YouTube for web dark mode bug makes text invisible when commenting on videos

YouTube’s dark mode is supposed to be easy on the eyes — especially for those late-night deep dives into music videos, tutorials, or conspiracy theories. But for some users, it’s turning into a nightmare they can’t even see to complain about. Literally.

Over the past few weeks, YouTube users on the web have reported a bizarre and frustrating glitch: when typing comments in dark mode, the text turns black, blending in with the dark background. The result? It’s like trying to write with invisible ink.

The problem first cropped up for a few users last month but has since snowballed, with complaints flooding social media and forums. People are experiencing the issue on various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, and across multiple browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Vivaldi. Even disabling browser extensions or switching to incognito mode doesn’t seem to help. The common thread? YouTube itself. Interestingly, I don’t have this issue on Edge and Chrome on Windows 11.

The bug is especially frustrating because it’s not consistent. For some, switching to another YouTube account magically restores the white text in dark mode. For others, it’s account-specific, with even premium users experiencing the issue. Temporary workarounds — like toggling between light and dark modes — have provided relief for a handful of users, but the fix often doesn’t last. And while the text does become visible once the comment is posted, that’s hardly a solution for those of us who like to proofread before sharing our thoughts with the world.

This isn’t the only glitch to plague YouTube users recently. From fullscreen issues on multiple web browsers to parents’ appeals against YouTube Shorts, YouTube users have been dealing with growing pains. But YouTube hopes some of their recent updates like auto-dubbing for videos will improve the user experience.

After days of mounting frustration voiced on social platforms like Reddit and X, YouTube’s support team finally chimed in. Their response? A polite acknowledgment of the bug and a request for users to submit their issues through an official form to help their engineers track and resolve it. “We’ll reach out if we need more details,” they reassured. Not exactly a resolution, but at least it’s on their radar.

While YouTube hasn’t confirmed the root cause, the issue appears to be tied to their platform’s dark mode functionality rather than any particular browser. That’s good news for users who were worried their favorite browser was to blame. But the platform-wide nature of the glitch also means it’s likely to take some time to fix.

For now, frustrated users have two options: either switch back to light mode (and risk blinding yourself during midnight YouTube binges) or type your comments elsewhere and copy-paste them in. It’s not ideal, but it beats staring at a blank text box wondering if you’ve typed anything at all.