How to Enable Dark Mode on Android: The Definitive Guide [Updated]

Today I am going to show you an Effective method to save battery all with Dark Mode on Android.

Every single method with (Step-by-Step) implementation.

In last year’s Android Dev Summit 2018, Google shares some facts and stats which shows the difference how dark mode saves more battery. The dark mode will save around 43% more power than the normal mode in full brightness while watching YouTube on AMOLED or OLED display panels.

The dark mode comes with the Android Pie 9.0, but it is not a system-wide dark mode. Google has confirmed that dark mode helps to save more power. So, it is possible that system-wide dark mode comes with Android Q. While you can still change some apps UI to the dark mode. Here’s How to Enable Dark Mode on Android.

What is Dark Mode?

The AMOLED displays offer the advantage over the LCD panels and much efficient in black & deeper colors situation. The subpixel arrangements & no backlight need, makes OLED displays more efficient.

Dark Mode converts the background of the app to dark and saves more power while using the phone in full brightness.

Here’s the example is shown by Google in Android Developer’s Summit 2018.

You can save around 43% of your battery usage while playing YouTube in full brightness.

31% in Google Maps.

And 21% in Gboard.

And Here’s the Step by Step method to enable dark mode in different apps.

Last Updated on 07/03/2019 at 21:32 PM IST: Added a new official method to enable dark mode in facebook messenger.

Note: I tried all the methods on Pixel 2 XL & Nokia 6.1 Plus running on Android Pie 9.0. While this will work on phones with Android Nougat 7.0 or later without root.

Enable Dark Mode in Chrome

If you’re browsing on the Google Chrome web browser, then you can use it in a dark mode which helps you in saving the battery. You can’t enable dark mode for the whole UI of chrome, but you can read the articles or stories from the different websites in dark mode. Here’s how:

1. Download or Update your Chrome browser, via Play Store.
2. Open the browser, Tap on the three dots menu icon placed in the top right corner.
3. Then, head over to the accessibility settings and enable simplified view for web pages.
4. Now reload the page, you’ll see the Show simplified view option at the bottom of your screen.
5. Again tap on three dots menu icon then tap on appearance.
6. Under appearance, choose the dark option and set the font size.
7. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Phone

Phone or Dialer app is one of the most used apps for most the users. And now the app comes along with the ability to enable the dark theme throughout the app. For this, you just need to update the app and follow these steps.

1. Open the dialer app.
2. Tap on the three dots menu icon.
3. Head over to the display settings.
4. Toggle the dark theme option and enable it.
5. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Contacts

Contacts app is also one of the useful apps, while working on the phone. Thankfully, the app is now available with the dark theme. It does not enable default, but you can easily enable it.

1. Open the Google Contacts app.
2. Tap on the menu hover icon available in the left top corner.
3. Now tap on Turn dark theme on.
4. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Launcher

The launchers also come with a capability to enable the dark theme, whether in settings, app drawer, widget, search bar background, folders and more. And with Nova Launcher you can apply the dark theme everywhere. Also, some dark Nova Launcher themes available.

1. Install the Nova Launcher on your smartphone, from Play Store.
2. Open it and set as your default launcher.
3. Go to Nova Launcher Settings, Tap on Night Mode option.
4. Enable all the available options, like Search Bar, Drawer, Drawer icon, Folders.
5. Also, set the black background wallpaper, here are some cool dark wallpapers.

Enable Dark Mode in Twitter

Twitter is one the amazing app you can use in your day to day life for the news updates. Follow us for the tech updates @YTECHB. And the best part is, it comes with the inbuilt dark theme. You can easily enable it from the app itself.

1. Open Twitter on your Android phone.
2. Now tap on your profile picture, available at the left top corner.
3. Then, tap on moon icon placed in the bottom.
4. This will turn the dark theme on.
5. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Messages

Messages app is one of the essential apps we use in our daily life, so it will consume power. And the updated android messages app comes with the new product sans font and dark theme. So, enable the dark mode on android messages and save the battery usage now.

1. Download the updated Android Messages app, via Play Store.
2. Open the messages app.
3. Click on the three-dot menu icon, placed in the right of search icon.
4. Tap on Enable Dark Mode.
5. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in YouTube

These days, we spent most of our time on YouTube and it comes more battery than all other apps. Because of the streaming from the internet (WiFi), live playback, and all. And according to Google’s Case Study. We can save around 43% of battery power, by watching YouTube in Dark Mode on full brightness. So, Enable Dark Mode in YouTube.

1. Download the updated version of the YouTube app, via Play Store.
2. Tap on your profile/account icon placed in the top right corner.
3. Now head over to the Settings.
4. Then, Tap on General.
5. Here, Enable the Dark Theme, it will roll out the dark theme throughout the app.
6. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Google Maps

Google Maps is downloading the live data from the cloud for showing the latest information about the places, live traffic, maps, and more. And that’s why it consumes more battery. But you can enable the dark mode for the navigation mode. According to Google, you can save 31% battery by applying a dark theme while using navigation. Here’s how to enable it.

1. Make sure to update your Google Maps app to the latest version, via Play Store.
2. Open Google Maps, tap on the hover menu icon.
3. Click on Settings.
4. Now, head over to the navigation settings.
5. Under Maps Display, choose the color scheme to Night.
6. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Gboard

The keyboard app is the most used tool on the mobiles, whether in chatting, searching, messaging, surfing, and all. Because the keyboard opens up on the screen most of the time and consumes the battery. Google Keyboard (Gboard) comes with different themes options, you can choose and set the dark theme. Here’s how.

