Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
For many of us, having dark mode available on Wattpad simply makes for a better viewing experience. Especially if you already stare at a white screen all day long, to begin with. So, how do we enable this feature in Wattpad and reduce the eye strain and headaches?
There are actually quite a few methods for enabling the mode. It really depends on what kind of device you plan on using. Today, I’ll show you how to enable dark mode in Wattpad for both desktop and the mobile app.
In both cases, it’s actually relatively quick and easy.
Enabling Dark Mode for Wattpad on Desktop or Laptop (Chrome Users)
The desktop browser version of Wattpad does not have a dark mode available. It’s unfortunate as a lot of people would benefit from such a feature. It’s an included function in the mobile app, so why not the desktop?
In order to add this feature, you’ll need to use an extension. Of course, this is assuming you’re using Google Chrome as your web browser. Though, I’m sure Firefox and Opera have similar plugins.
The nice thing about the extension I’m demonstrating today is that you can use it on virtually any website you come across.
Step 1: Install the “Dark mode” Extension
For this tutorial, I’m using the “Dark mode” extension offered by ronnyzfx. It was updated in June of 2021 and works well with Chrome Version 108.
Go to the Dark mode page in the Chrome web store and install the extension.
Note: Keep in mind that there are a lot of “dark mode” extensions out there. Some of which don’t seem to work well. So, be sure you’re selecting the right extension for the rest of this tutorial.
Step 2: Pin the Extension
It is possible to use the extension without pinning. However, I find it easier to have it immediately available as I access a lot of websites during various times of the day.
Go to the puzzle icon in Chrome and pin Dark mode.
Step 3: Enable Dark mode for Wattpad
Go to your Wattpad account. Click the icon for Dark mode from your Extensions bar. It simply looks like a black square.
The website you’re visiting will show up in the box provided. Now, from here, you can choose to enable dark mode for all websites by turning the switch to “On.” You can also choose to enable or disable the “alt+Shift+D” keyboard function to turn on dark mode on any website you’re visiting.
In this case, we’re just adding the dark mode overlay to Wattpad.
Click the web address for Wattpad.
The background for the website will immediately change to a darker layout. The dark mode will only affect the current site you’re visiting. When you leave the site and come back, the darker version will still be displayed until you disable the mode.
Step 4: Adjust Settings if Needed (Optional)
One of the nice things about this particular extension is that you can adjust the settings of the display. That means if you want it darker or lighter, you can change the visual by adjusting brightness or contrast. You can also enable sepia and grayscale for the particular website.
Though, you don’t need to make these adjustments if everything looks good to you.
As you can see at the bottom, the settings you adjust are “only for www.wattpad.com.” This means you can essentially have a completely different layout for every website you frequent.
In any case, Wattpad should now have a dark mode available to you. Actually, all websites should as long as you enable the URL as above or simply turn on the function for all sites.
Enabling Dark Mode for Wattpad on Mobile
Turning on dark mode for the mobile app of Wattpad is actually quite simple. Especially since the developers made it part of the app.
The biggest difference, though, is that the Wattpad setting itself doesn’t have the customization options the extension above provides.
Step 1: Open Your Wattpad Profile
Open the Wattpad app on your mobile device and tap your account image on the top right.
Step 2: Access the Wattpad Settings Screen
Tap the gear icon to open the settings from your profile screen.
Step 3: Go to Dark Mode Settings
In the settings window, tap the option for Dark Mode.
Step 4: Turn On Dark Mode for Wattpad
Tap the “On” option from the Dark Mode window. As soon as you do so, the app will immediately adjust.
From here, you can simply back out of the settings window.
Now, Wattpad should be considerably darker.
Using the Dark mode Extension Everywhere
Wattpad isn’t the only thing you can make dark on your desktop Chrome browser. Virtually any website you come across will have the same functionality as I shared using the extension above.
This includes websites such as Amazon, Google, Ahrefs, and more. Though, keep in mind that converting some pages to dark mode may take a moment. But in every case, the conversion didn’t longer than about two seconds.
In fact, it works decently with the Reedsy book editor. However, some of the icons for the tools are hidden in the darker background of Reedsy.
Still, I might keep using the extension as I have poor lighting in my room and I’d like to finish editing my next book. As long as I can see my goals in Reedsy, I’m OK with hunting for the other functions.
How Does this Extension Work with WordPress?
If you don’t want to install a plugin for dark mode in WordPress, this extension works exceptionally well. In fact, I find it works better in many ways than the actual plugin I used for a YouTube tutorial recently.
This means it’ll save on web hosting inodes, database clutter, and all without adding yet another plugin to your WordPress website.
To be honest, I think I would rather have the Chrome extension for dark mode than the WordPress plugin that I’m currently using. I’ll test it out for a few days and see if it’s something that works for me.
However, the plugin I’m using adds the feature to the front end of the website. This means visitors can simply click or tap to enable dark mode themselves. So, the plugin might be the better option if you want to give visitors a way to adjust their own view of your website.
On the other hand, if you don’t care to add the switch for your visitors, the Dark mode extension from above is a great alternative for WordPress.
Perhaps the biggest drawback to using the Dark mode extension is that it doesn’t seem to play well with the Grammarly Chrome extension. Errors are underlined with a darker line instead of the traditional bright red. This means it’ll be more difficult to see when editing your blog post.
You can always turn up the brightness slightly, which seems to work well enough in my case. Yet, keep in mind that different plugins and extensions you have running may have issues with one another.
What’s Your Favorite Method for Reading Wattpad?
In poor lighting, staring at a bright screen can put a strain on the eyes and promote headaches. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I try not to write much when the sun goes down.
In my current location, I just don’t get enough light at my desk.
How do you prefer to read stories from Wattpad, whether you’re on mobile or desktop?
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