How to Turn On Dark Mode on Your Favourite Apps

By default, black text is displayed on a white background on most devices. However, the dark mode theme is becoming increasingly popular. This setting allows your smartphone, tablet, or desktop to display light text on a dark, grey, or black background.

Tech giants are now implementing dark themes across their devices and platforms. The trend has become so widespread that iOS and Android devices now have system-wide dark themes in place. In addition, popular social media applications and websites now adapt to your device’s theme, and you can switch to light or dark mode whenever you want to.

Even Windows and macOS come with impressive dark themes adopted by third-party applications.

If you’re among those asking, “What is dark mode?” and wondering how to use it, this article answers your questions.

Why Is Dark Mode So Popular?

Proponents of dark mode believe it’s easy on the eye, allows you to focus better, and helps fight off blue light exposure effects. But that’s not all. Using a black background can also touch things up aesthetically, as it can create a beautiful accent for pictures and produce high contrast for white text.

Why Should You Use Dark Mode?

While the research on the health benefits of dark mode is inconclusive, there are reasons it’s popular. Let’s break down some of the reasons you should consider using it.

Relieve Eye Strain

Reading for extended periods can cause eye strain. This is one of the reasons people go looking for solutions to the problem.

Dark mode fans believe it’s the remedy. They claim dark mode can reduce eye strain since it increases the contrast between the background and white text. However, the jury is still out on the theory as it isn’t fully backed by research.

That said, some experts agree that using dark mode at night may reduce eye strain.

Reduce Blue Light Exposure

Prolonged blue light exposure is another cause of eye strain but can also have other side effects, including insomnia. You can lessen your exposure to blue light by activating dark mode, especially in low light conditions, like night times, for example.

Increase Battery Life

Dark mode is also seen as a battery saver. Phones using OLED screens can enjoy longer battery lives when dark mode is activated. This is because the screen’s pixels are turned off to produce black colors. This way, you’re using less battery power.

Dark Mode Can Enhance Your Device’s Aesthetics

Apart from the practical advantages of dark mode, one of its main draws is its aesthetics. Colors tend to pop more, and dark graphics are sharper with black backgrounds.

How to Enable Dark Mode

Every app and device has a different way of enabling the dark theme. We’ll walk you through them.

How to Activate Dark Mode in iOS

Turning on the system-wide dark theme in iOS 13 and above activates dark mode in applications like Instagram and WhatsApp.

Follow these steps:

1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. After the Settings page opens, scroll down and click on Display & Brightness.

3. Select Dark under Appearance.

You can easily enable dark mode through the Control Center. This way, you don’t always have to open the Settings page whenever you want to switch between themes.

First, you have to add the dark mode option to the Control Center. Here’s how:

1. Open the iPhone Settings app.
2. Scroll down and click on Control Center.
3. Go to Included Controls and add dark mode.
4. Navigate to the Control Center by swiping down from the top of your screen (if you use iPhone X or later) and turn on the dark mode theme. If you use iPhone 8, swipe up from the bottom of your screen.

Turn On Dark Mode on Android

Enabling the dark mode option is easy, but it varies as phone manufacturers tend to go for different interfaces. That said, it’s as simple as going to the Display menu in your Settings app. On some devices, like Samsung, you can swipe down from the top and toggle dark mode on or off.

How to Put WhatsApp in Dark Mode

1. Open WhatsApp’s menu by tapping the three dots in the top-right corner.
2. Select Settings.
3. Tap Chats when the Settings screen shows up.
4. Click on Theme and select dark.

Note: Selecting the System Default option allows the app to go with your phone’s system-wide theme.

For iOS users, enabling the system-wide dark mode automatically activates the theme in WhatsApp.

How to Turn On Dark Mode on YouTube

Follow these steps to enable YouTube Dark Mode if you use Android 10 or newer:

1. Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner.
2. Click on Settings at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select General when the Settings window opens.
4. Next, tap Appearance.
5. Toggle on the Dark Theme switch.
6. You can also choose the Use Device Theme option to activate your system-wide theme on YouTube.

For older Android versions:

1. Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner.
2. Click on Settings at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select General when the Settings window opens.
4. Toggle on the Dark Theme switch.

For iOS 13 or newer:

1. Go to the top-right corner and tap your profile icon or photo.
2. Click on Settings at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select General when the Settings window opens.
4. Tap the Dark Theme setting and turn it on.

For older iOS versions:

1. Go to the top-right corner and tap your profile icon or photo.
2. Click on Settings at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select Appearance when the Settings window opens.
4. Switch to the dark theme.

Turning On Dark Mode on Your Browsers

Google Chrome for Android

1. Open Google Chrome on your Android device.
2. Go to the top-right corner and tap the three dots.
3. Select Settings in the menu.
4. Go to the bottom of the Settings page and click on Theme.
5. Choose System Default if your system-wide theme is dark. However, choose the Dark option if you want to select the dark theme regardless of your system settings.

