Hot on the heels of Android 10 and iOS 13 and their respective system-wide dark modes, Gmail’s new dark theme has started rolling out to users.
Dark mode is one of the most in-demand mobile features of 2019. The inverted colours can reduce the strain on the eyes, improve readability and, in many cases, even offer battery saving benefits.
Related: Dark Mode apps
Google has been gradually pushing its apps in a darker direction this year, and now the search giant is adding Gmail to its dark mode repertoire.
Dark theme for Gmail matches Google’s other dark mode-enabled apps. The background is a dark grey rather than a true black so there aren’t really any battery saving benefits to be gained for OLED users here, but the contrasting colours are nice and the dark look still promises to reduce strain on the eyes when you’re scrolling through your inbox late at night.
We actually saw a preview of Gmail’s new dark mode back in June. The dark grey theme matches what we were expecting from Google and is certainly a great alternative to the default bright white UI Google employs in many of its apps by default.
To enable dark theme for Gmail on your Android device, open the Gmail app, tap ‘Settings’, tap ‘Theme’ and hit ‘Dark’. If you’re using a Google Pixel, Battery Saver mode will nudge the app to default your display to dark mode automatically.
To enable dark theme for Gmail on your iOS device, open the Gmail app, tap ‘Settings’ and select ‘Dark Theme’.
Related: Android 10 features
Gmail will also automatically switch to dark theme if you’re running the system-wide dark mode in Android 10 or iOS 13.
Dark theme for Gmail began rolling out to Android 10 and iOS devices yesterday but it could be a few weeks before it hits your device so keep an eye on your Gmail settings to catch it when it arrives.
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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.
