# Why did Wikipedia go to a dark background (January 2025)?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 24, 2025, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361 "2025-01-24T23:59:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2025, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/1 "2025-01-24T23:59:38Z")
Looking something up on Wikipedia, the articles have a dark background instead of white. Anyone know why? If it’s a protest, what’s it about?
---
### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/2 "2025-01-25T00:02:03Z")
It has the same light background for me.
Did you try a different browser or check settings (though I don’t know what settings would be involved)?
---
### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/3 "2025-01-25T00:03:07Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#):
>
> though I don’t know what settings would be involved
The _Appearance_ settings on the right side of the webpage?
---
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/4 "2025-01-25T00:07:26Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#):
>
> The _Appearance_ settings on the right side of the webpage?
Huh. I must have accidentally touched it. Thank you.
---
### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/5 "2025-01-25T00:08:21Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#):
>
> The _Appearance_ settings on the right side of the webpage?
Specifically, if you’re on a desktop version, in the upper right hand corner, there is an icon that looks like eyeglasses. That’s the Appearance menu. The bottom set of options is “Color,” and clicking the “Dark” button gives a black background with white text, whereas “Light” gives the usual white background with black text.
---
### Author:  [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/6 "2025-01-25T00:28:32Z")
The Elders of the Internet have proclaimed that hierarchy of LIGHT/DARK mode first be obtained from System Settings - and if not specified then defer to the browser settings and lastly the site’s own settings where in certain countries you should be alerted that localStorage (or cookies saved upon thy device) is being used.
ETA: on my websites I check localStorage first, and if not set check the browser and if that’s not set you get LIGHT by default and a nice little area with a Sun and Moon to select.
Some sites look much cooler in DARK and some look absolutely awful.
---
### Author:  [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/7 "2025-01-25T00:37:26Z")
On my iPhone it’s:
Hamburger icon (menu) at upper left
Settings
Color, set to Light, Dark, or Automatic
---
### Author:  [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/8 "2025-01-25T00:54:47Z")
I was just there today (Chrome, Windows 11) and it looked normal to me. I’d check settings on both the site and the browser.
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-wikipedia-go-to-a-dark-background-january-2025/1013361/9 "2025-01-25T00:58:34Z")