Rejoice, dark mode fans. Hulu is joining YouTube and YouTube TV as the streaming video service to embrace a dark theme – something that gives video sites a more cinematic look and feel (as Netflix already knows). The company says it will begin to roll out its new “Night Mode” starting today to all users of Hulu on the web.
The theme, which can be enabled in the settings, can also help reduce eye strain and glare in low light, Hulu notes. That’s useful for those who are watching on laptops, while curled up on the sofa or bed – as many web users are today.
While Hulu has timed the launch to coincide with its offering of creepy “Huluween” content, it says the feature is a permanent addition. However, it wouldn’t yet confirm if the dark mode will expand to other Hulu platforms. Instead, the company says it will listen to user feedback to find out if that’s something people want on their other devices, like phones and tablets.
This the first time Hulu has offered a dark theme of any sort, it notes.
Dark themes have become increasingly popular with a subset of users, especially as people spend more time on their devices, reading, interacting with, and streaming content. A number of big-name apps now offer dark themes, including YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, Telegram, Instapaper, Pocket, Feedly, Medium, Wikipedia, IMDb, Apple Books, Kindle, and many others.
The feature will be live on Hulu’s site at 9:30 AM PT.