How to Design a Website with a Dark Mode

Learn how to design a website with a dark mode for better UX, accessibility & aesthetics. Follow best practices to create a stunning dark-themed site!

Introduction to Dark Mode
Why Dark Mode Matters
Key Design Principles for Dark Mode
Choosing the Right Colors and Contrast
Typography and Readability Considerations
Implementing Dark Mode with CSS
Adding a Dark Mode Toggle Feature
Optimizing Images and Graphics for Dark Mode
Best Practices for User Experience
Testing and Debugging Dark Mode
Conclusion

Introduction to Dark Mode

Dark mode has become an increasingly popular feature in apps, websites, and operating systems. It replaces the traditional light-colored background with darker shades, reducing screen brightness and enhancing readability in low-light environments.

What is Dark Mode?

Dark mode, also known as night mode or black mode, is a display setting that uses a dark color scheme instead of the usual white or light backgrounds. It is designed to reduce eye strain, improve battery life on OLED and AMOLED screens, and provide a visually appealing experience.

Why Dark Mode Matters?

In recent years, dark mode has become a popular feature across devices and applications. But beyond its sleek appearance, dark mode offers several practical benefits that enhance user experience and device performance. Here’s why dark mode matters:

Enhanced User Experience

Dark mode reduces eye strain, especially in low-light environments. By decreasing the amount of bright light emitted by screens, it provides a more comfortable viewing experience, helping to prevent digital eye fatigue and discomfort. This is particularly beneficial for users who spend extended periods on their devices, such as students, professionals, and avid readers. Research suggests that prolonged exposure to bright screens, particularly at night, can disrupt sleep patterns by interfering with melatonin production. Dark mode helps mitigate this effect, promoting healthier screen habits and potentially improving sleep quality.

Energy Efficiency

For devices with OLED and AMOLED screens, dark mode can significantly extend battery life. Unlike traditional LCD screens, these display technologies only illuminate the necessary pixels, meaning darker themes require less power and contribute to longer usage between charges. This efficiency is particularly useful for mobile users who rely on their devices throughout the day and may not always have immediate access to charging options. Additionally, reducing power consumption contributes to sustainability by minimizing overall energy usage, which can have a small but positive impact on the environment.

Aesthetic Appeal
Dark mode offers a sleek, modern look that many users find visually appealing. It also helps content stand out, making text, images, and icons more prominent against a darker background. Many apps, operating systems, and websites now offer dark mode options, catering to user preferences and enhancing visual appeal. The high-contrast design can also provide a more immersive experience, particularly for media consumption, gaming, and creative work, where visuals are a key component of user engagement.

Accessibility Benefits

Users with visual impairments, light sensitivity, or certain medical conditions may find dark mode more comfortable and easier to use. By reducing glare and excessive brightness, dark mode can improve readability and usability for a wider audience. Individuals with conditions such as photophobia, migraines, or dyslexia often experience discomfort with bright screens, and dark mode provides an alternative that supports their needs. Furthermore, customizable dark mode settings, such as adjustable contrast levels and font modifications, can enhance accessibility even further, ensuring an inclusive digital experience for all users.

Reduced Screen Glare and Increased Focus

Dark mode can be particularly beneficial in environments with low ambient lighting, such as working late at night or in dimly lit rooms. Bright white backgrounds can cause a glaring effect, making it harder to focus on content for extended periods. Dark mode softens the overall visual impact, reducing harsh contrasts and making prolonged screen use more manageable. This is especially useful for developers, writers, and designers who work with text-heavy or intricate visual content, as it can enhance concentration and reduce distractions.

Key Design Principles for Dark Mode

Dark mode has become a popular design trend, offering a sleek aesthetic while reducing eye strain and saving battery life on OLED screens. However, designing an effective dark mode requires careful attention to contrast, colors, typography, and usability. Below are the essential principles to follow when implementing dark mode for a website or application.

