Is there a dark mode on Canvas

[4801816541]

It's way too bright and hurts my eyes.

[Chris_Hofer]

Hello  @4801816541  Welcome to the Canvas Community.  Thank you for posting your question.  There is no "dark mode" that is built into the Canvas LMS (Learning Management System).  However, this is a pretty popular feature request by Community members, and you can read more about it here: https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/11408-dark-theme-for-canvas" modifiedtitle="true" title="Dark ....  I'd encourage you to vote on it and maybe add a comment to the bottom of it if you feel that it's something you'd like Instructure (the company that makes Canvas) to implement.  Also, check out some of the comments in that thread because some people have found ways to add a dark theme on their own...and so that might be an option for you as well.

Finally, I'm not sure if you are on a Windows 10 computer or not, but I often take care advantage of the "Night light" setting.  It helps tone down the brightness in the evenings and is easier on my eyes.  Set your display for night time in Windows 10

I hope this helps, Janice.

[BrianFritzen]

I was able to accomplish this without extensions or any other nonsense.

Here is what I did: 

To turn on dark mode for all websites in Chrome without an extension, you can use Chrome's flags:

1. Open Chrome and type chrome://flags in the address bar 
2. Search for 'dark" in the flags search bar 
3. Select Enable from the drop down menu. 
4. Restart Chrome 

EDIT: This works for text entries and other Canvas relevant work, NOT for Word or PDFs or other uploads.

[EmanAmer]

I have done that, and it did not work. It does change everything to dark mode, but my initial question was about Canvas. When a student submits a PDF or Word file, I can't grade it because the background of the file is white, and the only way to accomplish my job was to download the file and grade their assignments using dark mode. That takes a lot of time. I am a very dedicated person, but I have received negative comments from my former supervisors, and some made fun of my condition. So, I quit the whole dept.
Now, I do not need any dark mode because I have already had surgery a few weeks ago. However, I would love the team on Canvas to have more responsibility toward other instructors with vision impairment. 

[BrianFritzen]

Yes. I just realized that. I was excited because I could finally read text entries in dark mode. 

Canvas must be presenting the work through the Word application, same for the PDF.

I know your pain. I have migraines with aura. 

[EmanAmer]

I had dense cataracts in both eyes, and I couldn't see anything. I used dark mode for three years but reached the point that I can't even use dark mode. That's why I decided to go through surgery despite the risk of doing it at a younger age. 
The Canvas team must consider that some people have different vision conditions and should fix their design so anyone can use it comfortably. Canvas developer needs to know how it feels when a student asks you a question, and you tell them to send it to your email for review to hear a painful response, "Oh, I remember, she does not see."

We do not need to hear a harsh response like this after all our hard work just because the Canavs team does not care.

[ElizaRandall]

It’s actually an ADA accessibility issue for people living with chronic migraine, mTBI photophobia, vision strain etc. Does someone need to file a lawsuit to get them to make this accessible!?!

[chriscas]

Hi @ElizaRandall,

You could try a browser extension like Dark Reader to give you a dark view of almost any website, including Canvas.  I'm a Canvas admin for my institution, and while I know dark mode is something that a lot of people (even myself) would appreciate, I also know that it's a very complex thing to fully support in an environment where millions of teachers and students are creating assignments, discussion posts, assignment submissions and the like.  The browser extensions to a decent job of making a dark mode, but they are not perfect, especially for images/graphics or when specific colors may be getting called out (as the extension may adjust the colors for better contrast).

I hope this may give you a workable alternative.

-Chris

[gusher]

good man

[BrianFritzen]

My district blocks extensions in browsers.

[KennyGolding]

Same

[jaumetet]

As a low vision person and a teacher that uses canvas in my university, Canvas has remarkable erros using Dak Reader. I use Dark Reader since many years, and it used to work almost perfect.

If Canvas is not prioritizing accessibility, which it looks weird to me, then, at least, must be compatible with a popular expansion like Dark Reader or recommend any other.

Some of the error that canvas does use Dark Reader include: invisible text in body of misses, and inisible change of text color also in messages.

So, please, Canvas developers, do the effort-

Many Many thanks for the great work!

jaume

[EmanAmer]

It does not change the background of word or pdf files that uploaded by students. I have to download each paper so I can grade them. Dark reader worked in the past and it used to make the color of doc background to black. Now, it does not work at all

[Samidavenport]

This helps so much. Thank you I didnt know about it. My jaw relaxed the second I added it to my browser. This will really change things for me. I hate doing assignments because I feel sick just at the thought of the two - three day migraine Ill get after one. 

[The_SunTzu]

It's been four years since the first comment said that there was voting going on. An there's still no dark mode. It should be common sense.

[KrasavitsaRose]

On the bottom right is the accessibility icon. Click that and look under "Color Adjustments." Under "Contrast" there are 3 options to choose from. The first option is  dark mode.

[EmanAmer]

I can't find it

have already changed my canvas theme using Windows. The problem is when students upload their files in Word, Excel, or PDF. The background is white. I used many plugins that changed the background of these files to black and the font to white. However, these plugins no longer work. Please provide your solution using images on how we can get there. Is there any hope to solve this problem?

[The_SunTzu]

I'm sorry to tell you, but that's on the app version, not on the browser version. If there is one for the browser, tell me. I would love a dark mode for the browser one because I like that one better than the app version. Why does the DVUSD start page get one, but not the canvas browser one? Also don't tell me to download an addon that makes it dark. Those things are blocked on my chromebook.

[KrasavitsaRose]

I am using a PC running Windows 11 for these screen shots. Does this help at all? I apologize in advance if this isn't the correct solution to what you are asking.

[The_SunTzu]

 

[KrasavitsaRose]

That is extremely frustrating!!! I'm sorry. It appears we have different versions of canvas. Why there wouldn't be an accessibility option in each and every version is not very user friendly, nor current with other competitive programs! In your help options up on the left of your screen is there a way to contact support by email/message/chat? That would be my next step to try. o.O

[c_housley]

Only on the Canvas app for mobile.