Dark mode for Google Photos is no longer exclusive to phones, as Google finally brings it to its web version
Say goodbye to squinted eyes

- After rolling it out gradually, dark mode for Google Photos on the web is finally available to all users
- Google made an official announcement, saying that the new feature follows users' feedback
- You can now use the new setting to customize your Google Photos appearance, and it's very simple to do
Almost everyone I know, including myself, uses dark mode on their smartphones, and there’s a multitude of reasons why. The three main ones are simple; it means less eye strain for when you’re endlessly doom-scrolling TikTok at night when you should be sleeping, it saves battery, and because dark mode just packs a more sophisticated appearance than the offensively luminous light mode.
With the case of Google Photos, display rendering options have always been amendable in its mobile version, but its web version has lacked this option leaving many users to navigate their photo galleries through strained eyes. Thankfully, Google has officially announced that dark mode is now available on desktop to all users, and I can already feel the relief of my squinting eyes.
Instead of embedding it discreetly in a software test like it’s been doing with its group chat updates for Google Messages, the company made an official announcement with the statement “Dark mode is now available for Google Photos on web! We've launched this long-awaited new feature thanks to feedback from users like you”.
Bringing dark mode to the desktop version of Google Photos certainly is a big step, and one that many users will appreciate, but it’s a move that we’ve been anticipating since the start of the year. Back in late January Google started advertising a dark mode support for Google Photos on the web following its roll out to Search, YouTube, Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Gemini. The initial roll out was staggered, but now it’s accessible to everyone.
How you can activate dark mode for Google Photos on the web
Google has introduced a wide roll out for dark mode support for Photos on the web as a response to user feedback expressing a need for personalized rendering options. Now that it's widely available, it’s very easy to enable:
- Head to photos.google.com in your web browser
- Click Settings, and then go into the Appearance section
- From there, you can select your choice from different options including Light, Dark, or Use Device Default
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Rowan is an Editorial Associate and Apprentice Writer for TechRadar. A recent addition to the news team, he is involved in generating stories for topics that spread across TechRadar's categories. His interests in audio tech and knowledge in entertainment culture help bring the latest updates in tech news to our readers.
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