Is Dark Reader Safe? — Extension Safety Profile

Dark Reader requests host access to all websites (*://*/*) and the scripting permission, which together let it inject code into every page you visit. That is normal for a reading-mode extension, as it needs to modify a page’s colors and styles to create a dark theme. It also uses fontSettings and storage to save your preferences, while alarms may schedule updates. The scope is typical for this category, but any extension with broad host access can technically read page content, so a careful user should only install such tools from a publisher they trust.

Reading-mode and display extensions generally pose a moderate inherent privacy risk because they see all browsing activity. While this particular developer declares they do not sell data or use it for unrelated purposes, that self-declaration is not independently verified. The weakest dimension in the fact sheet is Publisher & Identity, which suggests limited public information about the developer’s corporate backing or real-world identity verification. The strongest is Community Reputation, backed by a large user base, a 4.7-star rating, and active maintenance. This pattern—weak publisher identity but excellent community trust—is common for long-standing open-source-style extensions. Users who value transparency may want to check if the extension’s code is publicly viewable, but no specific misconduct is indicated.