Contrast: Striking the Right Balance

Contrast plays a crucial role in readability and usability in dark mode. However, extreme contrast—such as pure white text on a pitch-black background—can cause discomfort and strain. Instead:

Use dark gray (e.g., #121212 or #1E1E1E) instead of pure black (#000000) for backgrounds.
Opt for off-white or light gray text (#E0E0E0 instead of #FFFFFF) to reduce glare.
Ensure that contrast ratios follow accessibility guidelines (WCAG recommends a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for text).
Avoid using deep blacks and pure whites side by side to prevent excessive visual strain.

Color Harmony: Muted Tones for Visual Comfort

Bright and saturated colors can be overwhelming on a dark background. Instead, designers should:

Use desaturated or pastel versions of colors for UI elements.
Reserve high-saturation colors for highlights, call-to-action buttons, and interactive elements.
Test colors in both dark and light modes to ensure consistency and clarity.
Consider color blindness and accessibility needs when choosing color palettes.

Consistency: Maintaining a Seamless Experience

Dark mode should feel like a natural extension of light mode, not an entirely different theme. Ensure:

Layout, spacing, and typography remain consistent between modes.
Icons, shadows, and interactive elements adapt smoothly.
Dark mode follows the same branding and design system principles as light mode.
Smooth transitions when toggling between modes to avoid jarring shifts.

User Control: Providing Flexibility

Not all users prefer dark mode, and some may switch based on environment or personal preference. A good design allows users to:

Toggle between light and dark modes easily.
Use system preferences (e.g., OS-based settings) for automatic switching.
Save preferences so the website or app remembers their choice.
Gradually transition between modes with animations to make the switch more comfortable.

Choosing the Right Typography

Typography plays a significant role in readability, especially in dark mode. To optimize readability:

Use slightly heavier font weights to prevent text from appearing too thin against a dark background.
Increase letter spacing (tracking) slightly to improve readability.
Avoid overly thin fonts, as they may disappear on darker backgrounds.
Ensure body text remains legible without requiring users to adjust brightness.

Handling Images and Media in Dark Mode

Images and illustrations that look good in light mode may not be as effective in dark mode. Consider:

Using images with transparent or adaptive backgrounds to blend seamlessly.
Adjusting brightness, contrast, or adding subtle borders to improve visibility.
Ensuring logos and branding elements are visible in both light and dark backgrounds.
Using CSS filters to dynamically adjust images when switching between modes.

Avoiding Overuse of Pure Black

While black backgrounds might seem like the ideal choice for dark mode, they can cause eye strain and make text harder to read. Instead:

Opt for very dark gray shades to create a softer appearance.
Use slight gradients or subtle textures to add depth without overwhelming users.
Ensure background colors work well with all text and UI elements.

Testing Across Devices and Environments

Dark mode should be tested under various conditions to ensure a seamless experience:

Check how dark mode appears on OLED vs. LCD screens.
Test readability in low-light and bright environments.
Ensure accessibility compliance by checking contrast ratios and legibility.
Get user feedback to refine the experience further.

Choosing the Right Colors and Contrast

Color selection and contrast play a crucial role in creating visually appealing and accessible designs. Whether designing a website, application, or digital interface, the right combination of colors and contrast enhances readability, usability, and overall user experience. Poor color choices can lead to eye strain, reduced engagement, and accessibility challenges. This guide will help you make informed decisions on color selection and contrast for an optimized visual experience.

Reduce Visual Strain with Dark Grays

When designing with dark themes, avoid using pure black (#000000) as it can create harsh contrasts and increase eye strain. Instead, opt for dark grays such as #121212 or #1E1E1E. These softer tones reduce glare while maintaining a sleek and modern look. A well-balanced dark theme provides a comfortable viewing experience, especially in low-light environments.

