Office for Mac Issues

How to Enable Dark Mode for Excel Worksheet Cells on Mac

Jason Miller Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is looking for a way to enable dark mode specifically for the worksheet cells in Microsoft Excel for Mac.

How to Enable Dark Mode for Excel Worksheet Cells on Mac

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Working in low-light environments or preferring a dark visual aesthetic while editing spreadsheets.
Observed behavior: Excel for Mac applies dark mode to the application ribbon and menus, but the worksheet cells remain a bright white with black text unless manually altered.

Before you start

Ensure your Mac's system appearance is set to Dark Mode (System Settings > Appearance), as Excel relies on system preferences for its general application interface theme.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Change Cell Background and Font Colors

Since there is no built-in dark mode for cells, manually applying a dark fill color is the most direct workaround.

This method changes the actual formatting of your spreadsheet to simulate a dark mode environment. It is best used for digital viewing rather than printing.

Select the Entire Worksheet

Click the triangle icon in the top-left corner of the worksheet (where row and column headers meet) or press Cmd + A on your keyboard to select all cells.

Apply a Dark Fill Color

Go to the Home tab on the Excel ribbon. Click the Fill Color dropdown (paint bucket icon) and choose black or a dark gray.

Change the Font Color to White

While the cells are still selected, click the Font Color dropdown (the letter A) on the Home tab and select white so your text remains visible.

Printing Precaution: Remember to revert these colors back to 'No Fill' and 'Automatic' text before printing to avoid wasting large amounts of black printer ink.

Solution 2

Create a Custom Cell Style for Quick Access

If you frequently need dark mode cells, saving a custom cell style allows you to apply the dark theme to new sheets instantly.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Better Viewing Experience on Mac

If manually changing cell colors in Excel feels tedious, consider switching to WPS Office. It offers specialized viewing modes to reduce eye strain and is fully compatible with your existing spreadsheets.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Get WPS Office for Mac from the official website and easily install it on your device.
2. Open Your Excel File: Launch WPS Office and open your existing .xlsx spreadsheets directly with no formatting loss.
3. Enable Eye Protection Mode: Navigate to the View tab and toggle Eye Protection mode for a comfortable, low-light viewing experience.

Free, lightweight, and optimized for Mac devices100% compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsBuilt-in Eye Protection mode for comfortable viewing in low-light environmentsFamiliar tabbed interface that requires zero learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Microsoft ever add true dark mode to Excel cells on Mac?

Microsoft has received significant user feedback requesting a 'True dark mode including document background' feature, but an official release date for this update has not been announced.

Does Mac system dark mode affect Excel spreadsheets?

No, changing your Mac's appearance to Dark Mode only darkens Excel's user interface elements, such as the ribbon and menus. The actual document background and cells remain white.

How do I return my darkened cells back to normal?

Select all cells in your worksheet by pressing Cmd + A, go to the Home tab, set the Fill Color dropdown to 'No Fill', and change the Font Color dropdown to 'Automatic'.

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