Does dark mode just invert colors?

Simple inversion often produces poor results. This tool adjusts hue, saturation, and lightness to maintain readability and brand feel in dark contexts.

What backgrounds are recommended for dark mode?

Pure black (#000000) is often too harsh. Dark mode UIs typically use dark grays like #121212 or #1E1E1E as base backgrounds.

How do I handle brand accent colors in dark mode?

Bright accent colors often need to be lightened slightly in dark mode to maintain contrast against dark backgrounds. This tool calculates the adjustment automatically.

Does the output include CSS custom property syntax?

Yes. The export includes a CSS block with light and dark mode variables in a prefers-color-scheme media query.

Dark Mode Color Generator

Enter your light-mode palette and get dark-mode equivalents that maintain contrast ratios.

Recommended dark mode color palette. Click to copy.

Summary

Enter your light-mode palette and get dark-mode equivalents that maintain contrast ratios.

How it works

Enter your light-mode primary and accent colors
The tool suggests dark-mode background, surface, and text colors
Check WCAG contrast ratios and copy the palette

Use cases

Create a dark-mode version of an existing design system
Generate CSS variables for dark-mode theming
Verify accessible contrast in dark theme designs

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Reviewed by Nham Vu