How to Turn On Dark Mode on iPhone

What Dark Mode Actually Does

Dark Mode changes the system-wide color scheme of iOS from light backgrounds with dark text to dark backgrounds with light text. It affects Apple’s own apps like Mail, Messages, Calendar, and Settings, and it also changes the appearance of many third-party apps that have adopted Apple’s dark mode APIs. When you turn it on, you’ll notice that white or light gray surfaces become near-black or dark gray, and text becomes white or light gray. The goal is to reduce the amount of light emitted by the screen, which can make the phone more comfortable to use in low-light environments and can help reduce eye strain for some people. It does not change the look of photos, videos, or websites that have their own color schemes, unless those websites specifically support dark mode detection.

Why You Might Want Dark Mode

There are several practical reasons to use Dark Mode beyond just aesthetics. First, if you often use your iPhone in bed or in a dark room, a bright white screen can be harsh and can disrupt your sleep cycle because blue light exposure in the evening can affect melatonin production. Dark Mode reduces the overall brightness and blue light emission, making late-night browsing less jarring. Second, on iPhones with OLED displays (iPhone X and later, except the iPhone SE models), dark pixels are actually turned off, so using Dark Mode can slightly improve battery life. The savings are modest—maybe a few percent—but they add up if you spend hours a day in apps with dark backgrounds. Third, some people simply find dark text on a light background harder to read due to astigmatism or other visual conditions, and the reverse contrast works better for them. Finally, Dark Mode can reduce screen glare in bright sunlight, though it’s not a substitute for increasing brightness.

How to Turn On Dark Mode Manually

Here are the exact steps to enable Dark Mode on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later (which is every iPhone that supports Dark Mode):

Open Settings: Tap the gray gear icon on your home screen or in your App Library.
Go to Display & Brightness: Scroll down and tap “Display & Brightness” (it has a sun-and-moon icon).
Select Dark: Under the “Appearance” section at the top, tap the circle labeled “Dark.” The change takes effect immediately.

That’s it. If you want to switch back to Light Mode, repeat the same steps and tap “Light.” The menu path is the same in iOS 15, 16, 17, and 18, though the exact icon or wording may differ slightly in future versions.

How to Schedule Dark Mode Automatically

Instead of manually toggling, you can set Dark Mode to turn on and off automatically. In the same Display & Brightness screen, tap the switch next to “Automatic.” When you turn it on, a new option appears: “Options.” Tap it and choose one of two schedules:

Sunset to Sunrise: This uses your location and the time of year to determine when the sun sets and rises. You need to have Location Services enabled for this to work accurately.
Custom Schedule: You set specific times for Dark Mode to turn on and off. For example, you could set it to turn on at 9:00 PM and off at 7:00 AM, regardless of the season.

If you choose Custom Schedule, you’ll see two time pickers: one for “Light Appearance” (when the phone switches back to light) and one for “Dark Appearance” (when it switches to dark). You can set them to the same time if you want an instant switch, but most people prefer a gradual transition. Note that the transition is not gradual; it’s a hard cut at the scheduled time.

How to Turn On Dark Mode from Control Center

If you want a faster way to toggle Dark Mode without digging into Settings, you can add a Dark Mode button to Control Center. Here’s how:

Open Settings > Control Center.
Scroll down to “More Controls” and tap the green plus icon next to “Dark Mode.”
Now swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen (on iPhones with Face ID) or swipe up from the bottom (on iPhones with a Home button) to open Control Center.
Tap the Dark Mode icon (a circle with a crescent moon). It will toggle Dark Mode on or off immediately.

This is especially handy if you switch frequently throughout the day. The Control Center button also shows a small icon that changes appearance based on whether Dark Mode is active.

Dark Mode vs. Night Shift vs. True Tone

People often confuse Dark Mode with two other display features: Night Shift and True Tone. They serve different purposes and can be used together.

Dark Mode changes the color scheme of the interface—dark backgrounds, light text. It doesn’t affect color temperature.
Night Shift shifts the colors on your screen to the warmer end of the spectrum (more yellow/orange) to reduce blue light. It doesn’t change the interface colors; it just makes everything look warmer.
True Tone adjusts the white balance of the screen to match the ambient lighting in your room, using sensors to measure the color temperature of the light around you. It makes whites look more natural but doesn’t reduce blue light specifically.

