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 In this feature, the white background has been replaced with a dark grey hue, while Google's colourful logo has been replaced by white lettering.

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.
 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Google, Google Chrome, dark mode
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Upcoming Telugu Movies OTT Release in September 2025: Coolie, Mirai, and More
  2. Samsung Galaxy F17 5G's Price, Specifications Leak Ahead of India Debut
  3. A Line of Fire: Action, Family & Drama, Streaming Sept 2, 2025
  4. Best Mobiles Under Rs. 40,000 in India
  5. Apple Will Make iPhone 17 Series eSIM-Only in These Countries
  6. NASA Perseverance Rover Finds Megaripples, Proof Mars Is Still Changing
  7. NASA-ISRO NISAR Satellite Prepares to Deliver Sharpest-Ever Views of Earth
  1. Samsung Galaxy F17 5G Price in India, Specifications Reportedly Leak Ahead of Launch
  2. iPhone 17 Series to Move Away from Physical SIM Slot, Become eSIM Only in International Markets: Report
  3. NASA-ISRO NISAR Satellite Prepares to Deliver Sharpest-Ever Views of Earth
  4. NASA’s Perseverance Rover Spots Megaripples, Proof Mars' Soil Is Still Shifting
  5. Scientists Create Glow-in-the-Dark Succulents That Can Replace Lamps and Streetlights
  6. Caltech Scientists Stretch Quantum Memory Lifetimes 30x in Major Leap
  7. A Line of Fire OTT Release: When and Where to Watch the Action Thriller Online
  8. Metro In Dino OTT Release Is Here: Know Where to Watch the Multi-Starrer Romance Drama
  9. Love Is Blind: UK Season 2 Is Now Streaming On Netflix: What You Need to Know
  10. The Door Begins Streaming on Aha Tamil: All the Details About This Horror Thriller
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.