It looks like Google Drive might finally get a dark mode option for its web version, which means going through documents could become a lot easier on the eyes for people who prefer to have their web pages muted for a while.
This information comes from 9to5Google, which reports that one of its Google accounts has received an update asking users to try out a “new dark mode” so they can “enjoy Drive in the dark.” The option to activate this dark mode is reportedly under the “Appearance” option in Drive’s Settings menu, but I didn’t see this in either my personal Drive or my Drive workspace.
However, from the images provided by 9to5Google, it appears that dark mode in Drive is being rolled out little by little, and will be a fairly simple integration of the mode found in Android, Chrome, and other Google apps. No icons have changed in design or color, but the background changes from white to black, with the text changing to white – all fairly standard.
There is some difference in shading between the inner portion of Drive, where you can find documents and files, compared to the sidebar and search bar; the former is black, while the latter is light gray in tone.
Is this a huge deal? Not really, but for people who work late into the evening, the ability to switch from light to dark mode can be a boon to tired eyes. And having a dark mode can provide a more pleasant experience overall for some people, regardless of the time of day.
I’m definitely up for more dark mode options in Google services and beyond. Where I once thought dark mode was overhyped, I started using it on some of the top Android phones and my iPhone 15 Pro Max and haven’t really looked back – it makes scrolling through different apps in bed more comfortable, though Common sense would tell you to put your phone down when you’re in bed and pick up a book instead.
I hope that by introducing Drive to dark mode, Google will better integrate dark options into more of its apps and services, especially Gmail, which has a dark mode but won’t apply it to real emails when using the web versions, which is the case. shocking. So fingers crossed for a more ubiquitous dark mode from Google.