WhatsApp adds dark mode support for Android, iOS: Here's how to enable it

Social media giant Facebook-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp on Wednesday enabled dark mode support for its app through an update. The update is currently being rolled out for iPhones and Android smartphones. The dark mode support for WhatsApp is one of the most anticipated features, which was undergoing beta testing until now. With the update, the dark mode support graduates from beta to become a full-fledged feature, available on WhatsApp for iPhones and Android smartphones users.

“We are very excited to update WhatsApp with the most requested feature from our users everywhere - dark mode. Dark mode for WhatsApp offers a fresh look on a familiar experience. It’s designed to reduce eye strain in low light environments. And we hope it helps prevent those awkward moments where your phone lights up the room,” said WhatsApp in a statement.

The dark mode for WhatsApp is designed with focus on two particular areas – readability and information hierarchy. For readability, the WhatsApp dark mode uses colours that are closer to the system defaults on iPhones and Android smartphones, therefore, minimises eye fatigue. Similarly, the important information elements are highlighted by using colours and design elements, which help users focus their attention on each screen.

Users on Android 10 and iOS 13 can use dark mode by enabling it in system settings. Users on Android 9 and below can go into WhatsApp Settings -- Chats -- Theme -- select ‘Dark’.

Earlier, Facebook enabled dark mode for Instagram. Besides, there are several other apps, including Gmail, Messenger and Google Chrome, on both iOS and Android platforms that support native dark mode.