Enable dark mode in Ubuntu 24.10

Dark mode in Ubuntu 24.10 changes the colour palette used by the desktop, dialogs and many built-in applications. It is more than a dark wallpaper: the top bar, system menus, file manager and common GTK interfaces use a separate dark theme. Ubuntu makes the main switch easy, while applications with their own appearance settings may need a quick adjustment afterward.

Ubuntu 24.10, code-named Oracular Oriole, is based on GNOME 47 and the Yaru desktop theme. The quickest route is through Settings, but knowing what the switch changes—and what it does not—helps avoid confusion when a browser, terminal or creative application remains bright. This guide covers the standard installation first, then offers a terminal alternative and app-specific controls.

For Australian users, the change can be especially handy during long, bright summer days in Adelaide or Perth, or when working beside a window at home. Plenty of Australian computers still run Windows or macOS, so a consistent dark interface is already familiar. For further Ubuntu walkthroughs, UbuntuNext publishes practical Linux guides that suit everyday desktop use.

Use the appearance settings

Open the system menu in the top-right corner by clicking the clock, date or status icons, then select Settings. In the Settings sidebar, choose Appearance. Under Style, select Dark rather than Light. Ubuntu applies the Yaru-dark treatment to the top bar, system menus, dock and compatible applications; the change normally appears immediately.

If the Appearance panel is not visible, use the magnifying glass in Settings and search for “appearance”. No extra package or extension is needed on a standard Ubuntu 24.10 desktop. Open a file manager or text editor to check the result, and reopen any window that was already on screen because an application may need a restart to refresh its palette.

The effect is particularly noticeable in bright Australian summer conditions, including a desk near a window in Perth or an afternoon in Adelaide. A dark interface can reduce glare, although the visual benefit depends on screen brightness and the app in use. Adjusting display brightness alongside the theme usually gives a better result than expecting dark mode to change every pixel.

Switch modes from the terminal

For users who already have a terminal open, GNOME’s command-line settings provide the same result. Press Ctrl+Alt+T, then run:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'prefer-dark'
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme 'Yaru-dark'

These commands do not require sudo and affect the current desktop session immediately. The first sets GNOME’s preferred colour scheme; the second selects Ubuntu’s dark GTK theme. Both values are stored through GSettings and persist after you log out. You can inspect the current values with:

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme

To return to the standard light appearance, use the Appearance panel or run:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'default'
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme 'Yaru'

Use single quotation marks exactly as shown. On a heavily customised system, the graphical interface is safer because a differently named GTK theme may not be installed. The Settings switch remains the best method for routine use, while the commands are handy for troubleshooting, remote sessions and scripts.

Adjust individual applications

Firefox does not always switch its own pages to a dark palette when Ubuntu changes. Open its menu, choose Add-ons and Themes, then Themes, and select Dark. In Chrome or Chromium, go to the three-dot menu, select Settings, then Appearance and choose Dark, or leave the setting on System if you want the browser to follow future desktop changes.

GNOME Terminal normally gains a darker window frame, but its text colours can remain fixed. Open the menu, choose Preferences, select the active profile and enable Use system palette under Text. For Visual Studio Code, press Ctrl+Shift+P, run Color Theme and choose Dark Modern. Enabling Window, Auto Detect Color Scheme is useful when you alternate between Ubuntu and Windows or macOS.

Creative programs can have separate controls as well. GIMP, for example, offers a dark interface theme under Edit, Preferences, Interface and Theme. Flatpak and Electron applications may ignore the desktop preference until restarted, while older Java or Qt windows may never follow it. Check each app’s Appearance or Interface panel; the overall Ubuntu setting cannot override a deliberate choice stored inside that application.

Combine dark mode with Night Light

Night Light is separate from dark mode. The former changes the colour temperature of the display, while dark mode changes the colours of interface elements. Open Settings, go to Displays and enable Night Light to obtain a warmer image in the evening. Its schedule can be manual or tied to local sunset and sunrise when location services are available.

