finally got around to adding Dark Mode support to Reps & Sets, the iPhone bodybuilding app I develop as a side hustle. That’s almost a year after Apple first announced the feature at its Worldwide Developers Conference.

What took me so long? Supporting Dark Mode is not as simple as it seems. It’s not just indie devs like me who have struggled with it, either. WhatsApp only recently added Dark Mode support, and Facebook is still beta-testing it.

So if you’re waiting for your favorite app to switch to the dark side, here’s why it might be taking so long.

WhatsApp’s long-awaited dark mode finally on its way to iPhone

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WhatsApp-dark-mode
It's in beta testing now!
Photo: WhatsApp/Cult of Mac

Being blinded by WhatsApp’s bright white interface when replying to a late-night text will soon be a thing of the past. The messaging app’s long-awaited dark mode is finally on its way to iPhone.

Beta testers already have access to the new look, which means we should all be able to enjoy it soon.

Mode sombre: Google Translate app finally gets Dark Mode option

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Mode sombre: Google Translate app finally gets Dark Mode option
Five months after Dark Mode debuted on iOS 13.
Photo: Google

Google has finally given its Translate app for iPhone and iPad a Dark Mode overhaul, adding a stylish graphical overhaul that’s also easier on your eyes (and, theoretically, your battery life.)

The update comes five months after Apple officially joined the dark side by adding a much anticipated Dark Mode feature for iOS 13.

Dropbox finally gets a dark mode on iPhone and iPad

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Dropbox-dark-mode-iPad
Get the newest update today.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The latest Dropbox update finally brings dark mode to iPhone and iPad.

The feature works alongside your system settings, so it can be enabled and disabled automatically based on your dark mode schedule. That means Dropbox will no longer blind you at night.

Does Apple’s Night Shift mode really work? New study questions its effectiveness.

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The Night Shift mode on Apple products may not be worth the hype. Using dim, cooler lights in the evening may be more beneficial to our sleep and health.
The Night Shift mode on Apple products may not live up to the hype.
Photo: Envato Elements

Blue light from iPhones or MacBook Pros might not be keeping people up at night as originally thought, according to new research.

The bottom line … the Night Shift mode on Apple products — meant to dial down the amount of blue light emitted by displays — may not be as effective as expected. Using dim, cooler lights in the evening, and bright, warmer lights in the day might prove more beneficial to our health.

How to add a Dark Mode toggle to the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar

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The homemade Dark Mode button lets you toggle between Dark Mode and the MacBook Pro's regular appearance, right from your Touch Bar.
The homemade Dark Mode button.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The Mac’s Dark Mode isn’t bad. It’s definitely a better view when quickly checking something on your Mac late in the evening. But unless you have it set to switch automatically, toggling Dark Mode on and off is a pain. So, with a shiny new MacBook Pro in front of me, I decided to put the Touch Bar to use.

Did you know you can add your own buttons to the Touch Bar? You can, and it’s totally rad.

Force websites to comply with macOS Catalina’s Safari Dark Mode

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Dark mode for safari
Sometimes only Dark Mode will do.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

I stopped reading white text on a black background the moment I left school, and I’ve never liked it since. Especially on a screen, where the black expanse becomes a dark mirror that reflects everything in its sight. But even I prefer Dark Mode late at night, when I want to read without disturbing other people.

The trouble is, many websites don’t support Dark Mode. Everything else in Safari is rendered in tasteful black, but the page itself is still rendered in glaring white. Happily, on the Mac at least, there’s a way to fix it. Here’s how to force any website to support Safari Dark Mode on Mac.

Gmail finally goes dark for iOS 13

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Gmail iOS iPhone X
Get the latest update today.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Gmail is the latest to pick up a brand-new dark mode for iOS 13.

Google started making the feature available to a small number of users back in September — but now all should be able to take advantage of it. And it looks particularly good on OLED displays.

Microsoft brings dark mode to Office apps on iOS

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Office-dark-mode-iOS
Download the updates today.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Microsoft today rolled out a bunch of updates that bring a long-awaited dark mode to its Office suite on iOS.

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are all a little easier on the eyes (if you want them to be). Dark mode will also help them be kinder on battery life on iPhone models with OLED displays.

iWork iOS apps get the feature we’ve been dying for

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iWork
Apple gave all of its iWork apps some love today.
Photo: Apple

Apple put out a big update for its iWork suite of iOS apps this morning, bringing a bunch of new features to the iPhone and iPad apps, including Dark Mode.

The update for Numbers 5.2, Pages 5.2 and Keynote 5.2 are available for free from the App Store, inside you’ll find some new font features, support for multiple windows, the ability to add HVEC-movies, and the option to access files from a USB drive or external hard drive.

What you need to know about Dark Mode on iOS 13

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Dark Mode on iPadOS
Dark Mode is available in iPadOS too.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone finally joined the dark side with the new Dark Mode feature introduced in iOS 13. Apple delighted fans who have been clamoring for the feature for years — and it appears the wait has been worth it.

After using Dark Mode, I don’t think I’ll be going back to the bright white iOS interface anytime soon. Apple poured a bunch of thought into Dark Mode so that it does more than just make everything black.

iOS 13 is out now, but here’s why you might wait to install it

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iOS 13
iOS 13 is loaded with new features.
Screen capture: Apple

The long wait for the next version of iOS is finally over. Apple just released the upgrade to iOS 13 to iPhone users, bringing Dark Mode, a better version of Safari, and lots more improvements.

iPad users won’t get their version until next week. And even iPhone owners might consider holding off until that same time.