Google has now confirmed that a dark mode is coming soon to the Google Search website for all users.
Dark mode has been an option in Google’s search app for a while, alongside its Chrome web browser, but this is the first time that its website is getting a choice to switch to a darker gradient, no matter what web browser you use.
It’s a mode that’s been requested by users for many apps and operating systems in the last few years, with both macOS 12 and Windows 11 seeing its own variations on dark mode.
Google is slowly rolling dark mode out to all of its users over the coming weeks, but you may already have the option now, hidden behind a setting.
How to switch on the dark theme
While the feature is slowly arriving to all users, you can check to see if you have it by going to Settings > Search Settings > Appearance.
Some people have reported that when they are searching for something, Google is displaying a message box at the top of the search results telling them that they have access to the new feature, and allowing them to turn it on.
If you already use your PC with a dark theme, this will blend in nicely with the rest of the operating system.
Analysis: the last of the dark mode hanging fruit
If you’re a big proponent of dark mode, you’ve most likely set your PC theme to dark colors and gradients, but while many of your apps will have a nice dark color scheme, using Google Search would always bring you a bright white results screen.
After the company had rolled out dark mode to its Chrome web browser, its mobile apps and Android, Google Search was looking like the odd one out, but no more. It’s a subtle color change which easily blends into a dark theme that’s also on your PC and web browser.
With this change for Google, the next wish from users will most likely be for its G Suite of apps to get a dark mode
Users want more customization for the services they use each day, and even though browser extensions have granted changes via themes, it wasn’t an ideal solution, as it could disappear if the extension encountered a fault, or if a different browser was being used.
Google Search in dark mode is a big step forward, then, and it may spur other search engines to follow suit to introduce a dark theme option.