Use Desaturated and Pastel Colors

Highly saturated colors can be overwhelming, especially in UI and text elements. Using desaturated and pastel tones creates a more comfortable and visually appealing experience. Softer hues contribute to a balanced aesthetic while improving readability and accessibility. Pastel tones also help maintain a professional and modern appearance, making designs feel more sophisticated and user-friendly.

Maintain Sufficient Contrast

Contrast is essential for readability and usability. Ensure that text and interactive elements stand out clearly against the background. Follow the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to maintain proper contrast ratios. Aim for at least a 4.5:1 ratio for standard text and 3:1 for larger text and UI components. Adequate contrast not only improves accessibility for users with visual impairments but also enhances overall user engagement and interaction.

Typography and Readability Considerations

When designing for readability, typography plays a crucial role in ensuring that your content is both accessible and easy to consume. Selecting the right fonts and adjusting their properties can make a significant difference in how comfortable and effective your design is for users, especially when it comes to long-form reading on screens. Below are some important considerations for creating a user-friendly reading experience:

Choose Fonts with Good Legibility

The font you choose has a significant impact on the overall readability of your text. For digital content, sans-serif fonts like Roboto, Open Sans, and Arial are often preferred over serif fonts. This is because sans-serif fonts tend to be cleaner and more legible on screens, especially at smaller sizes. They also provide a modern and professional aesthetic, making them suitable for a wide range of applications, from websites to mobile apps.

Roboto: A versatile font with a friendly, modern feel that works well across both headings and body text.
Open Sans: Known for its neutrality and legibility, Open Sans is often used for body text and user interfaces.
Arial: A classic choice that offers straightforward legibility, suitable for both print and digital media.

Increase Line Spacing and Letter Spacing

Spacing between lines and letters plays a significant role in the ease of reading. Line spacing (leading) refers to the amount of space between lines of text, while letter spacing (tracking) refers to the space between individual characters. Proper adjustments can enhance the flow of reading and prevent the text from feeling cramped or overwhelming.

Line spacing: A line spacing of at least 1.4 to 1.6 times the font size helps create a comfortable reading rhythm, especially for body text. This extra space ensures that lines don’t blend together, making it easier to track where you are while reading.
Letter spacing: Slightly increasing letter spacing, particularly for smaller text, can help with legibility. However, it’s essential to find a balance; excessive spacing can lead to disjointed text, while too little can make the text feel dense.

Avoid Pure White Text on Black Backgrounds

While high contrast between text and background might seem like a good idea for readability, using pure white (#FFFFFF) text on a black (#000000) background can be harsh on the eyes, especially over extended reading sessions. This high contrast can cause “halation,” a phenomenon where the sharp contrast blurs the edges of the text and makes it harder to read.

Instead, use light gray (#EAEAEA) text on a dark background. This provides sufficient contrast while being gentler on the eyes and improving the legibility of text. This approach is especially beneficial for websites or apps where users may be reading for longer periods.

Consider Font Size and Hierarchy

When designing for readability, always take font size into account. Too small of a font can strain the eyes, while too large can disrupt the flow of text. For body text, a size of 16px is often ideal, but this can vary depending on your specific design needs.

Headings and Subheadings: Use larger font sizes for headings and subheadings to create a clear content hierarchy. This helps readers quickly understand the structure of the content and find the information they’re looking for.

Maintain Consistency Across Platforms

Typography should be consistent across all platforms, whether it’s a mobile app, website, or print. This ensures that users are familiar with the look and feel of your design and can navigate it without confusion. Using web-safe fonts or web font services like Google Fonts can help maintain consistency across devices and browsers.

Need Expert Assistance?

Our team at ByteCodeIT specializes in modern web design, including dark mode integration. Contact us today and elevate your website’s user experience!

