diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css
index d59133582..872bc9665 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css
@@ -44,26 +44,24 @@
   @apply !text-white;
 }
 
-.relationship .relationship\:bg-gray-700,
-.relationship.relationship\:bg-gray-700 {
-  @apply bg-gray-700;
-}
-
-.relationship .relationship\:bg-gray-200,
-.relationship.relationship\:bg-gray-200 {
-  @apply bg-gray-200;
-}
-
-@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
-  .relationship .dark\:relationship\:bg-gray-700,
-  .relationship.dark\:relationship\:bg-gray-700 {
+:root:not(.dark) {
+  .relationship .relationship\:bg-gray-700,
+  .relationship.relationship\:bg-gray-700 {
     @apply bg-gray-700;
   }
+  .relationship .relationship\:bg-gray-200,
+  .relationship.relationship\:bg-gray-200 {
+    @apply bg-gray-200;
+  }
 }
 
-.relationship .relationship\:hidden,
-.relationship.relationship\:hidden {
-  @apply !hidden;
+@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark), (root: dark) {
+  .dark\:relationship\:bg-gray-700.relationship {
+    @apply bg-gray-700 !important;
+  }
+  .dark\:relationship\:bg-gray-900.relationship {
+    @apply bg-gray-900;
+  }
 }
 
 .relationship .relationship\:pl-4,
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/includes/daisyui_tooltip.css b/app/assets/stylesheets/includes/daisyui_tooltip.css
index 2087c7897..7f1d725a9 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/includes/daisyui_tooltip.css
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/includes/daisyui_tooltip.css
@@ -193,13 +193,42 @@ dialog button:focus-visible {
   --tw-prose-pre-code: #ffffff !important;
 }
 
+/* dark_mode overrides */
 @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
+  :root.light {
+    color-scheme: light;
+  }
+  :root .prose {
+    --tw-prose-body: rgb(236, 236, 236);
+  }
+}
+:root.dark {
+  :root .prose {
+    --tw-prose-body: rgb(236, 236, 236);
+  }
+}
+:root.dark {
   :root .prose {
     --tw-prose-body: rgb(236, 236, 236);
   }
 }
 
-/* show only on touch devices */
+:root.dark {
+  :where(.menu li:not(.menu-title):not(.disabled) > :not(ul):not(details):not(.menu-title)):not(.active):hover,
+  :where(.menu li:not(.menu-title):not(.disabled) > details > summary:not(.menu-title)):not(.active):hover {
+    background-color: rgb(59 59 61);
+  }
+}
+
+:root.dark {
+  :where(.menu li:not(.menu-title):not(.disabled) > :not(ul):not(details):not(.menu-title)):not(.active):hover,
+  :where(.menu li:not(.menu-title):not(.disabled) > details > summary:not(.menu-title)):not(.active):hover {
+    background-color: rgb(59 59 61);
+  }
+}
+
+/* hide tooltip on touch devices */
+
 @media (hover: none), (hover: on-demand), (-moz-touch-enabled: 1), (pointer: coarse) {
   .tooltip:hover:after,
   .tooltip:hover:active:before,
diff --git a/app/controllers/settings/people_controller.rb b/app/controllers/settings/people_controller.rb
index d51dbf3a5..a0221cdbf 100644
--- a/app/controllers/settings/people_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/settings/people_controller.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def update
 
   def person_params
     params.require(:person).permit(:email, personable_attributes: [
-      :id, :first_name, :last_name, :password, :openai_key, :anthropic_key
+      :id, :first_name, :last_name, :password, :openai_key, :anthropic_key, preferences: [:dark_mode]
     ])
   end
 
@@ -27,4 +27,4 @@ def check_personable_id
       return render :edit, status: :unauthorized
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
index 40c8b9c57..6bdefe82b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def person_params
   end
 
   def user_params
-    params.require(:user).permit(preferences: [:nav_closed])
+    params.require(:user).permit(preferences: [:nav_closed, :dark_mode])
   end
 
   def ensure_registration
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index a727a8331..f45957a1d 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -13,4 +13,13 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   has_many :conversations, dependent: :destroy
 
