How to Enable Dark Mode in Microsoft Edge Chromium

The change from Microsoft Edge to the Chromium rendering engine has made it a better browser in almost every aspect. It displays problem-free websites, supports a huge library of extensions, and feels fast and responsive. To make things even better, it also sports the functionality of dark mode.

The dark mode of Microsoft Edge Chromium extends beyond the dark theme present in the non-Chromium version of the browser. As long as websites offer built-in support for a darker color scheme, it will also render them in dark mode. Let's see how to activate and use this feature.

Activate dark mode in Microsoft Edge Chromium

Whether you're using Windows or macOS, the dark mode functionality of Microsoft Edge Chromium works the same on both platforms. Just as with Google Chrome, you can match the browser to the operating system color scheme – Edge will then appear in dark mode whenever the system color mode in Windows or macOS is set to Dark. But that's not all. There is also a dedicated option to activate dark mode for the browser itself at any time.

Step 1: Start by opening the Edge menu (click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the browser window). Then click on Settings.

2nd step: Click Appearance in the left navigation pane.

Step 3: Click the drop-down menu next to Theme. Select Dark to immediately switch the browser to dark mode. If you want Microsoft Edge Chromium to match the color scheme in Windows and macOS, select System Default instead.

Note: For more details on how to access and use the system color modes in Windows and macOS, scroll down to the next section.

Once activated, the full Microsoft Edge Chromium theme will be rendered in dark mode, with different shades of dark colors used to define elements of the browser. Any site that offers native support for a darker color scheme will automatically detect the browser's color preference and load in dark mode.

However, the majority of sites are not yet capable of supporting the functionality, so you will only see the browser theme rendered in dark mode for the most part.

Fortunately, Microsoft Edge Chromium comes with an experimental feature that allows the browser to forcibly render sites in dark mode. We will deepen this further.

System color controls in Windows 10 and macOS

If you chose the Default System option in Microsoft Edge Chromium, the browser would automatically switch to dark mode whenever the dark system color scheme is selected in Windows and macOS. This is perfect if you prefer a consistent experience across the operating system and supported applications.

Windows 10

Right-click on the desktop, then select Personalize. In the Settings app that appears, click Colors, then use the menu under Choose your color to switch between Light and Dark color modes for the operating system and supported apps .

In addition, you can select the Custom option to separately manage the colors of the operating system and supported applications.

macOS Mojave and Catalina

Go to System Preferences (Apple menu> System Preferences), then click General. Use the appearance controls (light, dark, and auto) at the top of the screen to change the color scheme.

Select Dark to activate dark mode for the entire operating system and supported applications or select Auto to automatically activate and deactivate the dark color scheme at night and day, respectively.

Forcibly return all sites to dark mode

Microsoft Edge Chromium has an experimental feature that allows you to forcibly display all sites in dark mode. It works well, but you will occasionally encounter strange reversal problems. If you don't mind, here's how to activate the feature.

Step 1: Type edge: // flags / # enable-force-dark in the address bar of a new tab in Microsoft Edge, then press Enter.

2nd step: Click the drop-down menu next to Force dark mode for web content, then select On.

Step 3: Click on Restart to relaunch the browser.

Microsoft Edge Chromium should now force all sites to dark mode. The experimental functionality works outside of the color controls in the browser's Settings panel – which means you can view sites in dark mode even when using the normal browser theme.

If you want to turn off the feature, follow the steps above again. However, you should select Default when using the menu next to Force dark mode for web content.

Don't fall off the edge

Dark mode offers the ideal way to surf the Internet without having your eyes blinded, especially late at night. Although the dark mode of Microsoft Edge Chromium is not universal, keep in mind that you can force the dark mode pretty much everywhere using the experimental browser hint.

Then: Microsoft Edge Chromium is a great web browser. But how does it compare to Firefox? Let's find out.