That local schedule is useful in Australia, but it is worth checking when travelling. Tasmania and most eastern states observe daylight saving, while Western Australia does not, so the correct start and finish times vary by place and season. If a fixed timetable matters, set it manually instead of assuming every Australian location follows the same clock rules.

Dark mode does not block blue light, and Night Light does not turn white application panels black. Using both can reduce evening brightness and improve comfort without making controls difficult to read. Brightness is still the final control: a dim setting in a dark room may be better than a bright one in daylight, and vice versa.

Check wallpaper and legacy app windows

Changing Style usually gives the desktop a dark wallpaper as well, but a custom picture can remain in place. Visit Settings, Background if the chosen image looks too bright or clashes with the top bar. A subdued wallpaper helps icons stand out, particularly on the high-brightness laptop screens used in Australian classrooms and offices.

Legacy programs are the usual exception. A GTK4 or libadwaita dialog should follow the desktop, but an older GTK, Qt, Java or proprietary business application may keep a white canvas and dark text. Its title bar may change while the content does not. This is not a failed Ubuntu installation; the application has simply supplied its own theme.

Do the same check on any second monitor used for hybrid work. One display may render light controls more clearly, and changing the Ubuntu style will not make an unsafe low-contrast combination readable. Keep the system-wide setting where it suits you, then use per-application choices for outliers.

Diagnose themes that do not change

If the desktop did not change, revisit Settings, Appearance and switch Style to Light, wait a moment, then select Dark again. This refreshes the standard theme pair. Make sure a custom GNOME extension or third-party desktop theme has not replaced Yaru-dark, because such an extension can override the normal Appearance controls.

The terminal provides a direct way to check what GNOME has recorded. Run:

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme

The expected values are 'prefer-dark' for the colour scheme and 'Yaru-dark' for the GTK theme. If the colour scheme says 'default' while the desktop is light, the dark preference has not been applied. If it says 'prefer-dark' but an app remains bright, the app is almost certainly using its own setting.

Applications sometimes cache colours until they are closed completely. Quit them from the menu instead of merely hiding the window, reopen them and check again. Browser extensions, forced-colour accessibility tools and remote desktop software can also impose their own appearance. If text becomes difficult to read, restore a light theme inside that program rather than making a global change that harms every other app.

Finally, confirm the release under Settings, About. The steps above assume the stock Ubuntu 24.10 GNOME desktop, not another Linux distribution using GNOME. On Ubuntu 24.10, the Appearance panel should list both Light and Dark; if it does not, check for a modified settings backend before installing random theme packages from the web.

Test the result across your setup

Test dark mode with the apps you actually use rather than judging it from the desktop alone. Open Files, a browser, terminal, email and your main editor, then move a window between an internal laptop panel and an external monitor. Suspend and resume the machine as well; some applications save their colours separately when a session begins.

Ubuntu 24.10 reached the end of its standard support period in January 2025. It remains fine for the appearance controls described here, but a daily work machine is better placed on a supported release when practical. Check that critical Australian business and creative applications have suitable Linux builds before making such a move.

Community support is part of the Linux experience in Australia, with active user groups around Sydney, Melbourne and other cities. During an arvo meet-up, users can compare the same theme on different hardware and compare settings with another person. Because the wider Australian desktop market remains centred on Windows and macOS, local businesses may not test Linux themes as thoroughly, so shared troubleshooting is valuable.

Dark mode is best treated as two layers: the Ubuntu appearance style controls the desktop shell and compatible apps, while individual programs may retain their own themes. Start with Settings, Appearance and Style, then check the browser, terminal and any tool you use for work. This creates the broad change without chasing windows that never follow the system setting.

The result to remember is simple: choose Dark once in Ubuntu’s Appearance panel, confirm that Yaru-dark is active, and adjust only the applications that still ignore your preferred colour scheme.