A Complete Guide for Mobile, Desktop & Beyond
Purple and red YouTube logo on a black background. The popular video platform allows enabling a gorgeous dark mode that cuts glare and looks sleek.
Have you ever felt mesmerized watching YouTube videos, only to be jolted back to reality when an abrupt recommendation with a blinding white background pops up?
Or do you wish you could comfortably binge videos while saving battery life, without straining your eyes late into the night?
Well, it turns out YouTube has offered an immersive dark mode since 2018 that transforms all the glaring bright screens into gorgeously dark colors.
And switching it on is incredibly simple no matter what device you use. This mode does far more than spare your retinas and battery…it just looks incredibly cool!
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to enable YouTube‘s dark mode:
- What exactly dark mode is and why it‘s so popular
- The main benefits and drawbacks of using it
- Simple step-by-step instructions to turn it on across mobile & desktop
- Additional setup tips to customize it perfectly for you
- A video demonstration of the process
- Answers to frequently asked questions
So dim those lights and let‘s dive into the sleek, dark world of YouTube…
Why Dark Mode Got So Darn Popular
Over the past several years, dark mode has evolved from a niche tweaker‘s preference into a massively mainstream must-have option.
The chart below shows the dramatic rise of dark mode implementation across all platforms:
So what sparked this incredible demand?
Several factors converged to make dimmer interfaces incredibly appealing:
- Preventing disruptive blue light exposure became a priority as research mounted on links between device use at night and sleep disorders
- Eye strain and headaches from device overuse sent people searching for gentler display options
- OLED screens that save significant power with darker backgrounds exploded in popularity
- Younger users especially enjoyed the "cool aesthetic factor" of inky black schemes
As health awareness, environmental consciousness, and modern minimalist tastes took hold culturally, everyone seemed to crave a break from harsh bright screens.
App developers took notice, racing to implement dark modes to meet user demand and stay competitive.
And YouTube ultimately joined the trend in 2018 after Android P and macOS Mojave debuted system-wide dark modes. By late 2019, all platforms supported YouTube‘s darker option.
Of course, other industry giants like Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, and even Google Search continue offering the pale blue theme by default.
So why did YouTube feel added pressure to jump on this bandwagon?
Dark Mode Perfectly Complements Video
Unlike reading text-heavy articles or scrolling social media, watching videos feels more immersive with darker surrounding elements.
That uninterrupted full-screen view remains unchanged in dark mode. But thumbnail clips and bright logos around the player no longer yank attention.
Recommendation panels, comments, and descriptions all fade into the background – transforming even the most "lean back and relax" experience into a theater-like oasis.
Without stark white search bars and menus interrupting, you achieve total immersion. Time melts away.
So while toggling a dark scheme for productivity apps splits opinions…almost everyone loves it for consuming video content.
Bottom line – it simply feels far more cinematic.
You‘ll especially appreciate this after sunset when glare becomes overwhelming and blue light overstimulating.
Now let‘s explore the more technical upsides and downsides of embracing these darker schemes…
Top Pros & Cons of YouTube‘s Dark Mode
Enabling dark mode clearly makes YouTube usage more enjoyable subjectively. But quantitatively, how much does it actually improve…or possibly worsen?
Here‘s an overview of key benefits and drawbacks based on research and user experiences:
Pros
Preserves Battery Life
Dark mode can extend time between charges, especially for phones/tablets with AMOLED or OLED screens.
These display far truer blacks by turning off pixels completely. One Battery University study found a Samsung Galaxy saved up to 63% power displaying black versus white images.
So for YouTube‘s largely black interface, those additive hours watching videos instead of gaming or using camera apps can really sum up.
Minimizes Eye Strain
Staring into brightly backlit screens strains our eyes over time. Experts at Harvard Health Publishing explain this causes headaches, dryness, and blurred vision from overworked focus muscles.
Dark modes literally dim that glare. The Mayo Clinic found that reducing screen brightness down to 40% already minimizes discomfort.
So for nighttime YouTube marathons, dark mode‘s black backgrounds prevent excessive squinting and discomfort.
Won‘t Disrupt Circadian Rhythms
Beyond direct eye fatigue, blue light exposure at night over-stimulates brains into thinking it‘s daytime. The resulting circadian rhythm imbalance can hamper sleep quality even with otherwise good habits.
Per a Bellus Academy article, blue light suppresses melatonin secretion up to 22% more than softer orange hues.
YouTube‘s mid-grey dark theme retains enough contrast for readability but with far less disruptive colors. No more 2am recommended video spirals keeping you awake!
Cons
Readability Issues For Some
A minority of users focusing on reading comments and video descriptions may actually strain more with darker interfaces.
Those already dealing with eye issues like astigmatism and older users more sensitive to low-contrast text may wish to avoid it.
Toggling both modes for comparison helps determine which works best for your needs.
Potential Image Retention On OLED Screens
While OLED displays use less power displaying black, keeping pixels permanently illuminated risks "burn in" or image retention after prolonged static usage.
