How to turn on dark mode on iOS

Hello darkness, my old friend.
 By 
Amanda Yeo
 on 
An iPhone held in front of the Apple logo.
Dim the lights. Credit: Jaap Arriens / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Pop culture depictions of the afterlife are frequently divided into two options: dark and light. So too are mobile themes, allowing us to choose between blinding glare and insidious darkness. Fortunately, selecting the dark theme for your Apple devices is more straightforward than dealing with issues concerning your immortal soul.

Here's how to turn on iOS' dark mode.

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Tap "Display & Brightness."

  3. Select "Dark" for dark mode, or "Light" if you prefer a white screen.

A screenshot of an Apple iPhone's Display & Brightness settings.
Credit: Mashable

You can also toggle on "Automatic," which will change your iPhone or iPad's display theme depending on the time of day. By default it will use light mode during the day and switch to dark mode at sunset, but you can also set a custom schedule. Consider reversing day and night on a friend's phone if you hate them.


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Topics iOS

Amanda Yeo
Amanda Yeo
Assistant Editor

Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.

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