Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Do you use dark or light mode ?

  • I use Light mode

    Votes: 9 14.3%
  • I use Dark mode

    Votes: 29 46.0%
  • I use Auto mode

    Votes: 25 39.7%

  • Total voters
    63

GuillaumeB

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 4, 2007
480
30
Just behind you
I read somewhere that dark mode was by large the choice of smartphone users (over 80%!).
I find this figure suspiciously very high.
And it has me wonder how many people actually use dark mode on macOS.
I wonder because each time Apple promote macOS or macOS Preview, they have nice light mode shots on thei website, for instance for Messages of Mail.
So I'm thinking that if Apple choose the light mode on their website, maybe it is because more people actually use it.
But maybe it's just because those particulare apps look better in light mode.
I also read that dark mode is actually not very good for the eyes as it creates some sort of halo around light text characters.
Anyway, what do you guys use ?
 

MacGizmo

macrumors 68040
Apr 27, 2003
3,217
2,516
Arizona
I want so badly to use Dark Mode 100% of the time. But there are just too many readability issues in various apps to use it more than a few hours at a time before I get tired of dealing with it and switch to Light Mode.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,658
28,433
I've used Dark Mode on my Macs since Tiger 10.4 and on my iDevices since iOS 6. Either through hacks/themes (Mac) or jailbreaking (iDevice) I've managed to find a way to use some sort of dark theme before Apple offered their own stock version.

I primarily use my Macs/devices in dark rooms or rooms without intense light. Bright white screens strain my eyes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stinkhorn9

retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,482
I am used to light mode. I do not like dark mode very much, the brightness of the text is often too intense for my eyes. It sounds stupid, but the text being white is more straining than everything else being white. I will say I do not like how white macOS is in light mode, it used to be a bit more subdued with grays.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zevrix

Xand&Roby

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2020
534
486
Permanent dark mode on OLED screen.
Auto mode on others, where black consumption is the same as white.
 
Last edited:

dmr727

macrumors G4
Dec 29, 2007
10,701
6,006
NYC
I only use dark mode on my iPad mini, since it's almost exclusively used for reading (much of the time while in bed). Otherwise it's not used on any of my other devices.
 

Solenoid289

macrumors member
Jun 28, 2020
53
49
Japan
Dark mode 100%. Due to my medical condition I'm very sensitive to light.
Also, I don't like light mode after Big Sur, it's way too white. I miss old grayish windows color.
 

MacMan2013

macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2023
147
175
Dark mode across all my devices (or 'invert colors" on my 2013 model for want of a dark mode). Its easier on my eyes.
 

thebart

macrumors 6502a
Feb 19, 2023
523
518
Dark mode all the time. Easier on my eyes

Computers started out in dark mode. Light mode only came about with the GUI. I've waited for decades for dark mode to come back and it's finally here.

If you look at movies, whenever computer screens are shown on screen, it's usually dark mode, light text on dark background, from Alien to Jurassic Park to every hacker movie ever. It shows up better on camera that way, I guess. My eyes are the same
 

BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,032
Dark mode all the time. Significantly easier on my eyes. I sit at the computer all day. I also turn brightness down as far as I can handle it.

Only time I use light mode is if I'm using my laptop at a job site in a very brightly lit room (which isn't very often).
 

cutlerkevin

macrumors newbie
Jul 10, 2023
9
15
England
I want so badly to use Dark Mode 100% of the time. But there are just too many readability issues in various apps to use it more than a few hours at a time before I get tired of dealing with it and switch to Light Mode.
I agree, ive tried but the just cant get over the inconsistency of light and dark. I have my Home Server mac set up in dark mode.
 

davidg4781

macrumors 68030
Oct 28, 2006
2,883
423
Alice, TX
My work updated one of our iOS apps to support Dark Mode and it's a pain to read on some screens. They're working on it but it made me want to just turn it off all together.

The same thing's going on on macOS, sort of. I'm working on a Word document and when it goes to Dark Mode, things just don't look right. It certainly calls out those pictures that I forgot to remove the backgrounds. But I switched off Dark Mode system wide and Light Mode sure is bright!
 

Aggedor

macrumors 6502a
Dec 10, 2020
799
939
I never liked dark mode at all... until this week when I got a 32" display. NOW I understand dark mode, because even when properly calibrated with an appropriate brightness setting, the vast amounts of white space on such a large display can be hard on the eyes.

I have been adjusting it per app, however, as some apps looks bizarre and verge on unusable with dark mode on.
 

davidg4781

macrumors 68030
Oct 28, 2006
2,883
423
Alice, TX
I think I liked it using Maps in my car (I know that's iOS and this is the macOS forum). I'm going to turn it off on both and see how I like it. I'll keep it on for CarPlay, though.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.