How to Make Word Dark Mode on Mac

Word for Mac does not have its own dark mode switch. Instead, it follows your Mac’s appearance setting: turn on Dark in System Settings > Appearance, and Word’s ribbon, menus and page turn dark automatically. Inside Word, you can then choose whether the page itself stays dark or white, or turn dark mode off for Word only. This guide walks through each option, explains what dark mode does to your document, and fixes the common problems.

If you followed older instructions that mention Tools > Options or an Office Theme > Black menu, those steps are for Word on Windows. For the Windows version, see our guide to enabling dark mode in Word for Windows.

Step 1: Turn On Dark Mode in macOS

1. Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings (called System Preferences on macOS Monterey and earlier).
2. Click Appearance in the sidebar.
3. Select Dark. Choose Auto instead if you want your Mac to switch between light and dark automatically during the day.

Open Word, or switch back to it if it was already running. The ribbon, menus, toolbars and document background should now be dark. This is the method Microsoft describes in Microsoft’s Dark Mode in Word guide.

Step 2: Choose a Dark or White Page

By default, Word for Mac also turns the page dark and shows text in a light color. If you prefer a dark interface with a normal white page:

1. In Word, click Word in the menu bar and choose Settings (or Preferences in older versions).
2. Click General.
3. Under Personalize, select Dark Mode has a white page color.

To go back to a dark page, return to the same place and select Dark Mode has a dark page color.

Switch the page color from the ribbon

In newer versions of Microsoft 365, you can also flip between the dark and light page without opening Settings. Go to the View tab and click Switch Modes. Word remembers your choice for future dark mode sessions.

How to Keep Word Light While Your Mac Is in Dark Mode

If you like dark mode in other apps but want Word to look normal, open Word > Settings > General and, under Personalize, select Turn off Dark Mode. Word then stays light regardless of your macOS appearance. Each Office app has its own setting, so do the same in Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook if you want them light too.

What Dark Mode Does and Does Not Change

• It only changes how the document looks on your screen. Text, font colors and page colors stored in the file stay the same.
• Printing is unaffected. Documents print with white pages and their original text colors.
• Other people see your document normally, unless they also use dark mode.
• Text set to Automatic color appears light on a dark page. If text looks wrong, see how to change the automatic font color in Word.
• Images and charts are not inverted. Pictures with white backgrounds will appear as white boxes on the dark page.

Other Ways to Reduce Glare in Word for Mac

If full dark mode is not for you, Word has two other options that make long reading or editing sessions more comfortable:

• Immersive Reader: on the View tab, click Immersive Reader, then choose Page Color and pick a softer color such as sepia, or an inverted dark page. Click Close Immersive Reader to return to normal editing. These changes only affect your screen.
• Page Color on the Design tab: this changes the document’s actual background color, which is saved in the file and seen by everyone who opens it. By default, Word does not print page colors, but this option is better suited to designing a document than to reducing eye strain.

You can also lower your Mac’s brightness or turn on Night Shift in System Settings > Displays to warm the screen colors in the evening, which works across every app, including Word.

Tips for Using Word in Dark Mode on a Mac

• Use the white page option when you are formatting a document for print, so you see colors accurately.
• Pick Auto appearance in macOS to use dark mode only in the evening.
• Changing the Word design theme on the Design tab is different from dark mode; see how to change the theme in Word for that.
• Keep Office up to date through Help > Check for Updates so you get the latest dark mode options such as Switch Modes.

Troubleshooting

Word stays light after I turn on dark mode

Check Word > Settings > General > Personalize. If Turn off Dark Mode is selected, choose one of the dark mode options instead. Then quit and reopen Word.

The ribbon is dark but the page is white

Dark Mode has a white page color is selected, or Switch Modes was used. Select Dark Mode has a dark page color, or click Switch Modes on the View tab.

I do not see the Personalize options

Older versions such as Word 2016 for Mac may not include them. Update Word through Microsoft AutoUpdate, or use the latest version included with Microsoft 365.

Some text is hard to read on the dark page

Text with a manually chosen color, highlighting or shading can clash with the dark background. Switch to the white page while editing that document, or change the text to Automatic color.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Word for Mac have a separate dark mode setting?

No. Word follows the macOS appearance. Word’s own settings only let you choose the page color in dark mode or turn dark mode off for Word.

Will dark mode change my document when I share it?

No. Dark mode is a display setting on your Mac. The saved file and printed copies look the same as in light mode.

Can I use dark mode in other Office apps on Mac?

Yes. Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote for Mac all follow the macOS appearance, and most have their own Turn off Dark Mode option in their settings.

Is dark mode better for my eyes?

Many people find it more comfortable in dim light, but the benefit varies from person to person. For long editing sessions in bright rooms, a light page can be easier to read.

What if I lose work while changing settings?

Changing appearance does not affect open documents. If Word ever closes unexpectedly, see how to recover an unsaved Word document on Mac.