# Dark Mode

> Light text on dark backgrounds everywhere, all the time or only in the evening, switched in one click from Control Center.

Source: https://wolos.org/manual/dark-mode

## What it is

Dark Mode turns the whole desktop and your apps dark: dark windows, dark menus, a dark terminal, light text. WolOS has three settings: **Light**, **Dark**, and **Auto**, which is light from 7:00 in the morning and dark from 19:00 in the evening.

## Why WolOS does it this way

A bright white screen in a dark room is tiring, and many people simply like dark better. One setting for everything means no app stays bright while the rest turns dark; Auto means you never have to think about it. Your accent colour follows along and is adjusted for each so it stays easy to read.

## How

### Switch it in one click

Open Control Center and click **Dark Mode**. It reads **On** or **Off** under its name. Click again to go back.

### Choose Light, Dark or Auto

1. Open System Settings > **Appearance**.
2. Click **Light**, **Dark** or **Auto** in the row of three pictures at the top (1).
3. The desktop and the apps that are open change at once.

![System Settings > Appearance: 1 marks the Light, Dark and Auto tiles with Auto chosen, 2 the accent colours, 3 the Themes gallery.](/img/manual/settings-appearance-annotated.png)

| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Light** | Light all day. |
| **Dark** | Dark all day. |
| **Auto** | Light from 7:00, dark from 19:00. The switch happens on its own at those times. |

The **Dark Mode** switch in Control Center changes between light and dark right away, whatever you chose here.

### With a theme

A theme from the gallery brings its own colours: some are light (Catppuccin Latte, Flexoki Light), most are dark. See [Looks and themes](/manual/themes).

## A worked example

Alice works late. She opens System Settings > Appearance and chooses **Auto**. At seven in the evening the desktop, her browser and her mail turn dark on their own; the next morning at seven they are light again. On a bright train one evening she wants it light, so she clicks **Dark Mode** in Control Center to turn it off; to have Auto back, she chooses it again in Appearance.

## If something goes wrong

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| One app stays light | Some apps follow the setting only when they start. Quit it (Super+Q) and open it again. A few apps have their own light/dark choice in their settings. |
| The accent colour does not change | A theme from the gallery is chosen; themes bring their own accent. Choose Light, Dark or Auto to use the accent colours. |
| Auto switches at the wrong time | Check the time zone in System Settings > General > Date & Time. |
| You want it back as before | System Settings > Restore > Recent Changes > **Undo** next to Appearance. |