Dark mode for Instagram is here… but not for everyone. Here’s how to activate the long-awaited feature on your Android or iOS smartphone.
Instagram boss Adam Mosseri announced that dark mode was coming to the platform in a tweet on Monday:
Starting today, you can use Instagram in dark mode on iOS 13 or Android 10. Turn dark mode on your phone to try it out. ?
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) October 8, 2019
The dark mode actually looks close to a true black. This is good news for Instagram fans posting their pics on pricey OLED screens because it means the dark mode could actually bring with it some battery saving benefits.
The colours look very similar to those that were introduced to Facebook Messenger back in April, with lots of dark grey, black and white.
Aside from the ever-popular aesthetic quality of a blacked out background, dark mode is also believed to help reduce strain on your eyes – perfect for scrolling through your feed at 3am without feeling like you’re staring into headlights.
Related: Dark Mode apps
need to get used to that lol pic.twitter.com/2mr38EiL0N
— yonatan (@1yonatann) October 8, 2019
Unfortunately, not everyone can access dark mode just yet, and those that can haven’t exactly loved the experience.
There isn’t actually a dedicated dark mode button in the Instagram app. If you want to flip the colours on your Insta feed, you’ll need to dive into your phone’s settings and turn on your phone’s system-wide dark mode.
This means that if you haven’t updated your smartphone to iOS 13 or Android 10 you might run into problems moving over to the dark side.
To activate Instagram’s dark mode in iOS 13 open your settings, tap ‘Display & Brightness’ and select ‘Dark’. If you’re using an Android 10 phone, open ‘Settings’, tap ‘Display’, ‘Advanced’ and then choose ‘Dark’.
The feature is also still in the process of rolling out, with users complaining that they’ve switched their phone to dark mode but Instagram is still as bright as ever.
Related: How to delete an Instagram account
Hopefully we’ll see a full roll out soon, along with an in-app toggle for those of us who want to scroll through our feeds in dark mode without plunging every other app into the abyss with it.
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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.
