Why it's a strong pick

Dark Reader is open source under the MIT licence, so anyone can read its code. Its README says it "analyzes web pages and generates dark mode to reduce eyestrain". Its developers say it shows no ads, and its privacy policy says it has never collected personal data. The trade-off: it recolours pages itself, so a few sites can look off.

What it does

Dark Reader turns on a dark theme for the sites you visit. You can change brightness, contrast and sepia. It keeps site-specific fixes that update with new releases. It works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Thunderbird. There is a per-site switch, so you can turn it off where a page already looks fine.

Key features

Generated dark mode. The README says it analyses each page and builds a dark theme to reduce eyestrain.
Brightness, contrast and sepia. You can adjust all three.
Site-specific fixes. The README says these sync with new releases. It also describes developer-tools controls for restricted pages.
Open source. MIT licence, code on GitHub.
Optional paid Plus. Dark Reader Plus offers premium themes and custom colours. Its page says it is available for Microsoft Edge on Windows, macOS and Android. We could not confirm it for Chrome. Check current plans on its site.

Who it's for

Dark Reader suits people who want a dark look on many sites without hunting for each site's own dark mode. It is a good first extension to try in this category. If you want finer colour control, look at Midnight Lizard. If you only read articles, a reader view such as Reader View may be enough.

Is Dark Reader safe to install?

Dark Reader's developers publish a privacy policy that says they have never collected personal data or browsing history. It is open source under MIT. One real risk is lookalikes: other listings use similar names, and the developers warn about copycats. Install from the listing we link. Our safety check goes through it in detail.

What permissions does Dark Reader ask for?

Its Chrome manifest in the public repo lists storage, scripting, alarms and fontSettings, plus access to all sites. All-sites access is how it can recolour any page you open. That is the repo's manifest, so check the install prompt for the current list before you install.

Does Dark Reader work with Manifest V3?

The repo has a Chrome Manifest V3 file, so the code is built for Chrome's current extension format. We could not confirm which format the Chrome Web Store build uses, so check the listing. The repo's changelog shows a release dated 24 September 2026, so the project is still being updated.

FAQ

Is Dark Reader free? The extension is described as free. A paid option, Dark Reader Plus, exists; its page names Edge as the supported browser. Check current plans on its site.

Is it open source? Yes. The licence is MIT and the code is on GitHub.

Does it need an account? We found no description of a sign-up step. Check the listing before you install.

Good to know

Because Dark Reader recolours pages itself, a few sites look odd or load slowly. Use the per-site off switch and the site-specific fixes. For full control of a site's look with your own CSS, Stylus is a different kind of tool.

Other dark mode & reader tools to compare

Dark Reader is one of 10 picks in our Dark Mode & Reader Tools guide, which compares them side by side and explains how to choose. The other picks:

Night Eye: A dark mode extension that adjusts each page's elements instead of flipping every color. Free Lite plan with limits, paid plans above it.
Midnight Lizard: An open-source colour-scheme tool for websites. Dark, light and grayscale modes plus a blue-light filter.
Reader View: A reader extension built on Mozilla Readability. Opens an article in a clean page, with fullscreen reading and text-to-speech.
Reader Mode: A distraction-free reader with accessibility tools, highlighting and text-to-speech. Free plan with limits, paid Premium.
Chrome Reader Mode: A reader mode that can also save articles offline, highlight and take notes. The listing is now titled Quiet Reader.
Turn Off the Lights: Dims the page around a video player and adds a Night Mode for dark pages. Open source (GPLv2), free, supported by donations.
Just Read: A reader mode for article pages, made by one developer. Free core, paid subscription for extras.
Clearly Reader: A reader mode with an AI assistant. A free plan, plus paid Pro and Subscription plans.
Stylus: Restyle websites with CSS themes, such as dark themes, that you install or write yourself. Not a one-click dark mode. Open source.

See alternatives: Dark Reader alternatives

Is it safe? Dark Reader safety check