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How do I turn on dark mode in Google Sheets on my phone?

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A phone showing a dark spreadsheet grid with a few highlighted cells, next to a light and dark toggle switch

In short: Open the Google Sheets app, tap Menu at the top left, then Settings, then Theme on iPhone or Choose theme on Android, and pick Dark.[1][2] Dark theme automatically adjusts your sheets to fit the theme, so before you pick fill colors for others, tap More › View in light theme to see them as collaborators will.[1]

A spreadsheet is mostly white cells and thin gray lines, which is a lot of white at 11 p.m. On a phone, the Sheets app fixes that with a built-in dark theme. The interesting part is what it does to your colors.

On iPhone or iPad

  1. Open the Google Sheets app.[2]
  2. At the top left, tap Menu, then Settings.[2]
  3. Tap Theme.[2]
  4. Choose Dark, Light or System default.[2]

On Android

  1. Open the Google Sheets app.[1]
  2. At the top left, tap Menu, then Settings.[1]
  3. Tap Choose theme.[1]
  4. Choose Dark, Light or System default.[1]

The setting is per app. Turning it on in Sheets doesn't change Docs or Slides, which have the same option in their own settings.[1][2] Choosing System default in each one is the simplest way to keep them in step with your phone.

What dark theme does to your colors

Google says dark theme automatically adjusts your documents and sheets to fit the theme and improve viewing.[1] In a spreadsheet, that matters more than in a text document, because color often carries meaning: a red cell for overdue, a green row for paid, a yellow highlight for "check this".

Our reading: the shades you see in dark theme aren't a reliable guide to what a colleague sees on a light screen. If you're choosing fill colors or setting up color-coded rows on your phone, check them in light theme first.

Check the light version

  1. Open the spreadsheet.[1]
  2. At the top right, tap More.[1]
  3. Tap View in light theme.[1]

Collaborators can't see the theme you choose, so this preview is the view everyone else gets.[1] Google's help lists this preview for the Docs and Sheets apps, not for Slides.[1][2] We explain the difference between a theme and a real change to the file in does dark mode change a Google Doc for other people?

On your computer

The dark theme lives in the mobile apps. Google Sheets in a browser on a computer has no equivalent setting, so the same spreadsheet opens white on your laptop. We cover the desktop options in Google Sheets dark mode.

Docs, Sheets and Slides in real dark mode. Keeptab Dark turns the whole Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Excel page dark. Images keep their colors, and there is no white flash. Alt+Shift+D turns it on or off.

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A dark spreadsheet on your computer too

Keeptab Dark is our Chrome extension that darkens the page itself in Google Sheets, Docs, Slides and Excel for the web.[3] Gridlines stay readable, so you don't lose your place in a big sheet, and the file is unchanged for others, when printing and in PDF.[3]

The Soft gray theme is free, and Alt+Shift+D turns it on or off.[3]

FAQ

How do I get dark mode in Google Sheets on iPhone?

Open the Google Sheets app, tap Menu at the top left, then Settings, then Theme, and choose Dark. System default follows your iPhone's appearance.

Does dark theme change my cell colors in Google Sheets?

Only on your screen. Google says dark theme adjusts sheets to fit the theme, but collaborators can't see your theme. Tap More, then View in light theme to see their view.

Is there dark mode in Google Sheets on a computer?

Not as a built-in setting. The dark theme is available in the Sheets app for Android, iPhone and iPad.

Sources

  1. Google Docs Editors Help. Use Dark theme in Google Docs, Sheets & Slides (Android). https://support.google.com/docs/answer/9955476?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
  2. Google Docs Editors Help. Use Dark theme in Google Docs, Sheets & Slides (iPhone & iPad). https://support.google.com/docs/answer/9955476?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS
  3. Keeptab Dark. Dark mode for Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Excel. https://keep-tab.com/dark/

Docs, Sheets and Slides in real dark mode

Keeptab Dark turns the whole Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Excel page dark. Images keep their colors, and there is no white flash. Alt+Shift+D turns it on or off.

Add to Chrome — it's free

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