You can enable all three at once. For example, you might have Dark Mode scheduled to turn on at sunset, Night Shift set to turn on at 9 PM, and True Tone always on. They work independently, so there’s no conflict.

How to Force Dark Mode in Apps That Don’t Support It

Some third-party apps haven’t updated to support Dark Mode, so they’ll stay white even when your iPhone is in Dark Mode. There’s no system-wide way to force dark backgrounds in those apps. However, some apps have their own built-in dark theme. For example, in Safari, you can enable “Reader Mode” which sometimes offers a dark background, but that’s not the same as Dark Mode. In some browsers like Chrome, you can force dark mode from the browser’s settings, but that only affects the browser’s UI, not the websites you visit. If an app doesn’t have a dark mode option, your only choices are to use the app as-is or find an alternative app that supports Dark Mode. Apple’s own apps all support Dark Mode, and most major apps like Instagram, Twitter (X), and WhatsApp have adopted it.

Common Problems and Fixes

Here are a few issues you might run into and how to solve them:

Dark Mode not turning on: Make sure you’re running iOS 13 or later. If you’re on an older iOS version, Dark Mode isn’t available. Also, check that you haven’t set a custom schedule that is currently in “Light” hours.
Some apps still appear white: As mentioned, not all apps support Dark Mode. Check if the app has its own dark theme in its settings. If not, there’s nothing you can do except wait for an update or use an alternative app.
Automatic schedule not working: If you chose “Sunset to Sunrise,” make sure Location Services is enabled for the system. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and ensure it’s turned on. Also, make sure your time zone is set to “Set Automatically” in Settings > General > Date & Time.
Dark Mode makes text hard to read: Some people find dark backgrounds with light text harder to read for long periods. You can adjust text size and boldness in Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size or Bold Text. You can also try reducing white point in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
Battery drain in dark mode: On OLED screens, dark mode should improve battery life, but if you notice worse battery, it might be due to other factors like background app refresh or poor cellular signal. Dark Mode is unlikely to cause battery drain.

Dark Mode and Accessibility

Dark Mode is also an accessibility feature for some users. People with light sensitivity, migraines, or certain visual impairments may find dark mode more comfortable. Apple has additional display accommodations under Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size, such as “Smart Invert” (which inverts colors but keeps images and media natural) and “Classic Invert.” Smart Invert can be a useful alternative if you want a dark look on apps that don’t support Dark Mode, though it can sometimes look odd. You can also set “Reduce White Point” to lower the intensity of bright whites, which works well in conjunction with Dark Mode. If you need high contrast, you can enable “Increase Contrast” which makes borders more distinct, but it might override some dark mode styling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dark Mode save battery on all iPhones?

No. Dark Mode only saves battery on iPhones with OLED displays, which include iPhone X, XS, XS Max, XR, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12 series, 13 series, 14 series, 15 series, and 16 series. The iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) and iPhone 11 have LCD displays, where dark pixels are still backlit, so there’s no battery benefit. On those models, Dark Mode is purely for comfort and aesthetics.

Can I schedule Dark Mode to turn on before sunset?

Yes, if you choose “Custom Schedule” instead of “Sunset to Sunrise.” You can set any time you like, such as 5:00 PM in winter or 8:00 PM in summer. The custom schedule overrides the sunset-based option.

Why doesn’t Dark Mode apply to my home screen wallpaper?

Dark Mode does not automatically change your wallpaper. However, iOS has a feature called “Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper” which you can enable in Settings > Wallpaper > Customize. When enabled, the wallpaper will darken when Dark Mode is active, making icons and text easier to see. You can also choose a wallpaper that is designed to look good in both light and dark modes.

How do I turn off Dark Mode on my iPhone?

Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and tap “Light” under Appearance. If you have Automatic enabled, you can either turn it off or change the schedule. You can also toggle Dark Mode from Control Center if you’ve added the button.

Does Dark Mode affect notifications or the Lock Screen?

Yes, the Lock Screen and notifications use the system appearance. When Dark Mode is on, the Lock Screen background and notification banners will use dark colors, which can make them less bright at night. Some Lock Screen widgets may also adapt their colors.

Can I use Dark Mode only for certain apps?

No, iOS does not allow per-app dark mode settings. Dark Mode is a system-wide setting. However, some apps have their own internal dark theme that you can enable independently, such as in Safari’s Reader Mode or in some third-party apps’ settings. But you can’t force a single app to be dark while the rest of the system stays light.

Sources: Apple Support. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.