How to Make Notion Dark Mode: How to Turn On & Off on Desktop & Mobile

Learn how to enable and customize Notion's dark mode on both desktop and mobile. Switch seamlessly between modes and optimize your workspace with these tips. Find out the hex codes and set dark mode as your default option. Improve your user experience and make your workspace sleek with Notion's dark
Minimalist Avatar of Blog Author Giorgia Dalla Valle
Giorgia Dalla Valle
July 15, 2024

Notion is known for its customization option and flexibility, so it's no surprise that the app has a dark mode. Being able to seamlessly switch between these modes or set a default option expands the customization and look that you can obtain from your Notion workspace and improves the user experience.

How to Switch Between Light and Dark Mode?

Dark Mode on Notion - Desktop & Web App

You can switch between Light and Dark Mode in Notion using a keyboard shortcut (CTRL+SHIFT+L for Windows or Command+SHIFT+L for Mac), or by adjusting your settings.

To switch to dark Mode Mode.

  1. Open the app the lateral bar
  2. Click on <s>"Settings & Members."<s>
  3. A menu will open; in the left menu, locate <command-text> <command-text> and click on "My Notifications & Settings."
  4. Navigate to <s>My Settings > Appearance.<s>
  5. From here, you can select Light, Dark, or Use Device Default as the default mode.

Dark Mode on Notion - Mobile

To enable Dark Mode on your mobile device, follow these steps:

  1. Open the app and scroll down the page menu to locate the <s>Settings<s> option.
  2. In the Settings menu, scroll down to <s>Appearance<s>
  3. From there, you have three options: "Use System Setting," "Light Mode," and "Dark Mode." Choose "Dark Mode."
  4. Click "Done" (the blue button at the top left of the screen) to save your changes.

Notion Dark Mode Keyboard Shortcut

Notion Dark Mode Shortcut is <s>CTRL+SHIFT+L<s> on Windows.

Notion Dark Mode Shortcut is <s>CMD+SHIFT+L<s> on Mac OS.

Turn Off Dark Mode in Notion

Tu turn Off Dark Mode in Notion.

  1. Open the app the lateral bar
  2. Click on <s>Settings & Members.<s>
  3. Locate and click on <s>My Notifications & Settings.<s>
  4. Navigate to <s>My Settings > Appearance.<s>
  5. Select Light Mode.

Alternative you can use the keyboard shortcut <s>CTRL(Or CMD)+ SHIFT+L.<s>

Enabling Dark Mode as Default

As mentioned in the guide, you can set Notion Dark as your default option by accessing the Settings menu. This will make the Dark mode permanent, unless you manually switch to Light mode by clicking the shortcut or changing the setting. When you open Notion or create new pages, the Dark mode will be automatically activated.

Tips for Optimizing Your Workspace for Both Modes

Most users will either love or hate dark mode. But some others, like me, love to switch seamlessly between both modes and still have their templates fully optimized. The most common problem you may encounter when switching back and forth is that if you insert some black or dark icons in your light mode setting, they can be hard to see when you turn on dark mode. There are several ways to deal with it.

First, you can use emojis as icons or the native icons in Notion. If you have returned to Notion recently and have not been working for some months, you could have lost the native icons that Notion introduced first in (times) and then expanded and redesigned in 2022. Using the native icons will make sure that they are optimized, so even if you choose a black icon in your light mode template, when turning on dark mode, the icon will adjust itself to gray.

The other thing you can do, if you love to use custom icons, is to use gray icons. There are several free resources out there that let you choose and change the color of your icons. In my Premium Template, I always make sure that the user can switch between dark and light mode. So if you want to purchase a new light mode template and you worry because you love dark mode, worry not, my template will satisfy you.

Black Theme Notion Templates

If you are curious to see how my templates are optimized for dark and light mode, here are some comparison images.

Ultimate Reading Tracker Side by Side Comparison of Light and Dark Mode
Ultimate Life Planner Side by Side Comparison of Light and Dark Mode

What the Community Prefer?

I was curios to learn what are the preference of the community, so I've launched a poll o Notion subreddit r/notion. Here the result

Notion Dark Mode Color Codes

The hex color codes for Notion's dark mode are #2F3438 for the main window, #373C3F for the sidebar, and #3F4448 for hover items.

If you're curious about the light mode equivalent, it's #FFFFFF (pure white) for the main window and #F7F6F3 for the sidebar! Hover items are pure white, too.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Notion's dark mode provides a sleek and stylish alternative to the regular light mode. With the ability to seamlessly switch between modes, Notion's flexibility and customization options are further extended. Whether you prefer the classic light mode or the modern dark mode, Notion has got you covered. If you want to know what are the hex code for both dark mode and light mode this resource is your next stop.