Do you want to add dark mode to your WordPress website but don’t want to touch a single line of code?
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You’re not alone. Dark mode has gone from a nice-to-have to something visitors genuinely expect, especially if they’re browsing late at night or just prefer easier reading on the eyes. The good news is you don’t need to be a developer to add it.
Yes, you can add dark mode to WordPress without coding by using a dark mode plugin. It can add a dark mode toggle to your site and automatically switch the website’s appearance based on the user’s device or browser preference.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through both the manual coding method and the no-code plugin method, then show you why the plugin route is the faster and easier option for most site owners. We’ll also include a simple checklist at the end so you don’t miss a step.
Let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Why Add Dark Mode to Your WordPress Site
Before we jump into the how-to, it’s worth quickly covering why this is worth doing in the first place.
- It reduces eye strain. Readers browsing at night or in low light tend to find dark backgrounds a lot more comfortable.
- It feels modern. A lot of the apps and sites people use daily already offer dark mode, so visitors half expect it now.
- It can improve time on page. When reading is more comfortable, people tend to stick around longer, which is good for both user experience and your site’s engagement numbers.
- It’s easier on OLED screens. Dark backgrounds use less power on phones and tablets with OLED displays, so it’s a small win for mobile visitors too.
None of this means every site needs dark mode. But if your audience reads long-form content, browses at odd hours, or you just want to offer a more polished experience, it’s worth adding.
Method 1: Adding Dark Mode to WordPress Manually With Code
If you’re comfortable editing your theme’s CSS and functions.php file, you can add a basic dark mode without a plugin. We’ll walk through the core idea here, though keep in mind this method takes more ongoing maintenance than the plugin method below.
Step 1: Detect the User’s Color Scheme Preference
Most modern browsers and operating systems let users set a light or dark preference at the system level. You can detect this in CSS using the prefers-color-scheme media feature.
body {
background-color: #ffffff;
color: #111111;
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
body {
background-color: #111111;
color: #f5f5f5;
}
}This tells the browser to serve dark colors automatically if the visitor’s system is already set to dark mode. You can read more about how this media feature works on MDN’s prefers-color-scheme documentation.
Step 2: Add a Manual Toggle (Optional but Recommended)
Relying only on system preference means visitors can’t switch modes themselves if they want to override it. To add a manual toggle, you’ll need a bit of JavaScript to add and remove a CSS class (like .dark-mode) on the <body> tag, then store that choice in the browser using localStorage so it’s remembered on their next visit.
This part gets more involved fast. You’re now managing CSS overrides for every element on your site, testing across your theme’s templates, and making sure plugins like page builders or WooCommerce don’t break when the class gets toggled.
The Downsides of the Manual Method
- You need to manually override colors for every section of your theme, not just the body text.
- Updates to your theme can undo your changes if you’re not using a child theme.
- There’s no built-in toggle switch, you have to build and style one yourself.
- You’ll need to test extensively across browsers and devices.
For a developer comfortable with CSS and JavaScript, this is doable. For most WordPress site owners, it’s a lot of extra work for something a plugin already handles well.
Method 2: Adding Dark Mode to WordPress With a Plugin (No Coding Required)
This is the method we’d recommend for most WordPress users, especially if you want something working today rather than after a weekend of testing.
Step 1: Install a Dark Mode Plugin
From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New and search for “dark mode.” You’ll see several options, including WP Dark Mode, one of the more established plugins in this category on WordPress.org with broad theme compatibility.
Click Install Now, then Activate.
Step 2: Enable the Dark Mode Toggle
Once activated, most dark mode plugins will add a settings page under your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can usually:
- Turn the dark mode toggle on or off site-wide
- Choose where the toggle button appears (bottom corner, header, or via shortcode)
- Set the toggle style (switch, icon button, or floating button)
Step 3: Customize the Colors
Most plugins come with a sensible default dark color scheme, but you can usually adjust background color, text color, and accent colors to better match your brand. Take a few minutes here, since a dark mode that clashes with your logo or brand colors can look worse than not having one at all.
Step 4: Turn on Auto-Detection (Recommended)
Look for a setting like “respect system preference” or “auto dark mode.” When enabled, this automatically shows dark mode to visitors whose device is already set to dark, while still letting them manually switch using your toggle. This gives you the best of both methods without writing any code yourself.
Step 5: Test It on the Front End
Visit your site in a new browser tab (or incognito window) and click the dark mode toggle to confirm it’s working. Check a few different pages, not just your homepage, since some page builder sections or custom templates can occasionally need extra tweaking.
[Screenshot: Dark mode toggle working on the live site]
Quick Checklist
Use this to make sure you haven’t skipped anything:
- Installed and activated a dark mode plugin
- Enabled the toggle and picked a position/style
- Customized colors to match your brand
- Turned on auto-detection for system preference
- Tested the toggle on multiple pages and devices
Manual Coding vs Plugin: Which Should You Choose?
If you already have solid CSS and JavaScript skills and want full control over every detail, the manual method works fine. But for almost everyone else, a plugin gets you a working, tested, toggle-ready dark mode in minutes instead of hours, and it keeps working even after theme updates, since you’re not hand-editing your theme files.
For a first dark mode setup, we’d suggest starting with the plugin method. You can always dig into custom CSS later if you want to fine-tune specific details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does adding dark mode slow down my WordPress site? A well-coded dark mode plugin adds minimal overhead, usually just a small CSS/JS file. Performance issues are more likely with poorly optimized plugins, so check reviews and active install counts before choosing one.
Will dark mode work with my existing theme? Most dark mode plugins are built to work with any standard WordPress theme, though highly customized themes or page builders can occasionally need manual color adjustments in a few spots.
Can visitors switch back to light mode? Yes, as long as your plugin includes a toggle. Auto-detection sets the default based on system preference, but a visible toggle still lets visitors override it manually.
Do I need dark mode on my WooCommerce store too? It’s optional, but if you want it, check that your chosen plugin specifically mentions WooCommerce compatibility, since store templates like product pages and checkout can need their own styling.
Wrapping Up
Adding dark mode to WordPress doesn’t have to mean touching code. A good plugin gets you a working toggle, automatic system detection, and customizable colors in a few minutes, no CSS required.
If you’re setting up your first WordPress site or looking for more guides like this, feel free to browse around Hive Plugins while you’re here.
