Android users have been begging Google to add a dark theme, or mode, to the mobile platform for years. With Android Oreo, Google added a dark mode that activated based on the wallpaper you were using. Google then removed the feature, saying it was accidentally released. Starting with Android Pie not only is dark mode back but now there’s a manual way to switch to it on demand.
Outside of looks, why would you want to use a dark mode on your Android device? According to Google, it saves battery life. It turns out, all of that empty white space that Google (and Apple) has been using over the past few years uses more power, which in turn drains your battery. A darker interface requires less power and is less taxing on your battery.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The process will vary based on your device, but in general, here are the steps you’ll need to take: Open the Settings app and select Display. Next, tap Advanced and scroll down until you find Device theme. Tap it, followed by Dark. Now when you view your app drawer or the quick-settings card (swipe down from the top of the screen), it’ll be in dark mode.
Samsung’s One UI, which includes Android Pie, is rolling out to some devices right now. Enabling dark mode for One UI devices requires you to go to Settings > Display > Night Mode and sliding the switch labeled “Turn on now” to the On position.
Each device maker will have a different method of implementing a dark mode. Samsung, for example, uses Dark Mode across all of its own apps. But third-party apps, such as Chrome or Gmail don’t reflect the setting.
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Android P: A slice of ‘Pie’
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Originally published July 19.
Update, Jan. 25: Added details about saving battery life.
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