SoundCloud Dark Mode: How to Turn It On for the Website and App
SoundCloud now has its own dark mode, on the web and in the apps. Here's where the setting lives, and how the Dark Mode extension fills the gaps it leaves.
By Ivan Charad Updated First published 6 min read
Quick answer
SoundCloud dark mode is built in. On the website, sign in, open your Settings page (soundcloud.com/settings) and switch from light to dark mode. In the iOS and Android apps, dark mode is the default. For brightness and sepia control, a schedule, or SoundCloud pages that stay light, use the free Dark Mode extension in Chrome.
Does SoundCloud have a dark mode?
Yes. For years the website was white and listeners relied on extensions, but SoundCloud dark mode is now a native option. According to SoundCloud's Help Center, dark mode is the default in the iOS and Android apps, and on the web you can change between dark and light mode in your settings page.
That suits how people use SoundCloud: long listening sessions in the evening, a tab left open next to a DAW, or digging through mixes and comments at night. Waveforms, artwork and play counts read well against a dark background, and the page no longer glows when the room is dim.
The native setting is a simple dark or light choice. If you want finer control, such as lower brightness, a warmer tint or automatic switching in the evening, the Dark Mode extension adds those in Chrome. More on that below.
Does the SoundCloud app have dark mode?
Yes, and you don't have to do anything: SoundCloud says dark mode is the default mode for its iOS and Android apps. If your app looks light, make sure it's updated to the latest version from the App Store or Google Play, and look in the app's settings for an appearance option.
The Dark Mode extension is a desktop browser extension, so it can't change the app. It's for soundcloud.com in Chrome and other Chromium browsers on your computer.
How to enable SoundCloud dark mode on the website
These steps switch SoundCloud's own dark mode on soundcloud.com in Chrome or any other browser.
- 1
Sign in to SoundCloud
Go to soundcloud.com and sign in. The theme option lives on your account's Settings page, so you need to be logged in to reach it.
- 2
Open your Settings page
Go straight to soundcloud.com/settings, or open Settings from the menu in the top-right corner of the site.
- 3
Switch to dark mode
Find the option to change between light and dark mode and choose dark. SoundCloud occasionally reorganizes its settings, so if you don't see it right away, check the other tabs on the Settings page.
- 4
Check the result
Go back to your feed or a track page. The background, player bar and menus should now be dark. If a tab you already had open still looks light, reload it.
- 5
Add fine control if you need it
For dimming, sepia or a schedule, install the free Dark Mode extension. It works on top of the pages SoundCloud's setting doesn't cover, as described below.
Turn on SoundCloud dark mode now
Free Chrome extension · works on every website · no account needed.
When is the Dark Mode extension still useful on SoundCloud?
If SoundCloud's own dark mode is all you want, you're done. The extension is for what the native setting doesn't do:
- Automatic switching. The native option is a dark or light choice in your settings. If you'd like SoundCloud light during the day and dark in the evening, leave SoundCloud on light and let the extension darken it during active hours you set, after sunset at your location, or whenever your OS is in dark mode ("Use system color scheme").
- Brightness, Contrast and Sepia. The extension's sliders let you dim the page further for late-night listening or warm it up with Sepia.
- Browsing without signing in. The setting belongs to your account, so if you listen while logged out, the extension can darken soundcloud.com anyway.
- Everything around SoundCloud. Music blogs, artist websites, other streaming sites and pages with embedded players often stay white. The per-site button ("Change mode on current site") darkens any of them.
If you keep SoundCloud on its native dark mode, add soundcloud.com to the extension's site list in "Not invert listed" mode so the two don't both restyle the same page.
Other ways to make SoundCloud dark on a computer
- Chrome's dark theme. Choosing dark under Settings → Appearance darkens only the browser frame: tabs, toolbar and menus. It doesn't change SoundCloud's own setting.
- Chrome's "Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents" flag. This experimental setting at
chrome://flagsforces dark colors on every website. It's all or nothing, with no per-site list or sliders, it can clash with sites that are already dark, and it may change in future Chrome versions. - Your operating system's dark mode. Windows or macOS dark mode darkens the system and many apps, but SoundCloud's web setting is its own choice. With the extension's "Use system color scheme" option, a light SoundCloud page goes dark whenever your OS does.
SoundCloud dark mode not working? Quick fixes
- You can't find the setting. Make sure you're signed in, then open soundcloud.com/settings directly and look through its tabs.
- The page turned light again. A dark-mode tool may be restyling a page that's already dark. Exclude soundcloud.com in the extension's site list (Alt+Shift+A toggles the current site) or turn off the Chrome flag.
- Artwork looks inverted or washed out with the extension. Open the extension settings and switch the generation mode to Dynamic or Filter+, which preserves color saturation.
- Scrolling a long feed feels slow with the extension on. Try the Static engine, which generates a simple, fast theme.
How to turn off SoundCloud dark mode
On the website, open your Settings page (soundcloud.com/settings) and switch back to light mode. If you use the Dark Mode extension, press Alt+Shift+D or flip its On/Off switch to turn it off everywhere, or click the per-site button on soundcloud.com to turn it off just there. In the apps, dark is the default; check the app's settings if you'd prefer a light look.
Why use dark mode on SoundCloud?
Evening listening
A mix playing in a background tab is easier to live with when switching to it doesn't flash a white page.
Artwork and waveforms stand out
Track art and waveforms often look sharper against a dark background than on white.
Producing next to a DAW
Many DAWs and music apps use dark interfaces; a dark SoundCloud tab matches them when you check uploads, stats or comments.
Digging through comments and credits
Reading long comment threads and descriptions at night is more comfortable with less light coming off the screen.
Best Dark Mode extension settings for SoundCloud
Exclude soundcloud.com if it's natively dark
Use "Not invert listed" and add soundcloud.com, so SoundCloud's own dark mode stays in charge.
Active hours
Prefer a light SoundCloud by day? Keep it light natively and set hours when the extension darkens it.
Lower Brightness
Dim music blogs and artist sites at night so they match a dark SoundCloud tab.
Dynamic or Filter+ engine
On pages full of cover art, both keep images in natural colors while the background goes dark.
Hotkeys
Alt+Shift+D toggles the extension; Alt+Shift+A adds or removes the current site (⌥+⇧+D / ⌥+⇧+A on Mac).
Frequently asked questions
Does SoundCloud have dark mode on PC?
Yes. Sign in on soundcloud.com, open your Settings page and switch to dark mode. It works in any desktop browser.
Why is SoundCloud dark on my phone but white on my computer?
The apps are dark by default, while the website uses whatever you chose in your web settings. Open soundcloud.com/settings while signed in and switch to dark mode.
Can SoundCloud switch to dark mode automatically at night?
We couldn't confirm a scheduled option in SoundCloud's web settings. The Dark Mode extension can darken a light SoundCloud page during active hours you set, after sunset, or when your OS is in dark mode.
Do I still need a SoundCloud dark mode extension?
Not for the basic dark theme, since SoundCloud now has one. An extension is still handy for dimming, sepia, scheduling, logged-out browsing and the other music sites you visit.
Is the Dark Mode extension free?
Yes. The free plan includes all the core features mentioned in this guide. An optional Pro plan is available; see pricing.
Does the extension work on other creative sites?
Yes, it works on any regular web page. See our Pinterest dark mode guide, or browse all guides on the blog.
The bottom line
SoundCloud dark mode is built in: switch it on your web Settings page, and enjoy it by default in the iOS and Android apps. For dimming, sepia, a schedule or the sites around SoundCloud, add the free Dark Mode extension in Chrome.