How to Turn on YouTube’s New Dark Theme

YouTube is getting a redesign, and it includes a nifty new Dark Theme specifically made to be easier on the eyes at night.

In addition to incorporating Google’s Material Design aesthetic — which is stripped-down and more minimalist — Dark Theme replaces the normally white user interface with a darker one. It’s actually a perfect mode for browsing the video sharing platform late at night, when opening a blindingly white webpage in a dark room can be painful.

To use the new Dark Theme, you’ll need to turn on the new YouTube redesign. If it hasn’t shown up for you yet (and it hasn’t for most people), you can opt-in to a preview build at youtube.com/new. Don’t worry: if you absolutely hate the new redesign, you can always switch back to the classic aesthetic via your Profile menu.

How to Turn on YouTube’s Dark Theme

1. First, opt-in to try the new desktop design.
2. Open a web browser and go to YouTube.
3. Click on the circular profile menu icon in the upper-right corner.
   
4. Click on the Dark Theme toggle and you’ll be redirected to another pop-up window.
5. Toggle Activate Dark Theme on.
6. To disable Dark Theme, just follow the same steps and toggle Dark Theme off.

Note: Dark Theme will only apply the browser that you’re currently using. Similarly, the new style — and Dark Theme — are currently just being tested on the web browser version of YouTube. As of the writing of this article, there’s no option to switch to the new design or activate Dark Theme on the current iOS version of YouTube. So while many Android apps may be switching over to Material Design, that change has yet to reach the YouTube app for Apple products.