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How to Implement Dark Mode on Website with CSS

To implement Dark Mode on a website using CSS, you can utilize the @media query with the prefers-color-scheme feature. This allows the website to automatically adapt to the user’s system preferences for light or dark mode. Here’s a more detailed explanation and example of how to achieve this:

Basic Dark Mode Using prefers-color-scheme

The @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) query detects if the user has set their system to dark mode and applies corresponding styles.

css

/* Default styles for light mode */

body {

  background-color: #ffffff; /* Light background */

  color: #000000; /* Dark text */

}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {

  /* Dark mode styles */

  body {

    background-color: #121212; /* Dark background */

    color: #EAEAEA; /* Light text */

  }

  /* Additional styling for dark mode */

  a {

    color: #BB86FC; /* Light color for links */

  }

  header, footer {

    background-color: #333333; /* Darker header/footer */

  }

  /* More dark mode customizations */

  .card {

    background-color: #1E1E1E;

    border-color: #444444;

  }

}

In the example above:

The default light mode styles are applied first.
When the system preference is set to dark mode, the media query activates and overrides the styles, providing a dark theme.
Additional styles, like link colors, header/footer background colors, and card components, are customized for better visibility in dark mode.

Handling Elements for Both Themes

You can define styles that are specific to both light and dark modes. For instance, background colors, text colors, and borders can change dynamically.

css

/* Global settings for light mode */

body {

  background-color: #ffffff;

  color: #000000;

}

a {

  color: #1A73E8; /* Light blue links */

}

/* Dark mode overrides */

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {

  body {

    background-color: #121212;

    color: #EAEAEA;

  }

  a {

    color: #BB86FC; /* Purple links in dark mode */

  }

}

Managing More Complex Styles

For larger websites or applications, you may need to adjust other elements like cards, buttons, modals, and menus. Here’s an extended example to handle a more complex structure:

css

/* Default light mode styles */

body {

  background-color: #f4f4f4;

  color: #333;

}

button {

  background-color: #007bff;

  color: white;

}

.card {

  background-color: white;

  border: 1px solid #ddd;

}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {

  /* Dark mode styles */

  body {

    background-color: #121212;

    color: #EAEAEA;

  }

  button {

    background-color: #6200EE; /* Dark mode button */

    color: white;

  }

  .card {

    background-color: #333;

    border: 1px solid #444;

  }

  /* Modify other elements for better accessibility */

  .modal {

    background-color: #222;

    color: #fff;

  }

  /* Navigation bar adjustments */

  nav {

    background-color: #1d1d1d;

  }

}

Providing a Manual Toggle for Dark Mode

While the automatic adaptation based on system preferences is helpful, you might also want to give users the option to toggle dark mode manually. This can be done with a bit of JavaScript and CSS.

HTML:

html

<button id="darkModeToggle">Toggle Dark Mode</button>

CSS:

css

/* Base styles */

body {

  background-color: #ffffff;

  color: #000000;

}

body.dark-mode {

  background-color: #121212;

  color: #EAEAEA;

}

JavaScript:

javascript

const toggleButton = document.getElementById('darkModeToggle');

toggleButton.addEventListener('click', () => {

  document.body.classList.toggle('dark-mode');

});

With this setup:

Users can manually toggle the dark mode on or off by clicking the button.
The button triggers a JavaScript event that adds or removes the dark-mode class on the body, allowing the website’s appearance to change accordingly.

Testing for System Preferences

The prefers-color-scheme media query allows you to detect if the user has dark or light mode enabled in their system settings. This query doesn’t require any additional JavaScript but automatically applies the correct CSS based on the system preference.

