If you’re looking for an explanation for absolutely anything under the sun, then Wikipedia should be the place to start your search for knowledge.
Wikipedia is an open-source online encyclopedia that is 100% free and has zero advertisements. Users can access Wikipedia through the website and the iOS or Android app.
You can find all kinds of information from various disciplines, ranging from the basic to the complex from history to theories, significant events, and even celebrities.
However, if you’ve visited Wikipedia, you’ll be familiar with its glaringly bright white interface. Especially if you’re cramming a report or research late at night, staring at a lengthy Wikipedia page can cause eye strain and fatigue, and in some cases, insomnia.
With the increasing demand for visual ergonomics, Wikipedia has a native Dark mode feature on their iOS and Android App. Since dark mode isn’t built-in for the Wikipedia website, you need to install a dark mode web browser extension.
In this article, learn why it’s a good idea to switch to Wikipedia dark mode and how you can enable the feature on your mobile app or on Google Chrome.
Table of Contents
What is Wikipedia Dark Mode?
Wikipedia has dark mode available on the mobile (iOS and Android) app which can be turned on or off under the app settings. Enabling dark mode on Wikipedia will change the color scheme of the app, making it easier to read text in low-light settings.
The background will change from light to dark, while the text will change from dark to light.
The Wikipedia night mode has yet to be integrated into the Wikipedia website for desktop.
What are the advantages of Wikipedia Dark Mode?
Most modern apps have a built-in dark mode due to the need to prevent eye strain and fatigue due to prolonged exposure to blue light. Wikipedia is a website built for research purposes, so a dark mode feature is a must to make reading comfortable.
How to Enable Dark Mode on Wikipedia Website
As mentioned, the dark Wikipedia theme isn’t available on the website for desktop. Thankfully, there’s a workaround to access Wikipedia in dark mode on your laptop or computer.
Users need to install a browser extension on Google Chrome to enable dark mode features.
The first thing that you need to do is to download Google Chrome. Make sure that you download the latest version of Chrome for Mac or Windows.
- Mac users need to use Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later to update to the latest version.
- Windows users need to use PC with operating systems Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, or later. Meanwhile, the processor needs to be An Intel Pentium 4 processor or later (SSE3-capable).
After downloading and installing Google Chrome, look for a night mode or dark mode browser extension:
- Install your preferred Wikipedia dark theme chrome extension.
- Go to the Wikipedia website. Click the 3 dots on the upper right-hand corner of the browser then click More Tools > Extensions.
- Toggle on the extension’s slider to enable dark theme for Chrome.
- Look for your extension’s icon on the toolbar then click on dark mode. Wikipedia should now be in dark mode.
Browser extensions
- Wikipedia Night Mode: This web browser extension is specially designed for Wikipedia. Simply click the extension icon and the background will turn dark while the text will become light.
- Turn off the lights: This is another popular dark mode extension, but it’s usually used for watching videos.
- Night Eye: This browser extension analyzes the color scheme on webpages and inverts the colors to achieve an effective dark mode effect.
- Dark Reader: This extension allows multiple adjustment options, including background brightness and contrast
Since you are customizing the Wikipedia website, did you know you can do the same for Facebook? Check out our guide on how to change font on Facebook.
How to Enable Dark Mode on Wikipedia App
The app was developed by the Wikimedia Foundation. It’s incredibly easy to and intuitive to use.
Enabling dark mode is simple since the feature is available natively on the iOS and Android app. The app also has built-in feature for adjusting screen brightness and the text size to enhance ergonomics and reading comfort.
The app is ad-free and free of charge.
Dark Mode Wikipedia iOS
Download the official Wikipedia app for iOS on the App Store. Make sure that your Apple device meets these minimum system requirements:
iPhone |
Requires iOS 12.0 or later |
iPad |
Requires iPadOS 12.0 or later. |
iPod touch |
Requires iOS 12.0 or later. |
- Open the Wikipedia app on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
- Press the settings icon on the upper left corner of your screen.
- Under Reading Preferences, choose your preferred theme. For Wikipedia iOS, night themes are available as Dark, Black or Sepia.
Dark Mode Wikipedia Android
Download the official Wikipedia app for Android on the Google Play Store.
The app is available for both Android smartphones and tablets, but check Google Play store if the app is compatible with your current version.
- Open the Wikipedia app on your smartphone or tablet.
- Press the settings icon on the upper right corner of your screen.
- Under App Theme, choose your preferred theme. For Wikipedia Android, night themes are available as Dark or Black. Sepa isn’t available in this version.
Conclusion
For many users, dark mode is a necessary app feature to prevent eye strain and eye fatigue. Especially with a text-heavy website like Wikipedia, a night mode is critical to ensure that users can comfortably use their services.
Wikipedia dark mode is available on the Wikipedia app for iOS and Android.
- The Wikipedia iOS app has dark mode themes Sepia, Dark, and Black.
- The Wikipedia iOS app has dark mode themes Black and Dark.
Meanwhile, built-in dark mode is not yet available on the Wikipedia website for desktop. You will need to download and enable a third-party dark mode web browser extension to get the feature.