How to Make Google Home Page Black

Changing Google's homepage color is as easy as making a few keystrokes.

On March 29, 2008, Google announced that its homepage would be completely black for the day in honor of Earth Hour, an initiative inviting everyone to turn out the lights for one hour. While Google officials admitted on the website that the black homepage did not actually save energy, the company wanted to raise awareness by reminding users that they should contribute just a little time and effort to conservation. Maybe you want to remind yourself to turn out the lights, or maybe you just like the sleek, sophisticated look of a black screen. Either way, it takes only a few minutes to make Google's homepage black.

Instructions

1. Install Firefox web browser from Mozilla's website if you do not have Firefox already. Go to the Mozilla Firefox website, which is linked in the Resources section, and click on "Add-ons" at the top of the page. Search for the term "Stylish," and click to add the "Stylish" program to Firefox. This will install an add-on to your web browser that allows you to download new "skins" for certain websites, such as Google and Facebook.

2. Restart Firefox. Do this by closing and re-opening the browser or by clicking "Restart Firefox" in the "Stylish" download box. This will reset the browser and complete the installation of your new add-on.

3. Search Google for skins options. The Userstyles portion of Valacar's Web Pages website, which is linked in Resources, has a dark gray/black theme for Google. Click on that theme's link, and Valacar's homepage will display several color schemes for Google.

4. Install the dark gray/black theme. To do so, click on "Install via userstyles" under Valacar's preview picture. Then click the "Install with Stylish" button in the green field at the top left of the page. Click "Install" in the pop-up box.

Tips & Warnings

• Uninstall the black Google homepage by opening the Tools menu, which is above the address bar in Firefox, and click "Add-ons." Under the User Styles panel, find the option "Google Web Search" and click "Disable" or "Uninstall." This will reset Google to its original, white color.

• If you don't mind missing the familiar name Google every day, you can simply type "Blackle" into the Google search engine and set that website as your homepage. Open the Tools menu, click "Options" and enter Blackle in the homepage address field under the "General" tab. Blackle is a Google-powered search engine.

References

• Star Field Themes: Tweaks and Mods--Dark Google
• Google: Earth Hour

Resources

• Mozilla: Firefox Web Browser
• Valacar's Web Pages: Userstyles
• Blackle: How is Blackle Saving Energy?