How to Enable Dark Reader for All Websites or Specific Domains

Updated

Dark Reader applies a dark theme to websites in two ways: globally, so every site you open gets darkened, or selectively, so only the domains you choose are affected. You switch between these modes in the extension's settings, and you can flip the current site on or off at any time from the toolbar icon. The official page describes the core flow as: install the extension, configure brightness, contrast and sepia, then "enable for all websites or particular domains."

The two modes you're choosing between

Mode What it does When it makes sense
All websites Dark Reader darkens every page you visit by default You want a consistent dark experience everywhere and rarely need exceptions
Particular domains Dark Reader stays off unless a site is on your list You only want dark mode on a few sites, or you want most of the web untouched

The extension ships with a default behavior, and the official instructions treat "all websites" and "particular domains" as the two options you pick from. Which one is active by default isn't stated on the page, so check your own settings rather than assuming.

Toggling the current site from the toolbar

The fastest control is the extension icon in your browser toolbar:

  1. Open the site you want to change.
  2. Click the Dark Reader icon.
  3. Use the on/off switch at the top of the popup.

Expected result: the page re-renders in dark mode (or returns to its original light styling) immediately, without a reload. This toggle is per-site, so it doesn't change how other domains behave.

Setting global vs. per-domain behavior in settings

  1. Open the Dark Reader popup and go to its settings (the page lists "Configure the dark theme: brightness, contrast and sepia" as part of the same setup flow).
  2. Find the site-list or automation section, where the extension separates "enabled everywhere" from "enabled on specific sites."
  3. Choose the mode that matches your intent:
    • All websites — dark mode becomes the baseline; add exceptions for sites you want left alone.
    • Particular domains — nothing is darkened until you add a domain.
  4. Add or remove domains in the list to build your exceptions.

Expected result: after saving, newly loaded pages follow the mode you selected, and any listed exceptions keep their original appearance.

Common snags

  • A site looks wrong in dark mode. Add it to your exceptions so it stays light, rather than turning the extension off entirely.
  • You toggled a site off but it came back dark. A per-site toggle and a global "all websites" setting can conflict; check which mode is active before re-toggling.
  • You want dark mode only on a handful of sites. Pick "particular domains" first, then add each one — starting from "all websites" and subtracting is more work.

Where to install it

The official page points to builds for each major browser: Dark Reader for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. The project describes itself as an open source eye-care extension that doesn't send user data anywhere, trusted by 10,000,000 users and developed since 2014.