Google Chrome's slick new dark mode is making its way to the Mac

The Dock on Mac
The Dock on Mac (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Chrome's dark mode is about to expand to the Mac, Windows PC and Chrome OS devices.
  • The impressive dark mode wont' just turn the Chrome UI dark, it'll turn entire websites dark too.
  • Google is still working on the feature, but it is on the way.

Google is expanding Chrome's impressive dark mode to the Mac. The feature, which is only available for Android, is migrating over to Mac, Windows PC and Chrome OS devices according to 9to5Google.

Unlike the normal dark mode that just turns the Chrome interface dark, this one is special. This dark mode converts entire websites into dark mode, even ones that don't support it.

The new mode will be cross-platform and offer support for five modes:

  • simple HSL-based inversion
  • simple CIELAB-based inversion
  • selective image inversion
  • selective inversion of non-image elements
  • selective inversion of everything

Here's how they'll work:

The first two options describe using HSL and CIELAB, which are, in rough terms, two different ways of mathematically describing a color. In both acronyms, the "L" stands for "lightness," which simplifies the process of darkening or brightening a given color. CIELAB is the more advanced of the two models, meaning it should produce more accurate and visually pleasing results. That being the case, all three of the "selective inversion" options are based on CIELAB .

As of right now, Chrome turns into its defect dark mode when you have dark mode enabled for macOS. But pretty soon that'll mean entire sites can turn dark too whether you want it for easier reading at night or just a cool new look.

Danny Zepeda