What is Dark Mode and How Can I Utilize It for Reading PDFs?

PDF is one of the best paperless document formats out there. It's famous for its ability to retain your text layout. This document format finds application in several industries as it's often used to create manuals, eBooks, textbooks, contracts, and more. PDF documents appear the same on all electronic gadgets, whether computer or mobile devices.

Reading a PDF file is simple, as countless programs support the document format. While some allow you to read black texts on white background (light mode), others permit you to read white texts on a dark background (dark mode). Both reading modes are great; however, many people find the dark mode handy because of the health benefits.

Are you looking for a guide that explains how to enable dark mode and the best PDF reader to use? Continue reading!

What Is Dark Mode?

Well, there's no specific definition. Dark Mode is merely a display setting that reduces the number of light rays emitted from a device screen while retaining the minimum color contrast required for readability. It's a common setting showing white text on a dark background.

All electronic gadgets, including mobile and computer systems, support dark mode. Also, some web browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc., support the feature. Activating dark mode is straightforward.

Read PDF in Dark Mode With Chrome

As mentioned above, dark mode is tucked into most web browsers, and Chrome is not left out. Chrome users can view web content in a dark background without hassles. You can also read PDFs in dark mode while on the Chrome browser. All you need is to adjust the browser display settings, and you are good to start using the feature.

Stepwise Guide to Read PDF in Dark Mode With Chrome

Here is the detailed stepwise guide to read or view your PDF files in dark mode:

Step 1 Navigate to where you have the PDF document, right-click on it and click on "Open With." Select "Chrome" from the list of options that appears on your display screen.

Step 2 Next, click on the "Hamburger" sign at the top right corner of your computer screen. Select "Setting" from the list of available options. On the left sidebar, click on "Appearance"> "Theme."

Step 3 You will be redirected to another page. Kindly enter "Dark Mode" in the search field, and hit the "Enter" button on your keyboard.

Some dark mode extensions will come up. Select one to download. After the successful download, Chrome will automatically apply the theme.

Wondershare PDFelement - A PDF Reader With Night Mode

Besides the Chrome browser, there are other tools you could use to read or view PDFs in dark mode. However, not all of them give the quality service you seek. In this article section, we will introduce one of the industry-leading PDF editing tools that support dark modes - Wondershare PDFelement.

Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor is one of the most reputable PDF editing solutions. This software program allows you to read and view your PDF files effortlessly. It has a sleek user interface that lets you switch between light and dark modes. It's well-designed with great features that you need to read PDF documents on Windows and Mac computers.

In addition to the display mode settings, PDFelement supports other services. This PDF editing solution allows you to convert PDF documents from one format to another with high accuracy. Formats such as Word, Excel, JPG, PNG, PPT, and more are available on Wondershare PDFelement.

Other services you get to enjoy include compression, merging, splitting, cropping, extraction, insertion, and deletion of pages from PDFs. Batch process multiple files simultaneously without altering the layout using Wondershare PDFelement. This tool has all you need from a PDF editor.

How To Read PDF in Dark Mode Theme

If you haven't installed Wondershare PDFelement, navigate to the official website for Wondershare PDFelement and download a suitable version of the software on your PC. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it. After the installation, run the software and follow the stepwise guide below to enable dark mode:

Step 1 Locate the "Open PDF" at the bottom left corner of your screen to open a PDF with Wondershare PDFelement.

Step 2 At the top right corner of your screen, locate the "Hamburger" sign, and click on it. Here is an image to help you understand this statement better:

Step 3 A couple of options will pop up. Kindly select "Theme"> "Dark." Wondershare PDFelement will immediately switch your current reading theme to dark.

How To Change PDF Reading Background to Night Mode

Apart from changing the theme of the software, there is another way to read PDF in dark mode -changing your PDF reading background to night mode. Follow the detailed procedures below:

Step 1 First, import a PDF file to the software.

Step 2 Select "View" at the top menu bar. Some options will automatically pop up underneath. Kindly click on the "Background" drop-down menu.

Step 3 From the options that appear, select "Night." Wondershare PDFelement will immediately work on your command and switch your current reading mode to night mode.

Other PDF Reading Mode in Wondershare PDFelement

Besides dark and night modes, Wondershare PDFelement also supports other reading modes. Some of them include Parchment, Eye Protection, and Day. Each of these reading modes has a different appearance, which can help reduce eye strain with options that allows you to read PDFs in different color backgrounds.

Apart from different backgrounds, Wondershare PDFelement also allows you to view PDFs in a full-screen format or change the page size of an opening PDF.

Foxit PDF Reader With Dark Mode

Besides Wondershare PDFelement, there are other PDF readers with a dark mode in the market. Foxit PDF reader is one of them. This tool provides you with a comprehensive interface that lets you read your files conveniently. It's a simple PDF editor well-customized with the necessary features you need to improve your reading skill.

Foxit PDF Reader has annotation tools, such as underlining, highlighting, etc. The tool makes reading fun and interesting on all operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. It also supports other reading modes such as orange, blue, classic, and purple.

How To Change the Theme Color to Dark Mode in Foxit

Follow the detailed step-by-step instructions below to read PDF documents in dark mode with Foxit PDF Reader:

Step 1 Install Foxit PDF Reader from the official website, and launch it. When it opens, locate the "File" icon at the top left corner of your screen and click on it. Select "Open" and select a PDF file you want to read.

Step 2 Next, click on the "File" tab again and scroll down to where you have "Change Skin." A screen as below will immediately pop up on your computer screen:

Select one of the skins, and Foxit PDF Reader will act on your command. For the purpose of this article, select "Black" to enable dark mode.

How To Change Background to Night Mode in Foxit PDF Reader

Foxit PDF reader also has a night reading mode which is supposed to be good for your eyes.

Step 1 Launch Foxit PDF Reader on your computer.

Step 2 Open the PDF document you want to read.

Step 3 Click the "View" button on the toolbar. Then, you will find the "Night Mode" option.

Warning: Disadvantages of Dark Mode

While the dark mode is believed to be healthy for humans, it isn't without its drawbacks. Here are some of the limitations of using the dark mode:

• Difficulty with reading a long piece of text or content.
• Reading during the day can be pretty challenging.
• Dark mode consumes more battery on devices with OLD screens. You may keep battling with low battery unless you own an OLED screen device.

Conclusion

Now you know what dark mode is and how to read PDFs with dark mode. Although there is no guarantee that reading PDF in night mode is healthy for your eyes, we recommend using dark mode when reading in low light. We have provided 3 simple yet effective tools to help you view PDFs in dark mode. Choose your preferred tool to read PDF files without harming your eyesight.