How to turn on Dark Mode on your Mac, to reduce eye strain and give your computer a sleek new look

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How to turn on Dark Mode on your Mac, to reduce eye strain and give your computer a sleek new look

macbook macos mojave dark mode

Apple

You can turn on Dark Mode on your Mac if your computer is running macOS Mojave or later.

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  • You can turn on Dark Mode on your Mac computer through the System Preferences menu.
  • To turn on Dark Mode, you'll need to have macOS Mojave or later.
  • Dark Mode is easier on the eyes than the standard light mode, allowing the windows you have open to be illuminated while control buttons and backgrounds are darkened.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Dark Mode is a newer feature on Mac computers running macOS Mojave and later that allows users to change the colors of their interface, and better focus on the projects at hand. The feature uses dark color schemes to mute background windows and buttons, while highlighting the content that you're using.

Many third-party apps are able to adapt Dark Mode as well, and pre-installed apps like Mail, Maps, Notes, and Safari all allow you to customize how you use them while your Mac is in Dark Mode.

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Turning on Dark Mode is a simple process, available through a Mac's "System Preferences" menu.

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How to turn on Dark Mode on Mac

1. Open up "System Preferences." You can do this by clicking the "System Preferences" icon on the toolbar (it looks like a gray box with a gear inside of it) or by selecting the Apple icon in the top left corner and then hitting "System Preferences..."

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2. Select the "General" icon. It should be in the top or second row, depending on your macOS version.

Step1 DarkMode

Kelly Laffey/Business Insider

Open the "General" menu.

3. Choose the option that you want from the "Appearance" menu.

  • "Light" uses the light appearance.
  • "Dark" activates Dark Mode.
  • "Auto" activates light mode during the day and Dark Mode at night. Note that the "Auto" selection is only available for macOS Catalina.

DarkMode Step3

Kelly Laffey/Business Insider

The normally white and gray General menu, now in dark mode.

When you click one, it will activate immediately to show you what it looks like. Feel free to switch between them as much as you want.

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