How to Enable Dark Mode in macOS Sequoia

How do you turn on dark mode in macOS Sequoia?

The quickest and most reliable way to enable dark mode in macOS Sequoia is through System Settings. The Appearance panel has moved and been redesigned compared to older macOS versions, but it is still easy to find. Here is the full step-by-step:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select System Settings. Alternatively, click the System Settings icon in your Dock.
2. In the sidebar on the left, click Appearance. It is listed near the top, below your Apple ID.
3. Under the Appearance heading at the top of the panel, you will see three options: Light, Dark, and Auto.
4. Click Dark to switch your Mac to dark mode immediately. The change takes effect across all open apps instantly - no restart required.

That is all there is to it. Once set, dark mode persists until you manually change it or until macOS Auto Appearance switches it at sunset (if you choose Auto instead).

How do you quickly toggle dark mode from the menu bar?

If you want to switch appearance without opening System Settings every time, Control Centre is the fastest built-in option in macOS Sequoia.

Method: Control Centre

1. Click the Control Centre icon in the menu bar - it looks like two toggle switches stacked on top of each other. On Macs with a notch, it sits to the right of the notch.
2. Click Display to expand the display options.
3. You will see a Dark Mode toggle. Click it to switch between light and dark appearance.

Control Centre dark mode toggle is handy for occasional switching, but it is still a multi-click process. If you find yourself toggling dark mode several times a day, a keyboard shortcut is worth setting up.

Method: Siri voice command

Siri in macOS Sequoia can toggle dark mode directly with a voice command. Say any of the following:

• "Hey Siri, turn on dark mode"
• "Switch to dark mode"
• "Enable dark mode"
• "Turn off dark mode" (to switch back to light)

Siri handles the change immediately. This method is most useful if your hands are occupied or if you use Siri regularly already. You can activate Siri by saying "Hey Siri", pressing the Siri keyboard shortcut (usually Cmd + Space held, or a dedicated Function key depending on your settings), or clicking the Siri icon in the menu bar.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for dark mode in macOS Sequoia?

No. macOS Sequoia does not include a native keyboard shortcut to toggle dark mode. Apple has not added one despite the feature being available since macOS Mojave in 2018. This is a common frustration for users who switch appearance frequently throughout the day.

There are two workarounds:

Option 1: macOS Shortcuts app

You can create a shortcut in the Shortcuts app that toggles appearance, then assign a keyboard shortcut to it via System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts. The steps involve:

1. Open the Shortcuts app and create a new shortcut.
2. Add the Set Appearance action and set it to Toggle.
3. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts.
4. Add a new shortcut, set the application to All Applications, match the exact name of your Shortcut, and assign a key combination.

This works, but it is fiddly to set up and can be unreliable if the shortcut name does not match exactly. Some users also report that the shortcut stops working after macOS updates.

Option 2: Solace global hotkey

Solace is a macOS menu bar app that includes a customisable global keyboard shortcut for toggling appearance. You set the key combination once in Solace preferences, and it works instantly from any app, any screen, any time. There is no Shortcuts app setup required.

Beyond the hotkey, Solace adds scheduling (custom times, sunset-based, or weather-aware), colour temperature control for evening warmth, and wallpaper syncing between light and dark mode - all for a one-time $4.99 with no subscription.

How do you schedule dark mode to turn on automatically in Sequoia?

macOS Sequoia offers one built-in automatic option: the Auto appearance setting. When selected, your Mac switches to dark mode at local sunset and returns to light mode at sunrise, based on your location.

Enable Auto appearance (sunset/sunrise)

1. Open System Settings > Appearance.
2. Select Auto.
3. Make sure Location Services are enabled for System Services so macOS can calculate accurate sunset times. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and confirm it is on.

The Auto setting is reliable and zero-effort, but it comes with one limitation: you cannot set a custom time. If you want dark mode to kick in at 9pm regardless of sunset, or trigger based on weather, the built-in option does not support that.

Custom schedule with Solace

Solace extends macOS's built-in Auto appearance with three scheduling modes:

• Custom time - set dark mode to activate at any specific time, such as 8pm every day
• Solar-based - uses precise solar position data, not just a generic sunset estimate
• Weather-aware - switches to dark mode when it is overcast or raining, even during the day

If you have ever wanted dark mode to match your actual environment - not just the clock - Solace's weather-aware mode is the only way to do that on macOS without building a complex Shortcuts automation.

What's new about dark mode in macOS Sequoia?

macOS Sequoia (15) refined several aspects of the dark mode experience compared to Ventura and Sonoma:

• Improved Dynamic Wallpapers - Sequoia expanded the dynamic wallpaper library, with new wallpapers that shift colour, light, and composition as your appearance changes. The transition is smoother than in previous versions.
• Better Auto appearance handling - Apple improved the reliability of the Auto switch. Some users on Ventura and Sonoma reported that Auto appearance would stop working after sleep/wake cycles; this is less common on Sequoia.
• Tinted window controls and UI elements - Sequoia continued refining the visual depth and material treatments in dark mode, particularly in translucent panels and sidebars.
• Continuity improvements - with iPhone Mirroring introduced in Sequoia, the appearance of mirrored content now better respects the Mac's current mode setting.

In earlier versions of macOS - particularly Mojave and Catalina - some third-party apps would lag when updating their appearance, sometimes requiring a relaunch. In Sequoia, the vast majority of apps update in real time. The main exception remains Electron-based apps (like VS Code, Slack, and Notion), which manage their own themes independently of macOS and may need their in-app settings adjusted separately.

Comparing all the methods at a glance

Frequently asked questions