This setting does not force dark mode on every web page. That said, some websites adapt to your browser’s dark mode settings and switch to a dark background.

However, you can force every webpage to use the high contrast black background by tinkering with a few advanced settings in Chrome. Follow these steps:

1. Type chrome://flags into Google Chrome’s URL box and hit Enter.
2. Type “dark” into the search box.
3. Now select Enabled in the drop-down under “Auto dark mode for web contents.”
4. Click on the Relaunch button.
5. Every website you launch on Chrome will now be forced to use a dark background.

Activating the Dark Theme in Mozilla Firefox

Android:

1. Launch Firefox and tap the three dots in the bottom-right corner.
2. Tap Settings when in the menu.
3. Click on Customize under General.
4. Select Follow Device Theme or Dark Mode, depending on your preference.

Desktop:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Click on the hamburger menu in the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings.
4. Click on Extensions and Themes.
5. Click on Themes.
6. Once the Manage Your Themes page opens, select Dark or use your system’s default.

How to Enable Dark Mode on Skype

1. Launch Skype.
2. Tap your profile photo.
3. Select Settings.
4. Click on Appearance.

5. Now choose Dark under Modes. You can also go for the “Use system setting” option if you want to unify Skype’s theme with your device’s.

How to Turn On Dark Mode on Snapchat

Follow the guide below to enable Snapchat Dark Mode:

1. Launch Snapchat on your device, go to the top-left corner, and tap your profile picture.
2. Go to the top-right corner of the next page and click on the Settings (gear) icon.
3. When the Settings screen opens, go to the My Account section and tap App Appearance.
4. Now select Always Dark to switch to dark mode.

Turning On Dark Mode on Instagram

While the Instagram app for iOS mirrors your system-wide theme, you can select a theme on the Android version. Here’s how to enable Instagram dark mode:

1. Launch Instagram on your Android device.
2. After the app opens, go to the bottom-left corner and tap your profile photo.
3. When you get to your profile page, tap the menu (three lines) in the top-right corner and select Settings.
4. Click on Theme in the Settings menu and select Dark.

How to Enable Dark Mode on Windows

Switching to dark mode in Windows 10 will automatically change the interface of built-in apps, such as Settings, Calculator, and File Explorer. In addition, some third-party apps, especially browsers, are designed to follow your system’s theme. Here’s how to switch on Windows 10:

1. Use the Windows + I shortcut to open the Settings app.
2. Click on Personalization when Settings shows up.
3. Go to the Colors tab. Click on Colors on the left side.
4. Now go to the Choose Your Color drop-down menu and click on Dark.

You can amp things up using the high contrast mode. Follow these steps:

1. Use the Windows + I shortcut to open the Settings app.
2. Click on Ease of Access.
3. Select High Contrast on the next page.
4. Go to the High Contrast setting and switch it on.
5. After that, go to the drop-down menu and choose a theme.

Here is how to switch to dark mode on Windows 11:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Click on Personalization on the right.
3. Click on Colors.
4. Choose Dark from the “Choose your mode” drop-down menu.
5. To choose a contrast theme in Windows 11, go to the right side of the screen and click on Accessibility, then click on Contrast Themes on the Accessibility page.

Turn On Dark Mode on a Mac

1. Click on the Apple menu and select Settings Preferences.
2. Click on General.
3. Select Dark.
4. You can choose Auto to allow your system to enable dark mode during the night and light mode during the day.

Extra Tip

Just as we’ve discovered that the light theme is not always the best way to use our devices, there’s now a better way to send and receive large files and folders. Gone are the days when you had to be careful with your cloud storage to avoid the dreaded “File too large” message. Instead, you can now send files and folders of any size thanks to a service called FileWhopper.

FileWhopper is an online file transfer service that allows you to securely send and receive files and folders of any size without a subscription. You’ll only be required to pay a one-time fee determined by the size of the file or folder you want to transfer.

There are other benefits of using the service. They include the following:

• Since you’re transferring large files, you could be worried about starting all over again when your internet goes out or your device shuts down unexpectedly. Thankfully, FileWhopper allows you to continue from where you stopped whenever you turn on your system or connect to the internet again.
• The platform uses a multi-threaded file transfer technology that speeds up the transfer. This way, multiple servers are deployed to transfer your files simultaneously.
• Transfers are completely secure as the service uses a zero-knowledge security policy. Your data will be secured with a password, which will only be available to you and the recipient.
• You don’t have to worry about bloatware that will potentially slow down your system. FileWhopper uses a small app to facilitate the transfer and security processes. Once the transfer is complete, the app self-destructs.
• The upload and download processes are straightforward, and you won’t have to deal with disruptive ads.

Conclusion

That’s how to enable dark mode on your devices and apps. To turn off dark mode, use the same instructions to switch to light mode. If you use the system option across apps, changing your system-wide theme will do the trick.