Dark mode, with its sleek and visually appealing interface, has become increasingly popular among software applications. However, Power BI does not have a native dark mode setting.
The absence of a native dark mode setting in Power BI may disappoint you if you prefer working in low-light environments or if you simply enjoy the aesthetic of dark-themed interfaces. Nevertheless, there are alternative methods to enable a dark mode-like experience in Power BI.
By leveraging custom themes or utilizing third-party extensions, you can personalize your Power BI environment and achieve a darker visual scheme that can enhance your overall user experience.
This article will explore the options you can use to enable dark mode in Power BI.
Enable Dark Mode in Power BI Online
If you’re looking to give your Power BI reports or dashboards a dark appearance, there are a few methods you can explore. However, there are two particularly straightforward ways you can enable a dark mode setting in Power BI.
The first method involves using a simple keyboard shortcut, while the second option entails downloading a Chrome extension that makes websites display in dark mode.
By employing either of these approaches, you can effortlessly enjoy a darker interface in your Power BI environment.
Enable Dark Mode in Power BI Online with Keyboard Shortcut
This method is simple and straightforward. It allows you to activate the High Contrast mode on your Windows system.
To enable the Windows High Contrast setting, you can use the keyboard combination Shift + Alt + PrtScr.
Upon pressing this combination, a dialogue window will promptly appear on your screen, providing you with a concise description of the action you are about to perform.
Click on Yes to apply the High Contrast setting.
Put simply, enabling this setting will apply dark mode to all applications on your computer. This ensures a consistent dark theme across your entire system.
To revert to the original settings and disable dark mode, you can simply use the same keyboard combinations again.
Enable Dark Mode with a Chrome Extension
Chrome extensions are small software programs that you can install on your Google Chrome web browser to enhance its functionality and customize your browsing experience.
These extensions are designed to add new features, modify existing ones, or provide shortcuts to commonly used tools and services. With a vast array of options available from the Chrome Web Store, you can find extensions for various purposes including enabling dark mode for Chrome.
This option for enabling dark mode in Power BI can be highly preferable since it exclusively applies to Chrome and allows for customization to enable dark mode solely for Power BI online. To utilize this method, you’ll need to download a suitable extension.
Follow these steps to set up the Google Chrome extension:
- Go to Settings in your Chrome browser.
- Select Appearance and click on Theme. This will open the Chrome web store.
- In the web store enter “night eye” in the search box. Then select and download the Dark Mode – Night Eye extension.
- After downloading the extension, go to Extensions and select Manage Extensions. This will open the extensions manager in a tab. Here, you will find all your downloaded extension applications.
- Find the Dark Mode – Night Eye extension and click on Details.
- Go to the Site access section and click on the dropdown menu. Select the On specific sites option.
https://app.powerbi.com/In the textbox that pops up, paste the Power BI online URL. Then click on the Add button.
Once you launch Power BI Online in Chrome, it will automatically adopt the dark mode setting. If you prefer using dark mode across all websites, you can easily achieve this by adjusting the extension’s site access to On all sites.
Enable Dark Mode in Power BI Desktop
Just like Power BI Online, the desktop version of Power BI does not have built-in dark mode settings. However, you can opt for a dark theme, which is the closest alternative available.
It’s important to note that applying a dark theme will primarily affect the canvas area, while other parts of the screen will retain their default colors.
Despite this limitation, using a dark theme can significantly reduce overall brightness and provide a more visually comfortable experience while working in Power BI Desktop.
When it comes to utilizing a dark theme in Power BI, you have two options: selecting from preloaded dark themes or using a downloaded theme. To access these options, simply navigate to the View menu and click on the dropdown arrow to reveal the available theme choices.
From there, you can select a theme from the provided selection or utilize the Browse for themes option to import JSON files stored on your drive. If you’re looking for additional theme options, the Theme gallery option will redirect you to a website where you can download JSON theme files.
Furthermore, you also have the flexibility to create a personalized dark theme by selecting the Customize current theme option, allowing you to tailor the appearance of Power BI according to your preferences.
Using Bookmarks to Toggle Dark Mode
If you find it cumbersome to switch themes back and forth between dark and light modes while working on a visual in Power BI, there is a convenient solution available. By utilizing Bookmarks, you can create toggle buttons that allow you to effortlessly switch between the two modes with a single click.
To achieve this, simply follow these straightforward steps.
- Create similar visuals with different background colors.
- Insert blank buttons. Buttons in Power BI provide interactive functionality that allows you to trigger actions or navigate through reports and dashboards.
Buttons can be customized with various shapes, colors, and labels, and can be configured to perform actions such as filtering data, drilling down into details, bookmarking views, or even launching external URLs.
You can create buttons with predefined actions or a blank button. A blank button in Power BI refers to a button control that does not have any predefined action associated with it. The blank button allows you to define your desired action or functionality by assigning it a specific interaction.
To create a blank button, go to the Insert menu ribbon, click on Buttons, and select Blank.
After creating a button, you can copy and paste it to create another. Then position them anywhere on the canvass.
Give each button a name. To do this, select the button you want to name, then go to the Format pane. Under the Button menu, click on the Style drop-down arrow. In the Text section, click on the switch icon to turn it on and enter a name in the Text box.
Once finished, the buttons should have the text displayed over them.
- After inserting the buttons, go to the View menu, and click on Selection. This will open the Selection pane on the right. Here, you can control the visibility and order of the visuals on the canvass.
To hide a visual from view, click on the eye icon in front of any of the non-button visuals. This eye icon turns on and off the selected visual. In the above image, the Multi-row card visual with the light button is hidden.
- With the visual turned off, create a bookmark. To do this, simply click on the Bookmark icon and click on Add in the Bookmarks pane.
To make the bookmark distinct and easy to identify, double-click on the Bookmark 1 name in the Bookmarks pane to highlight and rename the bookmark.
Again, turn off the visual with the dark background while keeping the visual with the white background visible. Then create and rename the bookmark.
After completing these steps, you will assign the bookmarks to the buttons. To do this, select a button. Go to the Format pane, open the Action dropdown arrow, and toggle on the switch icon.
Then, in the Type option, select Bookmark from the dropdown options.
In the Bookmark section, click the dropdown arrow and assign the appropriate bookmark. Repeat these steps for both buttons.
Now, you can easily alternate between the dark and light-themed visuals on your report page.
Conclusion
Power BI offers many features and customization options to enhance your data visualization and analysis experience.
While Power BI does not have a native dark mode setting, alternative methods such as custom themes or third-party extensions can be employed to achieve a darker visual scheme. Additionally, you can use buttons and bookmarks to toggle between dark and light modes of a visual.
By implementing these workarounds, you can effortlessly establish a convenient and comfortable environment while working in Power BI, without causing strain to your eyes.
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