Gmail finally adds dark mode to Android and iOS – Here’s how to turn it on

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One of the best things to happen for mobile device UI is dark mode. It saves your screens, it saves your eyes, and it gives the user a choice. Do you use the often-blinding white/grey color scheme, or do you opt for suave darker tones?

Now, you get a choice in the mobile version of Gmail, whether you use Android, or prefer iOS.

You can’t turn your Gmail into a black hole but here’s the next best thing

Google announced the change today, and judging by the reply section, it’s a winner. Now if they’ll only bring back Inbox, that’d be perfect. The change is rolling out gradually, so keep checking for updates and you’ll soon be able to dark mode all the things.

Once updated, here’s how to set it up:

On Android:

• If you have Android 10, head to Settings -> Display -> Theme and turn it on there.
• If you own a Pixel, turning Battery Saver on also turns on system-wide Dark Mode
• Heading to the Theme tab in Gmail will also let you set it, but only for Gmail

On iOS:

• If you’ve got iOS 13, you can either set system-wide Dark Mode in Settings > Display & Brightness > Appearance and tap on Dark, or you can go to the Theme tab in the Gmail app, and turn it on there
• If you’ve got iOS 11 or 12, you can open Gmail and head to the Settings tab to turn on dark mode

Your retinas will thank you.

What do you think? Plan on turning dark mode on for Gmail? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Google officially launches Play Pass – a $4.99 Apple Arcade competitor
• If the Google Pixel 4 costs more than $1K, I’m buying an iPhone 11
• Microsoft just patched a major security issue with Internet Explorer
• This phone from Xiaomi is like all screen and I don’t know how I feel about it

Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.