TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming one of the most downloaded and used social media apps globally. As of 2024, TikTok has over 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide (Source). With its short-form video content and powerful recommendation algorithm, TikTok has appealed to users across multiple platforms, including PCs.
While TikTok originated as a mobile app, its web version at www.tiktok.com has driven significant engagement from PC users. According to TikTok Business, 64% of TikTok gamers use PCs and consoles, underscoring TikTok’s relevance in PC marketing (Source). As TikTok continues to gain traction across devices, users are looking for ways to customize their experience.
One popular customization is dark mode, which displays content on a dark background. Dark mode can provide various benefits – reducing eye strain in low light environments, improving battery life on mobile, and giving a stylish look. TikTok has supported dark mode on mobile for some time, but enabling it on PC can require extra steps. This guide covers multiple methods to activate dark mode on the TikTok website and desktop app.
Enable Dark Mode in Desktop App
The easiest way to enable dark mode on TikTok when using the desktop app is through the settings in the app itself. Here are the steps:
First, open the TikTok desktop app on your computer. Click on the profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. This will open up a sidebar menu.
In this sidebar menu, click on “Settings and privacy” which will open up the settings page. Under the “General” tab you will see a section called “Themes.” Click on the dropdown box here and select “Dark” from the list of options.
That’s it! As soon as you select Dark, your TikTok desktop app will switch over to dark mode. The background will change to black and the text and elements will adjust to be high contrast. This makes for easier viewing, especially if you tend to use TikTok at night or in darker environments.
If for any reason the dark mode does not turn on, try restarting the TikTok desktop app. The setting should save after you initially choose the Dark theme option.
Use Windows Settings
By default the TikTok app will follow your system settings for light or dark mode. You can enable dark mode specifically for apps like TikTok by adjusting your Windows settings.
To do this, access the Windows 10 settings menu and select Personalization. Then choose Colors from the menu on the left side. Under Choose your color, toggle the button for Dark under App mode to the on position. This will enable dark mode for apps across your Windows system (HWiNFO v6.30 released).
Once you have dark mode enabled for apps in your Windows settings, launch the TikTok app and it should now display in dark mode. The app follows the system level settings so there is no need to adjust anything within TikTok itself. If you want to revert to light mode, simply toggle App mode back to Light in Windows settings.
Adjust Browser Settings
One way to enable dark mode on the TikTok website is by adjusting your browser’s settings. Here are the steps:
First, open the TikTok website in your preferred browser. This can be Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or another browser that supports extensions.
Next, install a dark mode browser extension like Dark Reader or Dark Mode. These extensions will force any website you visit to show in dark mode. According to PCMag, Dark Reader is a popular option that works across browsers.
Once installed, simply click the extension’s icon in your browser’s toolbar to toggle dark mode on. The TikTok website should now display with a dark background and light text for easier viewing.
Keep in mind you can adjust the dark mode settings like contrast and brightness within the extension’s options. And you can whitelist sites to exclude from being darkened if needed.
Using a browser extension is an easy way to get TikTok’s website in dark mode without changing any system or app settings. Just toggle it on when needed for a more comfortable viewing experience.
Use a Userstyle
To enable a custom dark theme on the TikTok website via a userstyle, you can use the Stylus browser extension. Stylus is available for Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Edge, and lets you install various custom styles to modify the appearance of websites.
To use a dark theme on TikTok with Stylus:
- Install the Stylus browser extension for your preferred browser.
- Open the Stylus dashboard in your browser extensions menu.
- Click “Find styles” and search for “TikTok dark”. Choose the style you want.
- Click “Install style” to add the dark theme. It will automatically apply when you visit TikTok.
This allows you to enable a custom dark mode look and feel for the TikTok website. The style is added directly via the Stylus extension so you don’t have to manually adjust theme settings.
Limit Blue Light
Excessive blue light exposure from screens at night can make it difficult to fall asleep and disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythms. To limit blue light exposure, you can download apps like f.lux for your computer or use Night Shift on iOS devices. These apps automatically adjust the screen’s color temperature to be warmer and less blue as night approaches.
f.lux is a popular free program available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and jailbroken iOS devices. Once installed, it will automatically adjust your screen to filter out blue light based on your location and time of day. Studies have shown using f.lux can improve sleep quality and duration.
On iPhones and iPads, you can enable the built-in Night Shift mode under Settings > Display & Brightness. This allows you to schedule when you want the screen to shift to warmer colors in the evenings. Android also has a native Blue Light Filter setting under Display settings that can be scheduled.
Reducing blue light exposure for 1-2 hours before bedtime helps signal your brain that it’s time to wind down for sleep. So be sure to enable these night modes on your devices in the evening for better rest.
Dark Mode on Mobile
Users can also enable dark mode when accessing TikTok on mobile devices like iOS and Android smartphones. There are a couple ways to turn on dark mode:
Enable device dark mode in settings – Most smartphones like iPhones and Android devices have a system-wide dark mode that can be enabled in the device settings. Go to Settings > Display on iPhone or Settings > Display > Dark theme on Android to toggle dark mode on. This will make all apps display in dark mode, including the TikTok app.
Or enable in TikTok app settings – Open the TikTok app, go to your profile icon > Settings > App settings > Theme, and choose “Dark” mode. This will enable dark mode just for the TikTok app specifically.
Using dark mode not only gives TikTok a stylish darkened interface, but can also help save battery life on mobile and reduce eye strain in low light environments (Dark Mode on iPhone and iPad).
Pros of Dark Mode
Dark mode has become increasingly popular in recent years for its benefits when using devices in dim lighting. Using dark mode can help reduce eye strain, making it ideal for using devices at night. The high contrast of a bright screen can strain the eyes, while a darker interface is gentler.
According to research from Netizen Experience, dark mode UX helps to reduce eye strain, which can be a health benefit.
Dark mode is also better optimized for nighttime viewing. The bright white background of normal mode can be blinding at night and disrupt sleep cycles. The darker background of dark mode emits less blue light, making it more comfortable to use devices in dimmer settings.
Finally, using dark mode can provide battery life savings on devices with OLED displays. Dark mode allows pixels to turn off completely, reducing power consumption.
Cons of Dark Mode
While dark mode has gained popularity, it also comes with some drawbacks that designers should consider:
Less accessible for some users – Dark mode can reduce accessibility for some groups, like those with visual impairments, cognitive disabilities, or dyslexia. The high contrast of light text on a dark background can make reading more difficult for some. Designers should ensure text has sufficient contrast and important elements remain visible.
Can be disorienting – Sudden switches from light to dark mode, especially on apps with multiple screens, can momentarily disorient users. Keeping certain interface elements like headers and icons light can help maintain a sense of continuity.
Cite: https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/examining-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-dark-mode-in-ui-ux-design-470deee0da04
Conclusion
In summary, there are a few main ways to enable dark mode when using TikTok on a PC. The easiest options are to adjust the theme settings in the TikTok desktop app or change your Windows display settings to dark mode. You can also modify your web browser’s appearance to show pages in dark mode.
Using dark mode has several benefits, including reducing eye strain, improving sleep quality, and saving battery life on mobile devices. The downside is that some users find dark mode harder to read. It may take some time to adjust to the different color scheme.
Overall, dark mode is a popular and stylish choice that makes the TikTok experience more comfortable for many users. With TikTok’s growing userbase spending hours scrolling through videos, having the option to enable dark mode can make the platform more accessible and enjoyable to use from a desktop computer.
