How to Enable Dark Mode in IOS and Android
At Lifehacker, we talk a lot about dark mode – and judging by the feedback we receive whenever a new app or service introduces a new way of viewing against a black background, it’s clear that many Lifehacker readers prefer a dim device over a bright one.
While we already talked about how to enable dark mode in specific applications , and even how to force dark mode on your computer or smartphone, I realized that today we did not give clear instructions for the basic act of turning on the general, system-wide dark mode on iOS and Android.
How to enable dark mode in iOS / iPadOS
First, you need to make sure you update your iPhone or iPad to iOS or iPadOS 13 at a minimum. For the former, this means you need at least an (old) iPhone SE or iPad Air 2. To update your device to the most current version of iOS you can get, tap in the Settings app, tap General and tap when updating software. The rest should be easy. (And while you wait for it to start, check out these iOS 13 tricks. )
Once you have iOS / iPadOS 13 running, turning on your device’s dark mode is just as easy. Tap Settings> Display & Brightness, and then choose Light or Dark.
If you want to get creative, you can also use the Automatic setting to switch your device from a light theme to a dark theme at sunrise or sunset (or whichever custom schedule you prefer). And if you find that some of your favorite apps don’t have a dark mode for them to use, you can also force use it .
How to enable dark mode in Android 9 and up
Like your friends using iPhone / iPad, you first need to make sure that you are using the latest and greatest version of Android, specifically at least Android 9. On my standard Android version from Pixel, you need to click on the app to check and update your smartphone ” Settings “, click” System “,” Advanced “and” System update “. (The exact steps / screen names may differ depending on which Android you have; for example , Samsung Galaxy S9 owners can go to Settings> System Update> Check for Updates ).
After the update, you will be returned to the Settings app. Click on Display and you should see an option for Dark Theme, Night Mode, or something like that. If you don’t, click on the Advanced section and you will no doubt find it there.
Android does not have a “schedule” feature for dark mode; it is either on or off. However, if you want to give yourself extra control over whether you’re looking at a black or white background, swipe down from the top of your device, drag down the quick settings bar to expand it, and tap the pen icon in the lower-left corner. From there, you’ll be able to add a dark mode shortcut, which at least gives you an easy way to switch modes.