How to enable dark mode in MacOS Mojave | Computing

If you like dark themes, Apple has made dreams come true with an all-new dark mode in in MacOS Mojave. Previous versions of MacOS allowed you to switch to a dark menu bar and dock, but this left many people unsatisfied. This new feature provides an OS-wide dark theme that affects pretty much all the native MacOS features with a classy black/gray look.

If this is exactly what you’ve always wanted for your Mac, we can show you how to access and enable this mode with just a few steps.

Step 1: Get MacOS Mojave

This dark mode is only available through MacOS Mojave, the latest update of the operating system. Mojave is now available to download for free in the Mac App Store. If you aren’t see it available in the App Store, try restarting your computer to refresh the system.

Once you have Mojave downloaded and installed, one of the first pop-ups will ask you to choose between Light Mode and Dark Mode. Select Dark Mode, and Mojave will boot up directly with its tinted look. If you want to go back and modify what you’ve chosen, continue on.

Step 2: Head to System Preferences

If this isn’t your first time booting up Mojave, you’ll need to head over to System Preferences to switch over to Dark Mode. This can be done in a number of ways, such as doing a spotlight search and typing in “system preferences” or opening it from Launchpad with a four-finger pinch.

Perhaps the easiest way, though, is to click on the ever-present Apple button in the upper-left corner of the screen. System Preferences is always the second option in the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Go to General

Once System Preferences is open, look at the top row of icons. All the way to the left, you should see the icon for General, which is a little “File” drop-down menu icon.

General is where all the basic settings connected to your Mac’s look and color are located. Select it.

Step 4: Switch your Appearance

The very first option in “General” should be “Appearance.” In Mojave, Appearance is divided into two icons, a “light” and a “dark” option. Simply select the “dark” icon to switch MacOS over.

That’s it! If you decide you don’t like the dark mode very much, simply switch back to the normal icon in “Appearance.” You may also want to spend a little more time in General to check out other options for adjusting icon size, highlight color, and so on, so that everything matches your new dark color scheme perfectly.