How to Turn On Dark Mode on YouTube

YouTube's dark theme is a per-device setting hidden behind your profile picture. You can force it on or let it follow whatever your phone or computer is set to.

Open the profile menu on the website

Click your profile picture at the top right of youtube.com. If you are not signed in, click the three-dot menu at the top right instead; the same options are there.

Choose the dark theme

Click Appearance, then Dark theme. The page switches immediately. Choose Light theme to go back, or Use device theme to match your computer's setting.

Turn it on in the phone app

Tap your profile picture at the bottom right (the You tab), then tap the gear icon at the top right to open Settings. Tap General, then Appearance, then Dark theme. The app switches right away.

Set it on a tablet or in a browser on your phone

The tablet app follows the same path: You, gear icon, General, Appearance. If you watch YouTube in a mobile browser, tap your profile picture, then Appearance, then Dark theme, the same as on the desktop site.

Use device theme. This option follows your phone or computer's own light and dark schedule. On macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS, a system set to switch to dark at sunset will switch YouTube along with it, with no further changes in YouTube.

It is per device. The choice is saved for that browser or app only. Signing in on another computer or phone does not carry the theme over, so set it once on each device you use.