Notion ships with a dark theme on every platform it runs on. Switching to it takes one keystroke, and switching back takes the same one.
Quick answer
Press Ctrl + Shift + L on Windows or Cmd + Shift + L on Mac to toggle Notion between light and dark mode. To set it permanently, open Settings → Preferences and change Appearance to Dark. The choice is stored on your account, so it follows you into every workspace.
What is Notion's dark mode?
Notion's dark mode is an account-level interface theme: it repaints the page background, sidebar, menus, and blocks dark, and flips body text to a light off-white.
It applies to the whole app rather than to individual pages, so you cannot keep one page light and another dark. Notion stores the choice on your account rather than the device, so Dark applies to every workspace you sign into.
How to enable Notion dark mode on desktop (Mac/Windows/Web)
1. Open settings
Select the down arrow beside your workspace name at the top of the left sidebar, then choose Settings. The panel is the same on macOS, Windows, and web.
2. Select dark mode
In Preferences, open the Appearance dropdown and choose Dark. The others are Light and Use system setting, which hands the decision to your OS.
The interface switches immediately, with nothing to save.
How to enable Notion dark mode on mobile (iOS/Android)
1. Open settings
Tap the ••• icon in the top corner to open the sidebar, then tap Settings.
2. Select dark mode
Scroll to the Appearance section, open the dropdown, and choose Dark.
Flipping the theme on your phone flips it on your laptop too.
How to turn off Notion dark mode
Switching back uses the same two controls:
- Keyboard: press Ctrl + Shift + L on Windows or Cmd + Shift + L on Mac. It toggles, so it returns you to whichever theme you were not in.
- Settings: open Settings → Preferences → Appearance and choose Light. On mobile, use Settings → Appearance.
To follow the time of day instead, choose Use system setting. Notion has no schedule of its own, so the OS switch is the only way to get one.
If Notion keeps opening in light mode after you set it to dark, you are on Use system setting with your OS in light. Moving it to Dark pins the theme, and because Notion stores the preference on your account it survives restarts and follows you everywhere.
How to turn on high contrast mode in Notion
High contrast is a second appearance control on the same panel as the theme, and it works with either one. Notion describes it as increasing "contrast across text, icons, and borders for better visibility."
- Open Settings → Preferences, the panel that also holds Appearance.
- Open the dropdown beside High contrast.
- Choose High contrast. Standard contrast returns you to Notion's default, and Use system setting follows your device.
Two limits matter before you lean on it. Notion ships high contrast on desktop and web only, so your phone keeps the standard contrast. And Notion saves the choice per device rather than on your account, so turning it on at your desk leaves your laptop as it was. Appearance works the other way round, which is how a workspace ends up dark on every machine and high contrast on one.
How to turn on dark mode in Notion Calendar
Notion Calendar is a separate app with its own theme, so darkening Notion does not darken your calendar.
- Open Notion Calendar and click your profile picture, then choose Settings. On mobile, tap ≡ and then ⚙️.
- Go to the General tab.
- Set Theme to Dark mode.
The other options are Auto, which follows your OS, and Light mode.
Notion Calendar displays Google, Outlook, and iCloud events beside your Notion pages, but display is all it does; those events never become database rows you can filter, roll up, or relate to a project. Turning them into real Notion records, and pushing your edits back out, is what 2sync does with two-way sync between Notion and Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Todoist, and Gmail. The 2sync and Notion Calendar comparison covers where each fits.
Does dark mode apply to published Notion pages?
Not automatically. A page you publish to the web has its own theme setting, separate from the Appearance option on your account.
To change it, open Share at the top of the published page, go to Publish → Site customization, and under Theme pick System, Light, or Dark. Select Publish changes to apply it.
Site customization is a paid-plan feature, so a free workspace publishes without that control.
What are Notion's dark mode color codes?
These are the live values from the .notion-dark-theme block of Notion's web app stylesheet, re-read in August 2026. The widely quoted #2F3438 returns no match anywhere in that stylesheet now, and #373C3F survives only as a banner color, so a palette built on either is a theme behind.
| Surface | Hex |
|---|---|
| Page background | #191919 |
| Panels and hover states | #202020 |
| Menus and popovers | #252525 |
| Body text | #F0EFED |
| Secondary text | #ADA9A3 |
Two neutrals carry the interface: #191919 for the page canvas, #202020 for anything layered over it. One detail catches people out: the dark body text is an off-white (#F0EFED), not pure #FFFFFF, so white text pasted into an image reads brighter than the interface around it. Matching a cover or widget? #191919 is the background to hit.
