Chromebook Dark Mode Scheduler gains ‘sunset to sunrise’ and ‘custom’ options

Last month, Android Police uncovered evidence we discussed that Google was looking to implement a scheduler for dark mode into Chrome OS that would see the user’s theme automatically change appropriately during the day or night. Now, 9to5Google has discovered direct verbiage regarding this upcoming feature.

dark_mode: Add scheduler UI to dark theme settings

– Added dark mode scheduler with dropdown menu: Never, Sunset to sunrise, Custom.
– Selecting Sunset to sunrise option shows customized sublabel.
– Selecting Custom option shows scheduler slider.
– Added a test for dark mode scheduler dropdown menu.

Chromium Repository

As you can see, the dark mode scheduler will include a dropdown menu that will let you choose when it will be activated – ‘Never’, ‘Sunset to sunrise’, and ‘Custom’. ‘Custom’ will let you set the exact time for it to enable and disable using a horizontal bar slider in the exact same way that your Chromebook’s custom Night Light scheduler currently operates.

I’ve complained about the fact that early tests of dark mode have yet to ship with a scheduler, but being that I’m running Chrome OS Canary to play with these features, I shouldn’t be too picky. Google is working on this as we speak, and I’ll be so very glad to have my eyes saved from the bright destructive power of light mode after hours without my intervention.

We don’t yet know when this will be rolling out, but since much of the styling for dark mode is still incomplete across the Files app and in other locations across the OS like ‘Settings’, I’m willing to bet that this is going to take a while (Q4 perhaps?). Hopefully, Google is, in fact, working to implement Material You into Chrome OS shortly after, and that’s what has stalled its progress on dark mode.

Recently, the company added rounded corners and a new, two-tone window redesign to the Phone Hub and Crostini setup flows in Canary, so there is movement on what could possibly be the next phase of its OS theming efforts. Do you currently use the Night Light scheduler for your laptop, or do you manually toggle it when you feel it necessary? Would you do the same for a scheduler that automates dark mode? Let’s discuss this in the comments!