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Google finally has dark mode: Here’s how to activate it on iOS and Android

Dark modes have been hugely popular with users because they can conserve battery life on smartphones with OLED displays. And they just look cool.

Google finally has dark mode: Here’s how to activate it on iOS and Android

[Photo: Andrew Neel/Unsplash]

BY Michael Grothaus1 minute read

For the last several years both Android and iOS have supported system-wide dark modes. The modes turn all the white or bright UI elements black, or “dark,” hence its name. Dark modes have been hugely popular with users because they can conserve battery life on smartphones with OLED displays. And they just look cool.

But while iOS and Android have had system-wide dark modes for a while now, it’s been up to third-party developers to support dark modes in their apps, with some devs having added the capabilities as soon as the operating systems supported them, while others have taken their time.

One of the biggest laggards, surprisingly, is Google, which makes Android. But as of this week, the primary Google app on Android and iOS will finally support dark mode (many of Google’s other apps have already been updated to support dark mode).

So, how do you enable dark mode in the primary Google app? First, make sure you have the latest version of the app downloaded to your phone, then:

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  • On Android phones running Android 10 or later: If you have system-wide dark mode enabled on your Android 10 device, the Google app will automatically launch in dark mode.
  • On Android phones running Android 9 or earlier: Open the Google app and tap the More button, then tap Settings. In the app’s settings, you can toggle between light and dark mode.
  • On iPhones running iOS 13 or later: If you have system-wide dark mode enabled on your iOS 13 device, the Google app will automatically launch in dark mode.
  • On iPhones running iOS 12: Open the Google app and tap the More button, then tap Settings. In the app’s settings, you can toggle between light and dark mode.

Do note that while Google dark mode is rolling out today, it won’t be available in all locales in the world until later this week.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Grothaus is a novelist and author. He has written for Fast Company since 2013, where he's interviewed some of the tech industry’s most prominent leaders and writes about everything from Apple and artificial intelligence to the effects of technology on individuals and society. Michael’s current tech-focused areas of interest include AI, quantum computing, and the ways tech can improve the quality of life for the elderly and individuals with disabilities More


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