# Darken

> Darken has <10 active installs and 93 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 21/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Consider an alternative.** Darken shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. Was last updated 3 years ago, and scores 21/100 on our health check.

**Darken WordPress plugin allows users to easily configure and switch between dark and light modes in their WordPress dashboard. With Darken, you can customize the appearance of your WordPress admin area, creating a more…**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** <10
- **Total downloads:** 1,524
- **Downloads (30 days):** 93 (+29.2% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** No ratings yet
- **Health score:** 21/100 (At risk)
- **Version:** 1.0.1
- **Last updated:** Oct 13, 2023
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 6.3.12
- **Requires:** WordPress 4.0+, PHP 5.6+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** Pixar Labs (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/pixarlabs/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/darken/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [dark](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/dark/) | #20 | 26 |
| [dark mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/dark-mode/) | #62 | 79 |
| [Dark mode plugin](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/dark-mode-plugin/) | #3 | 3 |
| [Night Mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/night-mode/) | #17 | 29 |
| [wordpress dark mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/wordpress-dark-mode/) | #6 | 9 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| dark | >100 | 2,544 |
| dark mode | >100 | 1,623 |
| Dark mode plugin | >100 | 1,620 |
| Night Mode | >100 | 189 |
| wordpress dark mode | >100 | 1,595 |

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Dark Mode – Improve Accessibility with AI Powered Dark Theme](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-dark-mode/) | 20K+ | 4.5/5 (390) | Sep 29, 2026 | 92/100 |
| 2 | [Dark Mode Toggle](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/dark-mode-toggle/) | 2K+ | 4.6/5 (19) | Sep 23, 2026 | 81/100 |
| 3 | [DarkMySite – Advanced Dark Mode Plugin for WordPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/darkmysite/) | 1K+ | 4.7/5 (14) | Oct 11, 2025 | 42/100 |
| 4 | [Darkify – Dark Mode & Night Mode for Website & Admin (Dark Theme Included)](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/darkify/) | 900+ | 4.7/5 (25) | Sep 14, 2026 | 90/100 |
| 5 | [DarkLooks – Dark Mode Switcher For WordPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/darklooks-dark-mode-switcher/) | 800+ | 4.8/5 (16) | May 22, 2026 | 66/100 |
| 6 | [WP Night Mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-night-mode/) | 700+ | 4.5/5 (23) | Nov 9, 2020 | 42/100 |
| 7 | [Dark Reader – Beautiful Dark Mode for any Website](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/dark-reader/) | 200+ | 5/5 (5) | Sep 29, 2026 | 70/100 |
| 8 | [Night Eye – Dark Mode Plugin](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/night-eye/) | 50+ | 5/5 (8) | Apr 14, 2022 | 37/100 |
| 9 | [Catch Dark Mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/catch-dark-mode/) | 30+ | — | May 18, 2026 | 52/100 |
| 10 | [WP Dark Mode Block](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-dark-mode-block/) | 30+ | — | Aug 21, 2020 | 24/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Darken free?
Yes. Darken is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is Darken safe to use in 2026?
Darken shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. Was last updated 3 years ago, and scores 21/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Darken?
Darken is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 1,524 times since it launched in October 2023. It was downloaded 93 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Darken work with WordPress 7.1?
Darken is officially tested up to WordPress 6.3.12, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

### What PHP version does Darken need?
Darken requires PHP 5.6 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was Darken last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.1, was released on October 13, 2023 (3 years ago).

### Who makes Darken?
Darken is developed and maintained by Pixar Labs.

### What are the best alternatives to Darken?
The most popular alternatives to Darken are Dark Mode (20K+ installs), Dark Mode Toggle (2K+ installs) and DarkMySite (1K+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/darken/ · Generated 2026-10-01 10:55 UTC by PageForge