How to enable dark mode on iPhone

What you will learn

In this guide, you will learn how to turn on dark mode on your iPhone. Dark mode changes the screen background from white to black, which is easier on your eyes in low light and can save battery.

What you need

• An iPhone running iOS 13 or later (most iPhones from 2015 onward)

The steps

Step 1: Open Settings

Find the Settings app on your home screen. It has an icon that looks like grey gears. Tap on it.

Step 2: Tap Display and Brightness

Scroll down slightly and tap Display & Brightness. This is where you control how your screen looks.

Step 3: Choose Dark

At the top of the screen, you will see two options: Light and Dark. Each has a small preview of what your phone will look like. Tap Dark to switch to dark mode.

Step 4: See the change

Your screen will immediately change to a dark background with light text. You can now go back to your home screen and open apps to see dark mode in action.

Step 5: Set it to automatic (optional)

If you want dark mode to turn on only at night, turn on the Automatic toggle below the Light and Dark options. Tap Options to choose between Sunset to Sunrise or a custom schedule.

Helpful tips

• Quick toggle from Control Center: Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen, then press and hold the brightness slider. A button to toggle dark mode will appear at the bottom.
• Per-app settings: Some apps like WhatsApp, YouTube, and Google Maps have their own dark mode setting. Check inside the app’s settings if it does not follow the system setting.
• Reduce white point: If dark mode still feels too bright, go to Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text Size, and turn on Reduce White Point to dim bright colors further.