YouTube‘s variable video content makes this extremely rare. But some risk exists for display models reiterating the same demos.
Overall the vast majority of everyday users see significant gains from dark scheme. But personal vision needs and use cases differ.
Having covered why it emerged and ups/downs…let‘s get right into activating YouTube dark mode where it matters most – on your devices!
Activating Dark Mode on iPhone & iPad
Thanks to OLED displays, iPhones stand to gain the most battery preservation from YouTube dark mode.
Here are the simple steps to enable it on iOS:
- Launch the YouTube app
- Tap your profile picture
- Select Settings
- Choose General
- Tap on Appearance
- Toggle Dark Theme ON
That‘s all it takes to instantly dim the harsh white backgrounds!
You‘ll immediately notice the sleeker dark grey colors take over.
For the most flexibility, enable Use Device Theme instead of a permanent Dark Theme. This adopts your global iPhone Dark Mode setting for maximum integration.
Then when you ask Siri to turn off all lights at 11pm, YouTube will shift right alongside your system into glorious dark mode.
Let‘s look at the process visually:
And that‘s all you need for on-demand dimming on your iPhone!
Flipping the Switch on Android
As a Google product, YouTube‘s dark option feels native on Android. Just a few taps enables nighttime-friendly viewing:
- Inside the app, tap your profile icon
- Select Settings
- Choose General
- Tap Appearance
- Toggle Dark theme ON
Alternatively, choose Use device theme to have your global dark mode preference enable YouTube‘s automatically.
See how seamlessly it works:
And enjoy that battery boost thanks to Android‘s industry-leading screen technology!
Dawning Dark Mode on Desktop
For those times when you want to binge YouTube on a big beautiful desktop display, here‘s enabling nighttime mode:
On Windows:
- Click your profile picture
- Select Appearance
- Choose Dark theme
On Mac:
- Click your profile picture
- Select Always Dark Mode
Now you can recline with YouTube‘s silky dark interface stretched wonderfully on that big monitor real estate into the nighttime hours without fatigue or disruption.
Customizing Your Dark Mode Experience
Beyond simply enabling dark mode, you can tailor the experience to your personal preferences and habits. A few pro settings adjustments take it to the next level:
Automate Switching
Rather than constantly toggling the mode manually, have it trigger automatically by setting your device theme to respect bedtime.
On iPhone, toggle Settings > Display & Brightness > Automatic > Sunset to Sunrise.
This shifts system-wide color schemes based on location.
Or enable Night Shift for automatic warm dimming without dark mode.
On Windows, use Settings > Personalization > Colors > Dark to schedule dark themes.
Mac allows scheduling under Settings > General > Dark Mode as well.
Customize Opacity
Find the default grey scheme still too bright? Manually adjust opacity darker for full cinematic effect.
Try these utilities:
- Deluminate (Mac)
- Dimmer (Windows)
- Twilight (Android)
Now enjoy even sleeker blacked-out viewing.
Enable Extensions
Add browser extensions like Dark Reader to force dark mode on any website…even beyond YouTube.
Never blind yourself with default glaring whitepages again!
With those pro tips personalized to your preferences, you can truly master YouTube‘s dark dimension.
See It In Action
If any part of the process still feels unclear, see how to enable dark mode on both mobile and desktop YouTube step-by-step in this quick video:
Wrap Up: Enjoy YouTube After Dark
Hopefully now you feel equipped to easily activate and customize YouTube‘s sleek cinematic dark mode for fatigue-free viewing sessions late into the night…or anytime you crave a more immersive experience!
We covered everything from the historical rise of dark schemes to instructions catered to every device.
While rarely a make-or-break issue, this subtle setting tweak perfectly complements video watching. And every little bit counts when preserving sleep quality and battery stamina long-term.
So turn down the lights and enjoy YouTube‘s silky dark side on your terms! Add any other questions below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions around YouTube‘s dark mode:
Does the native YouTube app automatically enable dark mode if I switch my device/operating system to dark theme?
Unfortunately no. You need to manually enable dark mode for YouTube regardless of your system theme preferences. However, selecting the "Use device theme" under YouTube‘s Appearance settings will effectively sync its mode to match phone-wide changes.
Why does YouTube show a white border still after I enabled dark mode? How do I fix this?
Try fully force quitting and reopening the app if display issues like white borders persist. An update or reboot tends to resolve such glitches. Check for any pending app updates in your device‘s store/marketplace as well.
Will my dark mode setting for the YouTube app remain saved if I close it? Or will I have to re-enable each time?
Not to worry, once you toggle the dark theme option it remains permanently on across usage sessions. So you won‘t have to re-enable every time you close and reopen YouTube. It saves the status.
Can I schedule YouTube dark mode to automatically turn on and off at certain times/overnight?
Yes! By using your device‘s system-level display scheduling, you can trigger automated dimming for YouTube and other apps simultaneously. Customize schedules under Brightness Settings on mobile or Personalization Settings on Windows 10.
I hope this guide brought you value on your quest to enable YouTube‘s sleek cinematic viewing mode. Feel free to ask any other questions!
