What WhatsApp dark mode is and how to enable it

Dark mode these days, is all the rage. And for good reason. In addition to allowing you to personalise your phone, it also reduces eye strain, especially in low light. Moreover, it also saves battery life on smartphones with OLED displays.

Now, Meta’s widely popular messaging app, WhatsApp, has had a dark mode option for a few years, allowing users to switch from the app’s bright interface for a more eye-pleasing dark theme. So, whether you’re bored of the same old theme or prefer a darker look, here’s how to switch on WhatsApp dark mode on your Android phones, iOS, Windows, or even a Macbook.

What is WhatsApp dark mode?

Introduced in March 2020, WhatsApp’s dark mode lets you switch the app’s colour scheme from a bright white background to a darker theme, completely transforming the app’s look with a dark grey or black background and cooler-toned text bubbles (like dark grey with a hint of blue).

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This not only personalises the experience with a sleek, modern aesthetic, but it also reduces eye strain and potentially saves battery life on phones with AMOLED displays, as these screens can turn off individual black pixels.

How to enable dark mode on WhatsApp

Activating dark mode in WhatsApp is quite an easy and straightforward process and it largely depends on what device you’re using. Here’s how you can get WhatsApp dark mode set up on your devices:

How to enable dark mode on WhatsApp on Android smartphones: 

1. Open WhatsApp.

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2. Click on Settings > Chats > Theme.

3. Now, tap on the dark option to enable the dark mode.

How to enable dark mode on WhatsApp on iPhones:

1. Go to your iPhone‘s Settings and tap on ‘Display & Brightness.’ 

2. Then, click on ‘Appearance’ and choose the ‘Dark’ option to turn on dark mode. Alternatively, you can select the ‘Automatic’ option to automatically turn on dark mode at a specific time. To do this, simply tap on ‘Options’ and then ‘Sunset to Sunrise’ or set up a custom schedule.

How to enable dark mode on WhatsApp on Windows:

1. Open WhatsApp. 

2. Tap on the three-dot menu above the chat list. 

3. Then, simply choose the ‘Dark’ option to turn on dark mode. If you’re already using dark mode in Windows, you can select the system default option to match your device’s settings. 

How to enable dark mode on WhatsApp on MacBooks: 

WhatsApp adjusts its mode based on your MacBook’s appearance and theme. So, if you are running light mode on your Mac, WhatsApp will run in light mode, while if you have dark mode enabled, WhatsApp will run in dark mode. To enable WhatsApp dark mode on Mac, all you need to do is: 

 1. Open the Settings app. 

2. Then, under ‘General’, click on ‘Appearances’. 

3. Under ‘Appearances’, you’ll see the option of selecting the dark mode. Simply, click on the dark mode option to instantly enable it.

How to enable dark mode on WhatsApp Web  

1. Open WhatsApp Web. 

2. Go to the menu and click on ‘Settings’ and then ‘Themes.’ 

3. Now, choose the dark option and click ‘OK’ to enable the dark mode. You can also choose the System default option to make WhatsApp dark mode match your device’s settings. Just click on ‘System Default’ and then ‘OK.’ 

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Enabling dark mode on WhatsApp helps give your app an understated look, and provides for a comfortable viewing experience as well. Give it a whirl!