Real screenshot · MacBook Neo, macOS 27.0.1In short
Open System Settings, click Appearance and choose Dark, the middle option in the Appearance row. Or choose Auto, on the right, to let the Mac switch between light and dark by itself.
Dark mode gives the menu bar, windows and most apps a dark background with light text. Many people find it easier on the eyes at night.
4 of 4 steps show a real screenshot from our MacBook Neo.
Steps
- 1
Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and choose System Settings…
On our MacBook Neo it is the second item in the menu, just below About This Mac.
- 2
Click Appearance
It is in the list on the left. On our MacBook Neo it sits between Accessibility and Desktop & Dock.
- 3
Choose Dark
Click Dark, the middle option in the Appearance row at the top, between Light and Auto.
On our MacBook Neo the same page also has Liquid Glass and Theme settings below; you do not need those for dark mode.
- 4
Or choose Auto
Click Auto, the last option on the right of the Appearance row, to let the Mac switch between light and dark by itself.
On our MacBook Neo the order is Light, Dark, Auto.
If you do not see this option
- Appearance is not in the list Type Appearance into the Search field at the top of the System Settings sidebar and click the result.
- You changed the icons but windows are still light On our MacBook Neo, Icon & widget style (Default, Dark, Clear, Tinted) is a separate setting further down the page. Dark mode is set in the Appearance row at the top.
- Your Mac has System Preferences instead Apple says that on macOS Monterey and earlier the setting is in System Preferences, General, Appearance. Sources: Use a light or dark appearance on your Mac, Use a light or dark appearance on your Mac (macOS Monterey 12)
If this does not work
- Auto has not switched yet Apple says Auto switches from light to dark based on your Night Shift schedule, and won't switch until the Mac has been idle for at least a minute. Choose Dark if you want it dark all the time.
- You are not sure dark mode is on Apple says you can turn Dark Mode on or off in Control Centre: click Control Centre in the menu bar, click the arrow next to Display, then click Dark Mode.
- An app stays light Apple says the setting covers the menu bar, Dock, windows and the built-in apps on your Mac. Look in that app's own settings for an appearance option, as in Mail below.
- The wallpaper did not change with it? Apple says some dynamic wallpapers show a still picture instead, and if you chose the dark appearance during macOS setup the wallpaper is set to a dark still image. You can change this picture, as in how to change the wallpaper on a Mac.
Good to know
Some apps have their own setting. In Mail, you can keep messages on a light background under Mail, Settings, Viewing.
Websites turn dark only if they support it.
Dark mode does not reduce blue light. For a warmer screen at night, see how to turn on Night Shift.
macOS 27 compared with macOS 26: We rewrote steps 1, 2, 3 and 4 to match the macOS 27 screens. The macOS 26 page keeps the steps and screenshots as they were.
Version history: the macOS 26 version of this guide, with its own screenshots.
About this guide
- Device
- Mac
- Shown on
- macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo)
- App
- System Settings
- Real screenshots
- 4 of 4 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 2 official, linked below
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Did this guide work for you?
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