Dark Mode Design: 6 Tips to Get It Right
Dark mode is more than just a trend—it’s a design choice that can significantly impact user experience. Done right, dark mode offers a sleek, visually appealing interface that can reduce eye strain and conserve battery life. But done poorly, it can make your website hard to use and downright ugly.
If you're considering adding a dark mode option to your site, here are six crucial tips to ensure you get it right.
1. Prioritise Readability
The biggest mistake in dark mode design is sacrificing readability for aesthetics. Sure, dark backgrounds can look cool, but if your text doesn’t stand out, users will get frustrated quickly. Low contrast between text and background is a common problem that makes content hard to read.
How to avoid it:
- Ensure high contrast between text and the background. White or light grey text on a black or very dark background is generally a safe choice.
- Avoid pure white text—it can cause eye strain, especially in dark environments. Instead, opt for softer hues like off-white or light grey.
Readability is king. If users can’t comfortably read your content, your dark mode design will fail, no matter how pretty it looks.
2. Use Appropriate Colour Accents
Dark mode doesn’t mean ditching colours entirely. However, the way colours behave on a dark background is different from how they look on a light one. Bright colours can become overwhelming and cause eye strain, while subtle accents may disappear into the background.
How to avoid it:
- Stick to muted or desaturated colours for accents and interactive elements like buttons or links.
- Test your colour choices in both dark and light modes to ensure they are distinct and readable.
- Avoid neon or overly bright colours, which can look harsh and out of place in a dark mode setting.
When used thoughtfully, colour accents can make your dark mode design pop while still maintaining user comfort.
3. Be Mindful of Images and Logos
Images that look great in light mode can become problematic in dark mode. Photos, illustrations, and logos often contain bright backgrounds or colours that don’t transition well into dark mode. They can either clash or become invisible, making the overall design feel unbalanced.
How to avoid it:
- Use transparent images or PNGs where possible, so they blend naturally with the dark background.
- Test your logo against both dark and light backgrounds to ensure it’s legible and recognisable.
- Provide alternate versions of images or logos that are optimised for dark mode, ensuring they look good no matter what mode the user selects.
Your visuals should complement the dark theme, not detract from it.
4. Don’t Forget About Accessibility
Dark mode is often touted as easier on the eyes, but it can also present accessibility challenges. Some users may still prefer light mode, or they might have specific accessibility needs that dark mode fails to address.
How to avoid it:
- Always offer a toggle between light and dark mode so users can choose what works best for them.
- Adhere to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for contrast ratios in both light and dark modes.
- Ensure your dark mode doesn’t exclude any user group by providing alternative modes or options for customisation.
Accessibility should always be a priority, no matter how trendy your design choices are.
5. Keep User Preferences in Mind
Dark mode isn’t for everyone. Some users prefer the traditional light interface, and forcing a dark mode without the option to switch back could alienate part of your audience.
How to avoid it:
- Provide an easy-to-use toggle that allows users to switch between light and dark modes.
- Respect system-wide settings. If a user has set their device to dark mode, make sure your website follows suit. But always offer a manual option to override it if the user prefers.
- Consider saving user preferences so that their preferred mode is remembered the next time they visit your site.
By respecting user preferences, you create a more inclusive and flexible design experience.
6. Test, Test, Test
Before rolling out dark mode, it’s essential to test your design across different devices, screens, and lighting conditions. What looks great on your high-end monitor might look terrible on someone’s budget phone or in a brightly lit environment.
How to avoid it:
- Test on various screen sizes, resolutions, and device types to ensure consistency.
- Use different lighting conditions to see how your dark mode holds up in both dim and bright environments.
- Ask real users for feedback. A design team might miss issues that become apparent with actual user testing.
Testing is the only way to ensure that your dark mode design will perform well for all users, not just those with the latest tech.
Final Thoughts
Dark mode isn’t just a matter of inverting colours or slapping a black background on your website. It’s a thoughtful design decision that requires careful consideration of readability, colour choices, images, and user preferences. When done right, dark mode enhances user experience and gives your site a modern, sleek feel.
If you want a website that nails dark mode without sacrificing usability or accessibility, Paragon Panda can help. Our team builds high-performance, fully managed websites that look great in both dark and light modes. Ready to take your design to the next level? Let’s chat.