Notion declares the same five values as CSS custom properties, which is the form to copy when you are theming an embed to sit flush with the page around it:
What are the benefits of using Notion's dark mode?
1. Comfort in low light
In a dim room, a white page is the brightest thing in your field of view. A dark interface emits less light, which most people find easier on a long session.
2. What the research actually says about eye strain
The claim that dark mode is objectively better for your eyes is shakier than it sounds. Nielsen Norman Group's review of the contrast-polarity research concluded that in users with normal vision, light mode leads to better performance most of the time, and the gap widens as text gets smaller.
A 2025 study of tablet users found no significant difference in visual fatigue, concluding only that dark mode may help reduce the risk of eye fatigue. The same review points the other way too, citing research that links prolonged light-mode reading to eye changes associated with myopia. Treat it as a preference, not a fix for tired eyes.
3. Fewer distractions
A darker canvas holds lower contrast against the room, and some find a long page calmer to work through. Personal taste, no measurement behind it.
4. Battery savings on OLED screens
On OLED and AMOLED panels each pixel makes its own light, and a black pixel is switched off. Android's guidance says dark theme "reduces power usage by a significant amount, depending on the device's screen technology". On an LCD the backlight stays on regardless, so the saving is negligible.
5. It looks the way you want your workspace to look
Plenty of people switch on preference alone, which is reason enough. If you are building a dark workspace deliberately, the aesthetic Notion templates roundup collects dashboards and journals designed for it, and Notion covers and headers handles artwork that survives the theme flip.
Conclusion
Notion's dark mode is one keystroke away and one keystroke back: Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + L. Make it permanent by setting Appearance to Dark, or pick Use system setting and let your OS switch it. Notion Calendar and anything you publish to the web keep their own theme settings, so change those separately.
Once the workspace looks right, fix what goes in it:
- Notion widgets that add clocks, timers, and weather to pages
- Notion browser extensions for extra theme and UI controls
- Syncing Notion with Google Calendar, so meetings arrive as database rows
- Syncing Notion with Todoist, for tasks current in both apps
Sync your Notion workspace
Connect Notion with Google Calendar, Todoist, or Outlook. Two-way sync keeps everything up to date automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Does Notion have a dark mode?
Yes, on desktop, mobile, and tablet. Choose Light, Dark, or Use system setting under Settings → Preferences → Appearance.
What is the keyboard shortcut for Notion dark mode?
Ctrl + Shift + L on Windows, Cmd + Shift + L on Mac. It toggles both ways.
How do I turn off Notion dark mode?
Set Appearance to Light under Settings → Preferences, or press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + L to toggle back. On mobile, use Settings → Appearance.
Why does Notion keep opening in light mode?
Your Appearance setting is on Use system setting, so Notion follows your OS theme. Change it to Dark to pin it on every device.
Does Notion have a high contrast mode?
Yes, and it is separate from dark mode. Open Settings → Preferences and set High contrast to High contrast; it increases contrast across text, icons, and borders. Notion offers it on desktop and web only, and saves it per device rather than on your account.
Does Notion dark mode save battery?
On OLED and AMOLED screens it can, because black pixels switch off entirely. Android calls it a significant reduction that depends on screen technology. On an LCD the difference is negligible.
Can I schedule dark mode in Notion?
Notion has no schedule of its own. Select Use system setting and it follows the one configured in macOS, Windows, iOS, or Android.
Does Notion Calendar have its own dark mode?
Yes, separate from Notion's. Click your profile picture, choose Settings, and set Theme on the General tab to Dark mode.
Do published Notion pages follow dark mode?
Not from your account setting. A published page carries its own theme under Share → Publish → Site customization, where you choose System, Light, or Dark and then select Publish changes. Site customization requires a paid plan.
What are the hex codes for Notion dark mode?
#191919 for the page background, #202020 for panels and hover states, #252525 for menus and popovers, #F0EFED for body text, #ADA9A3 for secondary text. The older #2F3438 and #373C3F are from the previous theme.
