Google Drive rolls out dark theme on the web for around-the-clock readability

[Garth Gator]

 

Google Drive is slowly rolling out a dark mode for its web app, joining the ranks of its nighttime-friendly siblings like Gmail and Chrome.

 

This alternative view essentially swaps the usual bright background for a darker, more eye-pleasing theme, which can be a huge win for night owls who (hoo?) work better after hours or anyone who prefers a less glaring interface.

 

 

The update isn't here for everyone just yet. Google seems to be rolling it out in stages, so you might see a prompt inviting you to "enjoy Drive in the dark" when you log in, or you might have to wait a bit longer.

 

Once you have it, enabling dark mode is straightforward. Just head to Settings > Appearance and toggle it on. It's important to note that dark mode currently only applies to the background elements of the web app, like the sidebar and search bar. The icons and folders themselves won't change colors.

 

 

The mobile app, however, is a different story. Android users have been able to activate dark mode for their Google Drive app for a while now. It works similarly to the web app version, switching the background to a darker theme.

 

While documents within Drive (like Docs, Sheets, and Slides) don't have built-in dark mode yet, these apps have their own dark mode settings you can enable independently.

 

Overall, the arrival of dark mode for Google Drive is a welcome update, especially for those who spend a lot of time browsing files at night. It might not be a complete overhaul, but it's a step in the right direction for a more comfortable user experience.

 

 

• https://www.techradar.com/computing/software/google-drive-is-finally-getting-a-dark-mode-and-this-makes-me-happy
• https://www.androidpolice.com/google-drive-web-finally-dark-mode/
• https://9to5google.com/2024/03/17/google-drive-web-dark-theme/

 

 

 

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