How To Get Dark Mode On Android

We spend a good portion of our day staring at screens. In 2019, US adults looked at mobile devices more than TV for the first time, averaging 3 hours, 10 minutes per day, according to eMarketer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, data usage has skyrocketed and time spent on a screen has greatly increased.

All that bright light streaming into your eyeballs isn't great. Blue light can confuse your brain about the time of day, disrupting sleep. Giving up mobile devices isn't really an option for most people, though, so we turn to things like blue light filters or blue light glasses. You can also swap out white backgrounds for grays and blacks to give your eyes a break.

Not all apps offer an official dark mode, but many have jumped on the bandwagon in recent years. If you have at least iOS 13 or Android 10, your device will support a system-wide dark mode. And for some Google or Apple apps, that's the only way to turn on dark mode.

If you have an older operating system, you may not be out of luck. Samsung phones running Android 9/Pie support a more limited version of dark mode, and some apps with their own dark mode may support older operating systems.

Whether you're new to dark mode, prefer to pick and choose your themes, or trying to figure out your options on an older device, here is how to turn it on in some of your favorite apps.

Android Messages

In Messages, tap the three-dot menu and select Choose Theme from the drop-down. You can then make the app light, dark, or match it to the system default theme.

Facebook

Tap the hamburger menu in the top-right (Android) or bottom-right (iOS) corner, scroll down and select Settings & Privacy > Dark Mode. You can then turn it on or off, or make the app dependent on your phone's system-wide theme.

Gmail

Gmail has long supported themes on the web; they change menus but the inbox remains white. If you want dark mode on your phone, your ability to do that will depend on which phone and mobile OS you have. On Android phones, navigate to the Settings menu and see if you have a Theme option, like the screenshot from a Samsung smartphone above. If not, you might be restricted to OS-level dark mode for Gmail. We could not find a theme option in the Gmail Settings on iOS or a OnePlus 5, for example.

Google Calendar

On Android, tap the hamburger menu in the top-left corner and selectSettings > General > Theme. Choose between a light or dark theme, or have it change to the system's default theme. There are no dark mode controls in the iOS version of the app, but Google Calendar can still go dark if you set up system-wide dark mode.

Google Drive (Android Only)

Turn on dark mode in the Android version of Google Drive by opening the hamburger menu and selecting Settings > Theme, then select either the default light mode, dark mode, or make it determined by the device's battery saver mode. Standalone dark mode is not yet available on iOS.

Google Docs

For dark mode in Google's Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps for Android and iOS, open the hamburger menu and tapSettings > Theme and select dark, light, or system default. If you're not into the idea of reading documents in dark mode, you can preview your work in light theme. With a document open, tap the three-dot icon and tap View in Light Theme. This will temporarily turn the page white while the menu and border remains black.

Google Maps

After years of only offering a limited night theme, Google Maps has finally received a full dark mode for Android. Turn it on by tapping your profile picture in the top-right corner and going to Settings > Theme. There, you can turn on dark mode or set it to match the device's theme.

For the time being, iPhone and iPad users will still have to use the navigation theme, which will only work in navigation mode. Go to Settings > Navigation and look for the Map Display section. You can then change the app's theme to either go dark or match the time of day, but it will only kick in when you're actively following directions.

Instagram

The Instagram app seems to handle dark mode differently depending on your operating system of choice. For iPhone users, the app merely mimics the system default theme, but Android users can set a custom theme. Tap on your profile image in the lower-right corner and open the hamburger menu in the upper-right. Go to Settings > Theme and you can choose light or dark, or go with the system default.

Kindle

Amazon's Kindle app allows you to turn on dark mode by navigating toMore > Settings > Color Theme > Dark. This does not, however, change the contents of your ebooks. To do that, tap theAa icon atop each book, tap Layout and select the black dot.

Messenger

Facebook's Messenger app supports dark mode on both iOS and Android devices, and it's dead simple to turn on. All you have to do is tap your chat head icon in the top-left corner and tap Dark Mode. Those on iPhone and iPad will have the added option to set the app according to the system default theme.

Outlook

On Android and iOS, tap your account icon on the top left and select the gear icon that appears on the bottom left. On Android, scroll down to Theme and choose between light, dark, and/or battery saver/system default On iOS, scroll to Appearance, and pick light, dark, or system-wide.

Android users can set the Pinterest app to dark mode by tapping the user profile button and selecting the small gear at the top of the window. Navigate to Account settings > App theme, then choose between dark mode or system default/battery saver. Those with an iPhone or iPad won't be able to change the app theme directly without enabling a system-wide dark mode.

There are two ways to turn on dark mode in the Reddit app. The easiest way is to tap your user profile in the upper-left corner and select the moon icon in the bottom of the pullout menu. This will set the theme to black. Or tap Settings in the pullout menu, then scroll down to the Dark Mode section. Reddit allows you to turn on dark mode, change the dark theme, and link the feature to the time of day or system default.

Signal

Signal keeps your messages secure; make sure they look cool, too. Tap your profile in the left corner, then select Appearance > Theme to swap between light and dark. You can also set the theme to match your device's system default.

Skype

In Skype, tap your user profile icon up top and select Settings > Appearance > Dark to make the dim the app. You can also select custom accent colors.

Slack

You can turn on dark mode in the Android version of Slack by tapping You > Preferences > Dark Mode, then turning it on or setting it to match your system default. As of iOS 13, you can only do this on iPhone and iPad via system-wide dark mode.

On Android, open the hamburger menu and tap the moon icon in the top corner of the menu to quickly toggle between light and dark mode. To further customize dark mode, tap Settings > Chat Settings, then choose your preferred color theme and accent colors. iOS users don't have a quick toggle; go to Settings > Appearance to make changes to the color theme and accent colors. Both versions of the app have an option to turn on dark mode at specific times.

Twitch

On Twitch, iOS users must select the gear icon and choose Settings > Preferences > Appearance. You can then set the app to match the system default. Android users can open their user profile and select Account Settings > Preferences and toggle the feature on and off.

Twitter

To enable dark mode on Twitter, tap your profile icon and select Settings and Privacy > Display and sound > Dark mode. On Android, you can turn it or set it to automatically match the time of day. The iOS app has a switch to turn dark mode on and a switch to match system settings. If the dark blue Dim theme is not dark enough for you, Lights Out offers a true black theme.

Viber

Messaging service Viber has a dark theme that can be turned on by clicking More > Settings > Appearance. You can then choose between Dark Blue or Black color themes, and change the default chat background.

Waze

Impose dark mode on the Waze navigation map by tapping Search > Settings > Map Display, then change the color scheme to Night. Using Auto will change the theme based on the time of day. However, the app's menus will remain white.

WhatsApp supports dark mode, but it works differently between Android and iOS devices. If you're on Android, tap the three-dot icon and choose Settings > Chats > Theme, then decide between dark mode or the system default. By default, WhatsApp's theme is closer to dark blue than true black, but you can make chats darker by dimming your wallpaper. Tap Wallpaper and pull the slider under Wallpaper Dimming to the right to create a solid black background.

iPhone and iPad users can only get dark mode by setting it up system wide. However, wallpapers can still be added and adjusted under Settings > Chats > Chat Wallpaper.

YouTube

Spare your eyes as you watch video after video on YouTube. On Android, tap your profile photo up top and selectSettings > General > Dark Theme, which will toggle it on. On an iPhone or iPad, tap your profile photo at the top, then select Settings > Appearance > Dark theme.

Web Browsers

Looking for your favorite web browser? Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and the new Microsoft Edge all support dark mode in one form or another. We can help you turn it on for desktop and mobile.

Like What You're Reading?

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.