YouTube has a hidden dark mode that can be activated by users, which will help reduce eye strain when watching videos on the online streaming service.
The Google-owned YouTube recently announced that users from all over the world are now watching 1 billion hours of videos daily on the platform. The hidden dark mode will likely prove to be useful for at least some of these users.
How To Activate YouTube Dark Mode
The hidden dark mode of YouTube can only be activated through Google's Chrome, and it will require users to navigate the internet browser's developer tools.
The steps to activate the secret feature, however, are pretty easy to follow.
Here is how to activate YouTube's dark mode:
1. Users will first need to update their Chrome browser to its latest version.
2. After updating the Chrome browser, users will need to visit YouTube and log in with their own account.
3. Users will then have to open the internet browser's Developer Tools. This can be done on Windows by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + I keys, and on Mac by pressing the Command + Option + I keys. This will open up a panel on Chrome's right side.
4. Users should click on the Console tab in the newly opened panel, and then on the input box at the bottom, paste the following code: document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=fPQ4jCL6EiE"
5. After pasting the code, press Enter, close the Developer Tools panel, and then refresh the browser.
6. Clicking on the profile icon at the top right corner of the website will now call up a more extensive list of options. One of these options is for the hidden dark mode, the switch for which can be toggled to activate the hidden feature.
Benefits Of Using YouTube's Dark Mode
The hidden dark mode feature, which has not yet been officially announced by YouTube, will convert the predominantly white background of the online video streaming service to a mostly black one.
Activating dark mode will make it easier on the eyes when visiting YouTube at night, so users will be able to devote more time to watching videos.
For some users, enabling dark mode will simply make YouTube look so much better, which is already a good enough reason on its own.
However, there is a catch. Whenever users restart Chrome, YouTube will go back to its default look. It will be fairly easy though to keep a copy of the code on the desktop and input it in the Developer Tools console whenever a user wants to again activate YouTube's dark mode.
Hopefully Google receives word on how popular the hidden feature is and formally announce YouTube dark mode soon as an easily accessible and retainable feature for the online video streaming service.
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