Where to find color and theme settings in iOS

Most iPhone apps don't have built-in color or theme controls—the app's appearance is set by Apple's system settings, not by individual apps. However, you can change how apps look across your entire phone using iOS's Light Mode and Dark Mode, and some apps do offer their own color or theme options buried in their settings menu.

The fastest way to switch between Light and Dark Mode is through Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on older iPhones), find the brightness slider, press and hold it, then tap the Light Mode or Dark Mode icon. This change affects most apps when ready, though some apps ignore the system setting and use their own colors.

If you want to change colors for a specific app rather than your whole phone, open that app and look for a Settings or Preferences option—usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines. Not every app offers theme controls, but popular ones like Gmail, Twitter, Reddit, and Spotify do.

Key Takeaways

  • Dark Mode and Light Mode are system-wide settings that change app colors across your iPhone, accessed through Control Center or Settings > Display & Brightness.
  • Individual apps sometimes have their own color or theme settings inside the app itself, found by tapping the menu icon or gear icon.
  • Some apps ignore your system Dark Mode setting and always display in their default colors, which you cannot override from iPhone settings.
  • Scheduled Dark Mode can turn on automatically at sunset and off at sunrise, so you don't have to switch manually each day.

Changing colors using Dark Mode and Light Mode

Open Settings and tap Display & Brightness. You'll see three options: Light, Dark, and Automatic. Tap Dark to switch everything to dark colors, or Light to use light colors. Most apps will change their appearance within seconds.

If you choose Automatic, your iPhone will switch to Dark Mode at sunset and back to Light Mode at sunrise, based on your location. You can customize these times by tapping Options below the Automatic setting and choosing Schedule, then entering your preferred times.

Keep in mind that some apps—particularly older ones or those designed by smaller developers—don't respond to the Dark Mode setting. These apps will stay the same color no matter which mode you choose. There's no way to force them to change from iPhone settings alone.

Finding color settings inside individual apps

Many popular apps let you pick a theme or accent color from within the app itself. Open the app you want to customize and look for a menu button—usually three horizontal lines, three dots, or a gear icon. Tap it and search for words like "Settings," "Preferences," "Theme," "Appearance," or "Display."

Gmail, for example, has a theme picker in Settings > Theme. Twitter offers Dark, Light, and Dim options in Settings & Privacy > Display and Sound > Dark Mode. Spotify has a Dark and Light theme toggle in Settings > Display. The exact path varies by app, so if you don't see a theme option in the first menu, try scrolling down or looking under a "More" section.

Some apps also let you pick an accent color—the color used for buttons, links, and highlights. This is less common than theme selection, but apps like Discord and Telegram offer it. Look for options labeled "Accent Color," "Primary Color," or "Brand Color" in the appearance settings.

Using Focus modes to change app behavior by time of day

Focus modes don't change app colors directly, but they can hide notifications and change how apps behave at different times. Open Settings, tap Focus, and create a new Focus (or edit an existing one like Work or Sleep). You can set which apps send notifications and which contacts can reach you.

While this won't change the color of an app's interface, it can make your phone feel less visually overwhelming during certain times. For instance, you could create a Bedtime Focus that silences notifications from work apps after 9 p.m., so you see fewer notifications even if the app colors stay the same.

What to do if an app won't change colors

If an app ignores Dark Mode and stays light (or stays dark) no matter what you do, the app developer chose to override the system setting. You cannot force it to change from your iPhone's settings. Your only options are to contact the app's developer and request the feature, or use a different app that respects Dark Mode.

To report the issue to the developer, open the App Store, find the app, scroll down to "Information," tap "App Privacy," and look for a "Contact Developer" link. Explain that the app doesn't respond to Dark Mode and ask them to add support for it in a future update.

Changing the home screen and lock screen appearance

You can also customize the colors of your lock screen and home screen separately from app colors. Press and hold your lock screen, tap Customize, and choose a wallpaper. Some wallpapers have color filters you can adjust by tapping the filter icon.

For your home screen, press and hold an empty area, tap the plus icon, and create a Smart Stack or add widgets. Widgets can have their own color schemes depending on which app they come from. You can also change your app icons using the Shortcuts app to create custom icons in any color, though this is more advanced and requires a few extra steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dark Mode save battery on my iPhone?

On iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone 12 and newer), Dark Mode uses slightly less battery because black pixels require less power than white ones. On older iPhones with LCD screens, Dark Mode makes no difference to battery life. The visual benefit of Dark Mode is reducing eye strain in low light, not saving power.

Can I set different themes for different apps?

No, Dark Mode and Light Mode are system-wide settings that affect all apps at once. However, individual apps can have their own theme settings that override the system setting. So you could have Dark Mode on globally, but keep one specific app in Light Mode if that app's settings allow it.

Why does my app look different after I updated iOS?

Apple sometimes changes how Dark Mode and Light Mode look across the system. If an app updated at the same time, the developer may have also changed how the app responds to Dark Mode. Check the app's settings to see if a new theme option was added, or update the app to the latest version.

Can I create a custom color theme for my iPhone?

iOS doesn't have a built-in custom theme creator. You're limited to Light Mode, Dark Mode, and whatever individual apps offer. Some apps like Discord let you pick from preset color schemes, but you can't create a completely custom theme that applies across your whole phone.

What's the difference between Dark Mode and Low Light Mode?

Low Light Mode is not a standard iOS feature. You may be thinking of the Dim option available in some apps like Twitter, which is a slightly less intense version of Dark Mode. Or you might be referring to the Reduce White Point accessibility setting, which dims the entire screen for people sensitive to bright light.