Google Testing Dark Mode Feature on Desktop Search: Report

The dark mode doesn’t appear to be enabled on the Google homepage yet but would likely change when the feature goes live.

Advertisement
By Gadgets 360 Staff With Inputs From ANI | Updated: 15 December 2020 15:42 IST
Highlights
  • The look matches the dark mode version of Google's search app on mobile
  • Scrollbars don't show changes when switched from light to a dark mode
  • Update is already provided for testing through the Chrome Canary channel

Upcoming enhancements will allow Chrome to apply a dark theme to additional elements including scrollbars

Google is reportedly testing the dark mode feature on its desktop search results. Late last month, Google brought improvements to its dark mode on Chrome browsers, expected to be rolled out soon to Windows 10 and macOS.

In its report, 9to5Google noticed that the company is testing a dark theme for desktop search. In this feature, the white background has been replaced with a dark grey hue, while Google's colourful logo has been replaced by white lettering.

Advertisement

The look matches the dark mode version of Google's search app on mobile, that has been available since May 2020. Notably, the report claimed the dark mode is not enabled on the Google.com homepage, which is odd, but would likely change when the feature goes live.

Dark mode on Google's desktop search currently appears to be available to only a small number of users. One Reddit user who has seen it said the dark mode just randomly turned on by itself, and it reverted back to light mode shortly after. Strangely, the same user says that the dark mode did not come with any sort of toggle button, meaning he was unable to turn it off while it was active.

Earlier in November, a report suggested that a commit was made by Google engineers on the Chromium Gerrit that detailed the improvements coming to Chrome's dark mode. The search giant is said to be updating WebUIs to bring a complete dark mode experience, with scrollbars appearing in grey colour, according to the commit.

The upcoming enhancements will allow Chrome to apply a dark theme to additional elements including scrollbars. At present, scrollbars don't show any changes when you switch from the light mode to a dark one. The update is already provided for testing through the Chrome Canary channel. It can be tested by adding --enable-features=WebUIDarkMode,CSSColorSchemeUARendering \ --force-dark-mode to the command line.

Advertisement


Is MacBook Air M1 the portable beast of a laptop that you always wanted? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Google, Google Chrome, dark mode
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. OnePlus 16 vs iQOO 16: Price and Specifications Compared
  2. Moto G47 Power 5G Could Launch With Dimensity 6300 Chipset, Leak Suggests
  3. Best Phones With Telephoto Cameras Under Rs. 40,000
  4. Oppo Find X10 Pro Max Will Launch in India With This Flagship MediaTek SoC
  5. Samsung Galaxy S27 Series Design, Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch
  1. Oppo Find X10 Pro Max Will Launch as India’s First Phone With the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro Chipset
  2. Moto G47 Power 5G May Feature Dimensity 6300 SoC, 108-Megapixel Camera; Price Tipped
  3. Samsung Galaxy S27 Series Display Sizes Tipped by Leaked Screen Protectors; Storage Configurations Surface
  4. Samsung Galaxy F70 5G With 5,000mAh Battery, 50-Megapixel Camera Goes on Sale in India: Price, Offers
  5. Apple ‘Pro and Tell’ Event Set for Next Week; First MacBook With Touchscreen, New iPad Mini and More Expected to Launch
  6. Cysic Shuts Down Bridge After Attacker Illegally Creates 10 Million CYS Tokens
  7. JPM Coin Arrives on Ethereum as JPMorgan Expands Institutional Payments
  8. Vivo V80 FE Reportedly Spotted on BIS Certification Website, India Launch Seems Imminent
  9. Airtel’s New Recharges in India Announced: Rs. 185, Rs. 203 and Rs. 206 Voice-Only Plans Details
  10. Vivo X500 Ultra Leak Reveals Launch Timeline, Chipset, Display and Key Specifications
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.