1. Open Gboard Settings.
2. Go to the Settings > Language & Input > Virtual Keyboard > Gboard.
3. Under Gboard Settings, head over to the Theme option.
4. The various color options are available here, and 4 different black color options available.
5. Choose one of your favorite themes.
6. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in File Manager

Moving the file from one folder to another takes too much time and battery. But, not in the case with the dark mode. There are various different file managers available out there, but not every file manager comes with the ability to change theme or background. ES File Explorer comes with dark mode support but for the premium version. While you can try Solid Explorer, which is one of the ES File Manager alternatives. Let’s enable the feature.

1. Download Solid Explorer on your Android smartphone, via Play Store.
2. Once done, open the app and tap on the hover menu icon.
3. Then tap on the gear(settings) icon.
4. Now tap on the theme and choose the Onyx for a dark background.
5. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Google News

Reading the news/articles is both time and battery consuming thing. And the new Google News app comes with the inbuilt feature to enable dark mode throughout the app for Android users. So, download the updated Google news app on your Android phone.

1. Open Google News.
2. Tap on your profile and head over to the app settings.
3. In General settings, change the dark mode settings to always from battery saver.
4. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Music Player

There are various music players available on the play store, but most of them come with white background or album art theme & product sans font. We did some research and find the dark mode enabled music player. And here it is.

1. Search Retro Music Player on the Play Store.
2. Download the Retro Music Player.

You May Also Like: Best Offline Music Player Apps

Enable Dark Mode in Facebook & Messenger

For Facebook:

Facebook app is very heavy app & takes too much time to load on old smartphones, and doesn’t have a dark mode. While the Facebook app alternatives come with the feature of customizations. So, you can try downloading the alternatives, which are small in size and smoothly running. We’ve downloaded the Maki app, which is one of an alternative to the original app.

1. Download Maki from the Play Store.
2. Open the app, tap on three dots menu icon.
3. Then head over to Settings.
4. Tap on General.
5. Choose the Theme as AMOLED.
6. That’s it.

For Messenger:

A new hidden trick allows you to enable the dark mode in facebook messenger. Yes, It’s Official but Hidden. No need to install any third party app for this method. Just download the official messenger app on your smartphone and then, follow these steps:

1. Open Messenger, Head over to any chat.
2. Now you need to send the half Moon 🌙 Emoji to your friend.
3. After sending this, you will see the animation and an option to enable the dark mode will start showing on the screen.
4. Tap on the option and enable the dark mode.
5. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Instagram

Instagram doesn’t come with the night mode, but there are some tweaks which help you in enabling the dark theme on the app. And the third-party apps like, Maki also allows you using Instagram in night mode. But you can’t able to access the direct messages features. But if you still want to do this, then.

1. Download Maki from the Play Store.
2. Open the app, tap on three dots menu icon.
3. Then head over to Settings.
4. Tap on General.
5. Choose the Theme as AMOLED.
6. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Telegram

Telegram app comes with the feature of customizing the app, which leads us to enable the dark mode on it. So, If you’re using Telegram a lot, you can enable the dark mode theme on it, which helps you in saving the battery. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open Telegram app on your Android device.
2. Go to settings, head over to chat settings.
3. Under Chat Settings, choose the theme as Dark.
4. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in Reddit

Reddit app comes with the built-in feature of Night Mode, by which you can enable the night mode throughout the app, you can do this on both Android or iPhone. You can also try alternatives like Maki. While the process to enable night mode is.

1. Open the Reddit app.
2. Tap on your profile picture.
3. Then tap on the moon icon available in the bottom.
4. It will enable the night mode.
5. That’s it.

Enable Dark Mode in WhatsApp

The Dark Mode feature testing is going on for the WhatsApp messenger, it will be available soon for every user. While you can change the chat background wallpaper to the black which also works fine in most cases. We’ll update this article when the feature rolls out for the users.

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Head over to any chat, tap on three dots menu icon.
3. Click on the Wallpaper option.
4. Then, tap on solid and choose black wallpaper.

You May Also Like: Best WhatsApp Tricks

Enable System Wide Dark Mode (Android Pie)

The stock Android Pie 9.0 comes with a support of system-wide dark theme. While it’s only working on the phones with stock Android or with the Pixel phones. If you’re using Samsung Galaxy on One UI you can also enable it. Here’s how.

• For Notification Panel

1. Open your phone’s system settings.
2. Then head over to the display settings.
3. Now tap on advanced options > device theme.
4. Here, you can change the option accordingly, like Dark, Light, Automatic (based on wallpaper).

• For Full Device

1. Open the system settings.
2. Then head over to System > Advanced.
3. Now tap on Developer options > Night Mode.
4. Here choose the Dark option or Automatic (based on time) option, which will change the whole UI to the dark.
5. That’s it.

Bonus #1: Use Dark Wallpapers

The home screen also helps you in saving the battery, by setting the dark background wallpapers. The stock wallpapers on the phones come with the colorful background or gradient texture. So, you can try the @AR72014 wallpapers (graphics designer) or download the AMOLED Walls app, via Play Store.

Bonus #2: Custom Themes

The theme engines like substratum allow you to enable system-wide dark. So, you can try these Best Substratum Themes or Best MIUI Themes. Or if you’re running on MIUI, EMUI, One UI, or any other then you can also enable the dark theme on the UI. Some themes allow works with apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Tumblr, etc.

If we miss enabling the dark mode for your favorite app, you can drop a comment down, in the comment section.

You May Also Like:

• Best Samsung Themes
• How to Get One UI Features