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YouTube has a dark mode. Here's how to turn it on

Paint it black.

Matt Elliott Contributor

Matt Elliott, a technology writer for more than a decade, is a PC tester and Mac user based in New Hampshire.

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Matt Elliott

Sept. 5, 2018 3:46 p.m. PT

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Google is rolling out a dark mode to its YouTube mobile apps. Last year, it added the previously hidden ability to change YouTube's background from white to black to YouTube on desktops and laptops. Dark mode is available now for iOS and is now rolling out to Android devices, XDA Developers reports.

Here's how to enable it on iOS:

Launch the YouTube app and tap your account icon in the top-right corner.
Tap Settings.
Tap to toggle on Dark theme.

youtube-dark-theme-setting — Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

The process is similar for desktops and laptops: Click your account icon in the top-right, click the Dark theme line directly above Settings and then click the toggle switch to turn on Dark theme.

For Android, you will find the Dark theme toggle switch by going to Settings > General. If you don't see it there, check you have the latest update from the Play Store, then try closing and opening the app a few times, as Redditors suggest here. That worked for (at least some of) us.

For both mobile apps and desktop site, YouTube remembers your light or dark preference for future visits.