Open Settings > Display & Brightness. Select Dark to enable Dark Mode, or turn on Automatic to switch between light and dark appearance automatically. Adjust the screen brightness using the brightness slider if needed. Auto-Brightness is located under Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
Reduce Brightness / Dark Mode
Uses darker interfaces and lower screen brightness to reduce glare and visual strain.
What does this setting do?
Dark Mode replaces bright backgrounds with darker tones, helping reduce glare, visual stress and sensory overload. Lowering screen brightness further supports comfortable viewing, especially in low-light environments. Implementation varies by operating system – for example, Windows provides only a dark app mode, not a fully dark system theme.
Instructions for different systems
Open Settings > Display. Turn on Dark theme. This changes bright areas to darker tones and can reduce eye strain.
You can further lower the screen brightness manually or enable Adaptive brightness so the display adjusts automatically to ambient light.
Note: Labels and available options may vary slightly depending on the device.
Open Settings > Personalization > Colors. Under Choose your mode, select Dark to display apps and supported system areas in dark colors.
Adjust the screen brightness under Settings > System > Display.
Note: Not all system areas are displayed in dark mode. Brightness controls are only available on devices with an integrated display (such as laptops or tablets).
Open System Settings > Appearance. Choose Dark or Automatic for time-based switching. Adjust brightness in Display or enable True Tone for softer lighting adaptation.
Often mentioned in relation to the following conditions:
- Photosensitivity – Sensitivity to bright light, screen glare, or high-contrast elements.
- Age-related Vision Changes – Reduced sharpness, color distinction and tolerance for small text.
- Anxiety Disorder – Heightened sensitivity to sudden changes, alerts, flashing content or notifications.
- Autism (mild) – Mild autism-spectrum traits with sensory sensitivities to light, sound, motion or complex interfaces.
- PTSD – Potential triggers from flashing elements, loud sounds or sudden changes in the interface.
- Chronic Fatigue – Persistent physical and mental exhaustion with limited energy availability. Attention, processing speed, and resilience are often reduced over extended periods.
- Migraine – A neurological condition associated with increased sensitivity to light, motion, sound, and visual stimuli. Digital interfaces can quickly become overwhelming …
Commonly used for the following difficulties:
Light Sensitivity
Users with light sensitivity experience discomfort or visual strain when screens are too bright or high-contrast. Adjustments such as reducing brightness, using dark mode, or …
Screen Glare Sensitivity
Users with glare sensitivity struggle with reflections or bright hotspots on screens. Lowering brightness, increasing contrast, or using dark mode can reduce strain.
Visual Overload
Users experiencing visual overload are quickly overwhelmed by dense layouts, flashing elements, or competing visual information. Simplified displays can reduce stress.
Cognitive Overload
Complex or information-heavy interfaces can be overwhelming. Simplified layouts, reduced distractions and focus modes help manage cognitive load.
Other settings frequently used together
Invert Colors
Reduce White Point
Auto-Brightness / Adaptive Brightness
Auto-Rotate Lock
Reading Mode / Reader View
Reduce Transparency & Blur
Greyscale Mode
Night Mode / Blue Light Filter
Adjust Cursor Size
Bold Text
Focus Mode / Do Not Disturb
Haptic Feedback Intensity
High Contrast Mode
Increase Contrast
Notification Summaries / Reduced Alerts
Reduce Background Activity / Power Saving Assist
Reduce Motion
Simplified UI Mode
Speech-to-Text
Text-to-Speech
Background Sounds
Relation to WCAG guidelines
For setting to be effective, a website or app often must be technically implemented in such a way that it respects operating system and browser settings.
Developers and designers should follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The following WCAG criteria are particularly relevant for this setting:
1.4.31.4.11