Dark mode on iPhone: the quickest route

Dark mode on iPhone switches your screen to a dark background with light text. You can turn it on in Settings in about 30 seconds, or set it to switch automatically at sunset. The setting applies across most built-in apps — Mail, Messages, Calendar, Notes — and many third-party apps that support dark mode.

The fastest way is through Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on older models), press and hold the brightness slider, then tap the dark mode icon. This toggles dark mode on or off when ready. If you want it to turn on and off on a schedule, you'll set that in Settings instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Dark mode can be toggled when ready from Control Center by swiping down and tapping the dark mode icon.
  • To schedule dark mode to turn on at sunset and off at sunrise, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Dark and choose Automatic.
  • Dark mode works across Mail, Messages, Calendar, Notes, and most third-party apps that have adopted the feature.
  • Some apps may not support dark mode, so they will remain in light mode even when the system setting is on.

Turning on dark mode through Settings

Open Settings and tap Display & Brightness. You'll see three options at the top: Light, Auto, and Dark. Tap Dark to switch to dark mode when ready. This keeps dark mode on all the time, even during the day.

If you want dark mode to turn on only in the evening, tap Auto instead. Your iPhone will then switch to dark mode at sunset and back to light mode at sunrise, based on your location. You can also tap Options under the Auto setting to choose a custom schedule — for example, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. — instead of sunset and sunrise.

Using Control Center for quick toggles

Control Center is the fastest way to switch dark mode on and off without opening Settings. On iPhone X and newer, swipe down from the top-right corner. On iPhone 8 and earlier, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Once Control Center is open, press and hold the brightness slider (the one with the sun icon). A menu will appear. Tap the dark mode icon — it looks like a half-moon — to toggle dark mode on or off. This works regardless of what you set in Settings, so you can override the automatic schedule whenever you need to.

Which apps support dark mode

Apple's built-in apps — Mail, Messages, Calendar, Notes, Reminders, Maps, Stocks, and Weather — all support dark mode. When you turn on dark mode, these apps switch automatically to a dark background with light text.

Third-party apps (apps from other developers) support dark mode only if the developer built it in. Popular apps like Instagram, Twitter, Slack, and Spotify have dark mode, but not every app does. If an app doesn't support dark mode, it will stay in light mode even when your system is set to dark. You can check whether an app supports dark mode by opening it after turning on dark mode — if it doesn't change, the developer hasn't added the feature.

Scheduling dark mode to match your routine

The Automatic setting in Display & Brightness lets dark mode follow the sun. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness, tap Dark, then tap Auto. Your iPhone will switch to dark mode at sunset and back to light mode at sunrise based on your current location.

If you prefer a fixed schedule, tap Options under Auto and choose Custom Schedule. You can then set the exact times you want dark mode to turn on and off — for example, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. This schedule stays the same every day, regardless of sunset or sunrise times.

Turning off dark mode

To turn off dark mode permanently, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and tap Light. Your iPhone will stay in light mode until you change it again.

If you have dark mode set to Automatic and want to override it temporarily, use Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner, press and hold the brightness slider, and tap the dark mode icon to turn it off. When the scheduled time arrives, dark mode will turn back on automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does dark mode save battery on my iPhone?

Dark mode uses less power on iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone 12 and newer, and iPhone X and 11 Pro), because black pixels require less energy. On iPhones with LCD screens (iPhone 11 and earlier standard models), dark mode makes little or no difference to battery life.

Why doesn't dark mode work in some apps?

The app developer has to build dark mode support into their app. If an app doesn't have it, the app will display in light mode even when your system is set to dark. Check the app's settings to see if there's a dark mode toggle within the app itself.

Can I set different dark mode schedules for different days?

No. The Automatic setting uses sunset and sunrise, or a Custom Schedule uses the same times every day. You cannot set different schedules for weekdays and weekends. You can only toggle dark mode on or off manually through Control Center or Settings.

What happens to dark mode when I update my iPhone?

Your dark mode settings stay the same after an update. If you had dark mode set to Automatic before the update, it will still be set to Automatic afterward.