Additional Considerations

Transitions: To make the transition between light and dark modes smoother, you can add a fade effect:
css

body {

  transition: background-color 0.3s, color 0.3s;

}

Custom Properties (CSS Variables): You can use CSS variables to manage colors and other styles, making it easier to switch between modes.
css

:root {

  --background-color: #ffffff;

  --text-color: #000000;

}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {

  :root {

    --background-color: #121212;

    --text-color: #EAEAEA;

  }

}

body {

  background-color: var(--background-color);

  color: var(--text-color);

}

Optimizing Images and Graphics for Dark Mode

To optimize images and graphics for dark mode, here are some strategies you can implement:

Use Transparent PNGs and SVGs:
- Transparent images allow the background to show through, adapting seamlessly to both light and dark modes.
- SVGs, being vector-based, can scale without losing quality and can be styled directly with CSS, which makes them ideal for dark mode.
Provide Alternative Assets for Dark Mode:

Detect if the user is in dark mode and serve alternative images that are designed to look better against dark backgrounds. You can do this using CSS media queries, such as:
css

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {

  /* Apply styles or load assets optimized for dark mode */

  img {

    content: url('dark-mode-image.png');

  }

}

Apply CSS Filters:

Use CSS filter properties to dynamically adjust the brightness, contrast, or invert colors of an image based on the background. For example:
css

img {

  filter: brightness(0.8); /* Darken the image for dark mode */

}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {

  img {

    filter: brightness(0.5); /* Further darken for dark mode */

  }

}

By combining these techniques, you can ensure that your images look great in both light and dark modes, enhancing user experience and making your site visually appealing across all themes.

Best Practices for User Experience

These best practices for user experience (UX) are essential for creating a seamless and user-friendly application:

Smooth Transitions: When switching between modes (e.g., from light to dark mode or from one page to another), ensure the transitions are smooth and not abrupt. This improves the visual flow and creates a more pleasant experience.
Save User Preferences: Using localStorage or other methods to save user settings (like preferred themes or layout configurations) ensures a personalized experience. This way, users don’t need to reconfigure settings every time they visit.
Avoid Bright Colors in Dark Mode: Bright colors, especially in dark mode, can strain the eyes and disrupt the aesthetic. Use softer colors and shades that complement dark themes to improve readability and reduce visual fatigue.
Cross-Device and Cross-Browser Testing: Test your design across multiple devices and browsers to ensure compatibility. This helps identify issues like layout breaks, performance slowdowns, or other inconsistencies that could hinder user experience.

Testing and Debugging Dark Mode

When testing and debugging Dark Mode, here are some essential steps to ensure it is both visually appealing and accessible:

1. Use Browser Developer Tools

Inspecting Colors: Most modern browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari) offer built-in developer tools that allow you to simulate dark mode and inspect colors.
Simulating Dark Mode: You can manually toggle Dark Mode using the browser’s settings or simulate it on desktop to see how your design adapts.
- Chrome: Go to DevTools (F12), then navigate to the Rendering tab and enable “Emulate dark mode”.
Testing Visibility: Adjust text contrast ratios in real-time using developer tools to ensure readability on dark backgrounds. You can also use browser extensions like Color Contrast Analyzer.

2. Use Accessibility Checkers

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): Use tools like the Color Contrast Analyzer to check if your text has enough contrast against the background.
Accessibility Tools:
- Lighthouse: Chrome’s built-in tool provides accessibility audits, including contrast checks and recommendations.
- axe Accessibility Checker: A browser extension that can audit your web page for various accessibility issues, including color contrast.

3. Get User Feedback

Surveys/Usability Testing: Get feedback from users, particularly those with visual impairments or different lighting conditions, to understand how your dark mode looks in real-world usage.
A/B Testing: Roll out dark mode to a subset of users and track interactions and preferences. Use this data to refine your design.

4. Refine the Experience

Ensure sufficient contrast, but avoid overly harsh contrasts between text and background.
Pay attention to color choices—darker hues should be used to reduce glare, but the colors should still be distinguishable.
Consider offering a toggle button for users to switch between light and dark mode according to their preferences.

Conclusion

Dark mode is more than just a trend—it enhances user experience, improves accessibility, and adds aesthetic value to modern websites. By following best practices, choosing the right colors, and ensuring a smooth implementation, you can create a website that excels in both light and dark modes.

Ready to Design a Dark Mode Website?

Let ByteCodeIT help you create a seamless dark mode experience for your users!