   serialize :preferences, coder: JsonSerializer
+
+  before_create :set_default_preferences
+
+  private
+
+  def set_default_preferences
+    self.preferences ||= {}
+    self.preferences[:dark_mode] ||= 'system'
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/assistants/_assistant.html.erb b/app/views/assistants/_assistant.html.erb
index 770623881..1a06efc6f 100644
--- a/app/views/assistants/_assistant.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/assistants/_assistant.html.erb
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
   <div class="
               flex justify-between items-center
               mb-1 p-1 pl-2 pr-2 mr-5
-            hover:bg-gray-100 dark:hover:bg-gray-700
-            bg-gray-50 dark:bg-gray-900
+              hover:bg-gray-100 dark:hover:bg-gray-700
+              bg-gray-50 dark:bg-transparent 
+              dark:bg-gray-700
               group cursor-pointer
               text-sm rounded-lg
               <%= selected && 'relationship' %>
diff --git a/app/views/conversations/_conversation.html.erb b/app/views/conversations/_conversation.html.erb
index c6a5f2982..5c70da9fc 100644
--- a/app/views/conversations/_conversation.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/conversations/_conversation.html.erb
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
   class="
           rounded-lg mr-5 cursor-pointer group
           hover:bg-gray-100 dark:hover:bg-gray-700
-          relationship:bg-gray-200 dark:relationship:bg-gray-700 <%= selected && 'relationship' %>
+          relationship:bg-gray-200 dark:relationship:bg-gray-700
+          mb-px
+          <%= selected && 'relationship' %>
         "
   data-role="conversation"
   data-radio-behavior-target="radio"
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/application.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/application.html.erb
index ae433e6b3..92f98ffb3 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/application.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/application.html.erb
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 <% content_for :title, "HostedGPT" %>
 <!DOCTYPE html>
-<html>
+<html 
+    class=<%= Current.user.preferences[:dark_mode] %>
+  >
+ 
   <%= render "head" %>
+
   <body
     class="
       nav-closed
diff --git a/app/views/messages/_message.html.erb b/app/views/messages/_message.html.erb
index 5f428bf3a..56a9ebc57 100644
--- a/app/views/messages/_message.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/messages/_message.html.erb
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ end
       <div class="hidden" data-clipboard-target="text"><%= message.content_text %></div>
         <div
           data-role="content-text"
-          class="prose break-words leading-normal"
+          class="prose break-words leading-normal dark:[&_*]:text-gray-100 dark:marker:text-gray-100" 
         >
           <% if message.has_document_image? %>
             <%= button_tag type: "button",
diff --git a/app/views/settings/people/_form.html.erb b/app/views/settings/people/_form.html.erb
index db75ed889..a353bca10 100644
--- a/app/views/settings/people/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/settings/people/_form.html.erb
@@ -132,6 +132,19 @@
         placeholder: "Anthropic Key"
       %>
     </div>
+    <div class="my-5" data-controller="transition" data-transition-toggle-class="hidden">
+      <%= user_fields.label :dark_mode, "Color Theme" %>
+      <div class="flex items-center justify-between shadow rounded-md border border-gray-200 outline-none px-3 py-2 mt-2 w-full dark:text-black gap-1">
+        <%= user_fields.fields_for :preferences do |preferences_fields| %>
+          <% %w(dark light system).each do |value| %>
+            <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
+              <%= preferences_fields.radio_button :dark_mode, value, checked: Current.user.preferences[:dark_mode] == value %>
+              <%= user_fields.label :dark_mode, value.capitalize, class: "dark:text-gray-100", for: "person_personable_attributes_preferences_dark_mode_#{value}"%>
+            </div>
+          <% end %>
+        <% end %>
+      </div>
+    </div>
   <% end %>
 
   <div class="inline">
diff --git a/config/tailwind.config.js b/config/tailwind.config.js
index 0c1f0c5ff..c9328588b 100644
--- a/config/tailwind.config.js
+++ b/config/tailwind.config.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module.exports = {
     './public/*.html',
     './app/helpers/**/*.rb',
     './app/javascript/**/*.js',
-    './app/views/**/*.{erb,haml,html,slim}'
+    './app/views/**/*.{erb,haml,html,slim}',
   ],
   theme: {
     extend: {
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ module.exports = {
         sans: ['Figtree', ...defaultTheme.fontFamily.sans],
       },
       colors: {
-        'gray': {
+        gray: {
           50: '#f9f9f9',
           100: '#ececec',
           200: '#cdcdcd',
@@ -26,27 +26,37 @@ module.exports = {
           900: '#171717',
           950: '#0d0d0d',
         },
-        'brand': {
-          'blue': '#2f5ff2',
-        }
+        brand: {
+          blue: '#2f5ff2',
+        },
+        'base-100': '#ffffff', //this can be avodied by installing, requiring and configuring the daisyui plugin
       },
       scale: {
-        '96': '0.96',
-        '97': '0.97',
-        '98': '0.98',
-        '99': '0.99',
+        96: '0.96',
+        97: '0.97',
+        98: '0.98',
+        99: '0.99',
       },
       strokeWidth: {
-        '3': '3px',
-        '4': '4px',
+        3: '3px',
+        4: '4px',
       },
     },
   },
-
+  darkMode: [
+    'variant',
+    [
+      '@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { &:is(.system *) }',
+      '&:is(.dark *)',
+    ],
+  ],
   plugins: [
     require('@tailwindcss/forms'),
     require('@tailwindcss/aspect-ratio'),
     require('@tailwindcss/typography'),
     require('@tailwindcss/container-queries'),
-  ]
+  ],
 }
+
+
+
diff --git a/test/models/user_test.rb b/test/models/user_test.rb
index eb3665c6b..13d5fb71c 100644
--- a/test/models/user_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/user_test.rb
@@ -105,27 +105,44 @@ class UserTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   test "boolean values within preferences get converted back and forth properly" do
     assert_nil users(:keith).preferences[:nav_closed]
-    assert_nil users(:keith).preferences[:dark_mode]
     assert_nil users(:keith).preferences[:kids]
     assert_nil users(:keith).preferences[:city]
 
     users(:keith).update!(preferences: {
       nav_closed: true,
-      dark_mode: false,
       kids: 2,
       city: "Austin"
     })
     users(:keith).reload
+
     assert users(:keith).preferences[:nav_closed]
-    refute users(:keith).preferences[:dark_mode]
     assert_equal 2, users(:keith).preferences[:kids]
     assert_equal "Austin", users(:keith).preferences[:city]
 
     users(:keith).update!(preferences: {
       nav_closed: "false",
-      dark_mode: "true",
+
     })
+
     refute users(:keith).preferences[:nav_closed]
-    assert users(:keith).preferences[:dark_mode]
+
   end
+
+  test "dark_mode preference defaults to system and it can update user dark_mode preference" do
+    new_user = User.create!(password: 'password', first_name: 'First', last_name: 'Last')
+    assert_equal "system", new_user.preferences[:dark_mode]
+
+    new_user.update!(preferences: { dark_mode: "light" })
+    assert_equal "light", new_user.preferences[:dark_mode]
+
+    new_user.update!(preferences: { dark_mode: "dark" })
+
+    assert_equal "dark", new_user.preferences[:dark_mode]
+
+    new_user.update!(preferences: { dark_mode: "system" })
+
+    assert_equal "system", new_user.preferences[:dark_mode]
+
+  end
+
 end