Safari introduces Adaptive Dark Mode in 27.3(webkit.org)
501 points by paddingtone 8 days ago | 259 comments
tl;dr: Safari 27.3 beta introduces Adaptive Dark Mode, which automatically transforms light websites into dark versions for users with dark system appearance enabled, addressing the gap between the ~40% of page loads in dark mode and the ~10% of sites supporting it. WebKit analyzes page colors, inverts luminosity while preserving hue, aims for WCAG 4.5:1 contrast, and intelligently handles SVGs, bitmaps, and gradients, while leaving sites that declare `color-scheme` support untouched. To preserve privacy, Safari hides the transformation from JavaScript and canvas queries, preventing fingerprinting.
HN Discussion:
  • ↑Dark mode enthusiasts welcome the feature as a win-win since color-scheme opt-out exists
  • ~Users with astigmatism want the reverse feature to convert dark sites to light
  • •Existing solutions like Dark Reader extension or light-dark() CSS already address this
  • ↑Appreciation for Safari team finally tackling dark mode properly after years
  • ↑Specific sites like HN should natively support dark mode, highlighting the gap this addresses