How do I turn on dark mode on Android?

Open Settings, tap Display (on Pixel, Display & touch), then turn on Dark theme or tap Dark. Menus and many apps switch to darker colors. You can also use the Dark mode tile in Quick Settings. Some apps stay light if they do not support dark theme yet.

Steps to check

1. Open Display settings

   Open the Settings app. Tap Display. On Pixel phones the menu is often called Display & touch. If you do not see Dark theme, type dark in the search box at the top of Settings. On some Motorola models, tap Advanced inside Display first.

   • Samsung Settings → Display.
   • Pixel Settings → Display & touch.

2. Turn on Dark theme or Dark

   Turn on Dark theme, or on Samsung tap Dark at the top of the Display screen. The phone's menus and many apps switch to a darker look. Google notes this can make the screen easier to read and can save battery on some screens. On Motorola, the Dark theme switch is in Settings → Display, and you can add a Dark theme tile to Quick Settings.

   • Samsung Settings → Display → Dark. Or open Quick settings with two fingers from the top, then tap Dark mode.
   • Pixel Settings → Display & touch → under Appearance, turn on Dark theme. You can also tap the Dark theme tile in Quick Settings.

3. Optional: schedule it for evenings

   On Pixel and Motorola, open Settings → Display (Display & touch on Pixel) → Dark theme, tap Schedule, and choose a custom time or sunset to sunrise. Pixel can also turn it on at bedtime. On Samsung, open Quick settings with two fingers, touch and hold the Dark mode icon, turn on Turn on as scheduled, and pick Sunset to sunrise or a custom schedule. On Pixel, sunset to sunrise only works with location turned on. Some Motorola models do not offer a schedule. You can still switch it on or off by hand anytime.

4. If the screen is dark but you did not turn the setting on

   Battery Saver can turn Dark theme on by itself, for example when the battery gets low. Google says you cannot use battery saver in light theme, so to get the light look back you need to turn battery saver off. Google's path is Settings → Battery → Battery Saver → Turn off now. The name can differ by phone. Motorola says its phones switch back once the battery has charged.

5. If one app stays bright

   Not every app supports dark theme. Look in that app's own settings for Theme or Display. On some newer Pixel phones, Display & touch → Dark theme offers an Expanded option that darkens more apps. Google warns that some images or text can look odd with it, and you can turn it off for single apps. Samsung notes Dark mode may not work with a downloaded theme, a high contrast font, or certain third-party apps.

Normal vs. not

Common questions

Is dark mode the same as Night Light or Eye comfort shield?

No. Dark theme changes menu and app colors to darker backgrounds. Night Light or Eye comfort shield shifts the screen toward warmer colors. You can use both.

Will dark mode save battery?

Google says it can help on some screens when apps support it. Results vary by phone and which apps you use.

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