Some Android users are seriously narked that the long-awaited dark-mode for Gmail has vanished without explanation – and they’re not hiding their emotions.
Users have been venting their frustration in a flurry of messages aimed at Gmail’s Twitter, with most of them demanding an immediate fix for the issue.
Scrolling through the tweets, it looks like the problem is affecting both Android 9 and Android 10 users. Even those who own Google-built Pixel phones have said that they are experiencing the issue.
Anyone else's @gmail app for Android/Google Pixel stopped being in Dark Mode?
— Coll Galicia (@collmemaybe_) February 1, 2020
Related: Dark Mode apps
Dark mode for Gmail was rolled out in September last year, with both Android 10 and iOs 13 users benefitting from the new feature. People had been impatient for the retina-saving option to arrive as Gmail was one of the last Google apps to get the feature.
While the dark mode didn’t offer any battery-saving benefits, it was popular because it helped with late-night eye strain.
At present, Google hasn’t responded to our request for comment on the issue. And when pressed on Twitter, the company is just redirecting users to a one-page document outlining how the function is supposed to work. Handy, thanks guys.
It’s unlikely that the issue was caused by an Android update, as the last version was rolled out in mid-January. But it’s possible that problem was caused by Google tinkering with its own servers – although the company is staying quiet on this for now.
Some users have reported that fiddling around with the ‘Force Stop’ option makes Dark Mode reappear. To do this, hold down the on-screen app icon, then tap the ‘Info’ button that pops up.
Related: How to download all the data Google has collected about you
If this doesn’t work, you could also try deleting and reinstalling the app, manually reducing the brightness on your phone, or pointedly refusing to read any of your emails until the issue is resolved.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
