Google Classroom Dark Mode: How to Make Classroom Dark on Chrome, Chromebook and Phone
Homework at night is easier on the eyes when Classroom isn't glowing white. Here's what Google offers natively, and how to get a dark Classroom on the website in Chrome with the free Dark Mode extension.
By Ivan Charad Updated First published 6 min read
Quick answer
Google Classroom dark mode is built into the Android and iOS apps only: tap Menu → Settings → Choose theme → Dark. The website at classroom.google.com has no dark theme of its own. On a computer or Chromebook, install the free Dark Mode extension in Chrome, open Classroom and press Alt+Shift+D.
Does Google Classroom have a dark mode?
Partly. Google's own help article, Use Dark Mode in Classroom, is labeled "mobile only". In the Classroom app for Android and iOS you can turn it on like this:
- Open the Google Classroom app and tap Menu at the top left.
- Tap Settings, then Choose theme.
- Pick Dark, or System default to follow your phone's theme.
Google says the setting makes the app easier to view and helps save battery life. There's no matching switch on the website, so if you use Classroom in a browser on a laptop or Chromebook, which is how many students hand in work, Google Classroom dark mode needs a browser extension. The Dark Mode extension for Chrome turns the Stream, Classwork, People and Grades pages dark, and it also works on the assignments that open in Google Docs and Slides. Making Docs and Slides dark is something real users mention in their reviews.
Can I use a dark mode extension on a school Chromebook?
It depends on your school. Chromebooks and Chrome accounts managed by a school are controlled from the Google Admin console, and Google's Chrome Enterprise and Education Help explains that admins can allow or block extensions, block everything except an approved list, or let users request extensions. The same page notes that the Chrome Web Store is turned off by default in some Education domains.
In practice that means one of three things: the extension installs normally, Chrome shows that it's blocked by your administrator, or you see an option to request it. If it's blocked, ask your teacher or IT department. Please don't try to work around school policies. On a personal Chromebook or a computer you manage yourself, the steps below work as written.
How to enable dark mode on Google Classroom in Chrome
These steps turn on Google Classroom dark mode with the free Dark Mode extension and take about a minute on a computer or Chromebook.
- 1
Install the Dark Mode extension
Open Dark Mode in the Chrome Web Store and click Add to Chrome. Pin the icon from Chrome's puzzle-piece menu so it's one click away.
- 2
Open Google Classroom
Go to classroom.google.com and sign in with the account your school gave you. Open a class, the Classwork tab or an assignment.
- 3
Turn on dark mode
Click the Dark Mode icon and flip the big On/Off switch, or press Alt+Shift+D (⌥⇧D on a Mac). The white background turns dark right away.
- 4
Adjust it for reading
Move the Brightness, Contrast and Sepia sliders until announcements and instructions feel comfortable. Tick Only for to keep these values for Classroom alone.
- 5
Schedule it (optional)
Set active hours or choose Activate after sunset at location so Classroom night mode starts on its own for evening homework. Use system color scheme makes it follow your device's dark theme instead.
Turn on Google Classroom dark mode now
Free Chrome extension · works on every website · no account needed.
Other ways to make Google Classroom dark
If you can't or don't want to install an extension, these are the other routes to Google Classroom dark mode. Each one has a catch:
- The Classroom app's theme. On Android and iOS, Menu → Settings → Choose theme → Dark gives you a proper dark theme. It doesn't affect the website.
- Your Chromebook's dark theme. In Settings → Personalization → Set your wallpaper & style (or right-click the desktop), choose Dark or Auto. This darkens ChromeOS and websites that ship their own dark styles. Since Google lists Classroom's dark mode as mobile only, don't expect classroom.google.com to follow it.
- Chrome's dark theme. Picking Dark in Chrome's appearance settings darkens the toolbar, tabs and menus, but Chrome Help describes it as a theme for the browser, not for the pages you visit.
- Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents. This experimental
chrome://flagsoption forces a dark rendering onto every site. It's all-or-nothing, with no per-site exceptions or sliders, and on managed devices it may not be available to you.
Google Classroom dark mode not working? Quick fixes
- The extension won't install. On a school-managed device, your administrator may block extensions or the Chrome Web Store. Ask your school's IT team.
- Classroom stays white. Check that the main switch is on, then press Alt+Shift+A to add or remove classroom.google.com from your site list. Depending on whether the list is set to "Invert listed only" or "Not invert listed", the site may simply be excluded.
- Images, class banners or PDFs look odd. Switch the theme generation mode to Dynamic or Filter+. Filter+ preserves color saturation, which helps with diagrams and slides.
- Some pages never go dark. Pages protected by the browser, such as
chrome://pages and the Chrome Web Store, can't be changed by any extension.
How to turn off dark mode on Google Classroom
To turn off the extension, click its icon and flip the switch off, or press Alt+Shift+D again. To keep dark mode on other sites but not Classroom, use the per-site button ("Change mode on current site") or press Alt+Shift+A while Classroom is open. In the Android or iOS app, go to Menu → Settings → Choose theme and pick Light.
Why use dark mode on Google Classroom?
Homework after dark
Google Classroom dark mode puts text on a near-black background, which is gentler in a dim bedroom late in the evening.
Docs and Slides assignments
Work opened from Classroom in Google Docs or Slides gets the same dark look in Chrome.
Teachers grading at night
Reading through a stack of submissions is more comfortable without a bright white page.
Less glare between tabs
No more jumping from a dark tab to a blinding white Classroom page when you switch tasks.
Best Dark Mode settings for Google Classroom
Brightness and contrast
Start with the defaults. Lower Brightness slightly at night, and raise Contrast a little if small due dates look faint.
A little Sepia for reading
Add some Sepia for long readings and instructions. It warms the dark page and softens the text.
Dynamic engine first
Dynamic is the default and suits most Classroom pages. Switch to Filter+ if class banners or images look wrong.
Only for Classroom
Tick "Only for" to keep a Classroom-specific look while other sites use your global settings.
Schedule homework time
Set active hours or "Activate after sunset" so Classroom goes dark when evening homework starts.
Learn two hotkeys
Alt+Shift+D toggles dark mode and Alt+Shift+A adds or removes the current site. Change them at chrome://extensions/shortcuts.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google Classroom have a dark mode?
Only in the mobile apps. On Android or iOS, tap Menu → Settings → Choose theme → Dark. The website has no dark theme of its own, so in Chrome you can use the free Dark Mode extension instead.
How do I get dark mode on Google Classroom on a Chromebook?
Install the Dark Mode extension from the Chrome Web Store, open classroom.google.com and press Alt+Shift+D. On a school-managed Chromebook your administrator decides which extensions are allowed, so you may need to ask IT first.
Why can't I install extensions on my school Chromebook?
Schools can block extensions or the Chrome Web Store from the Google Admin console, or allow only an approved list. That's a school policy, so the only right fix is asking your teacher or IT department.
Does the Dark Mode extension work in the Classroom app?
No. The extension is for desktop Chrome and other Chromium browsers, so it doesn't change the Android or iOS apps. Use the app's own Choose theme setting there.
Is the Dark Mode extension free?
Yes. The Free plan includes everything used in this guide: the main switch, sliders, site list, schedule and hotkeys. An optional Pro plan costs $3/month or $20 lifetime; see pricing.
Can I make other study sites dark too?
Yes, the extension works on almost any site you open in Chrome. See our Coursera dark mode guide, or the SQL Server dark mode guide if you're taking a database course.
The bottom line
Google Classroom dark mode is a built-in option only in the Android and iOS apps (Menu → Settings → Choose theme → Dark). For classroom.google.com on a laptop or Chromebook, add the free Dark Mode extension to Chrome, if your school allows it, and press Alt+Shift+D. More guides are on the blog.