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OS X Yosemite's 'Dark Mode' Now Available via Terminal Command

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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30,715



OS X Yosemite's dark mode, which was demoed on stage at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, has yet to make it into the beta as an available setting. It is, however, possible to get a glimpse of dark mode with a Terminal command, as discovered by iOS developer Hamza Sood.
To enable the somewhat functional dark mode: sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences AppleInterfaceTheme Dark - Hamza Sood (@hamzasood) June 17, 2014
Click to expand...
The command enables an early version of dark mode, which is clearly not yet complete, likely explaining why it is not yet officially available in the beta. Users should, of course, use caution when deciding whether or not to try this feature for themselves. Dark mode can be undone with a second Terminal command.

darkmode.jpg
The second beta of OS X Yosemite was released to developers earlier today, bringing several new changes like the return of Photo Booth and a new look for Time Machine. The public release of the software will likely come in the fall, after several more beta iterations.

Article Link: OS X Yosemite's 'Dark Mode' Now Available via Terminal Command
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/06/17/yosemite-dark-mode-terminal-command/
gmcalpin

gmcalpin

macrumors 6502
Oct 2, 2008
462
74
Somerville, MA
As stupid and minor as dark mode is, I'm actually pretty excited about it. I spend too many late nights alone with my computer in a dark room. (Not just masturbating.)
 
T

Thares

Cancelled
Feb 25, 2011
253
81
I wonder what the Finder looks like while using the dark mode. Can anyone enlighten me?
 
l0renz

l0renz

macrumors 6502
Aug 13, 2012
288
9
So how can I go back in light mode? Because for me it worked only partially. Thanks.
 
arn

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
16,363
5,795
LorenzMeir said:
So how can I go back in light mode? Because for me it worked only partially. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Code: 
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences AppleInterfaceTheme Light

according to the original tweeter.
 
Parasprite

Parasprite

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2013
1,698
144
Lapidus said:
Just wondering, how does this guy discover this command?
Click to expand...

I'd imagine it's placeholder was left in the plist, if so it isn't hard to figure it out from there. Even if it wasn't, there are other ways to figure out possible keys, it just requires a bit more digging.
 
G

GeneralChang

macrumors 68000
Dec 2, 2013
1,675
1,509
Lapidus said:
Just wondering, how does this guy discover this command?
Click to expand...

I know, right? Can you find these terminal commands hiding the OS configuration somewhere, or do you just sit there and guess likely combinations until something happens? Or do you just have a buddy who works at Apple tip you off?
 
M

milo

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2003
6,891
522
If anyone is curious or wants to get really crazy with their system...

defaults read /Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences
Click to expand...

This doesn't make any changes, just shows everything in that pref file. I assume there's probably a way to use an editing app instead of the terminal but I haven't figured it out. There's an app called Property List Editor that edits pref files but I'm not sure how to make it open an invisible file like that.
 
A

altaic

macrumors 6502a
Jan 26, 2004
636
427
GeneralChang said:
I know, right? Can you find these terminal commands hiding the OS configuration somewhere, or do you just sit there and guess likely combinations until something happens? Or do you just have a buddy who works at Apple tip you off?
Click to expand...

It's easy. Disassemble various system executables/libraries and look for stuff that gets/sets preferences. Looking for "Appearance" is a good guess, since the APIs use that term-- preferences that are set near those API calls are likely related to the dark theme.
 
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ArtOfWarfare

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Nov 26, 2007
9,558
6,058
milo said:
If anyone is curious or wants to get really crazy with their system...



This doesn't make any changes, just shows everything in that pref file. I assume there's probably a way to use an editing app instead of the terminal but I haven't figured it out. There's an app called Property List Editor that edits pref files but I'm not sure how to make it open an invisible file like that.
Click to expand...

There's a setting in there to reveal hidden files. Also, TinkerTool is a free app with a GUI that will let you edit some of the hidden preferences, including the hidden files one.

Also, there's a terminal command for opening documents in specific applications which you could use for it.

Not sure what that terminal command is.
 
Parasprite

Parasprite

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2013
1,698
144
milo said:
This doesn't make any changes, just shows everything in that pref file. I assume there's probably a way to use an editing app instead of the terminal but I haven't figured it out. There's an app called Property List Editor that edits pref files but I'm not sure how to make it open an invisible file like that.
Click to expand...

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true&&killall Finder
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I remember there being a keyboard shortcut like "CMD+Shift+." or something to temporarily show hidden files when in a Open/Save file dialog, but I don't remember if they pulled the feature, I installed something to make it do that in the first place, or a combination of the two (it's been a while).

Edit: Yup that was it.
 
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