When you think of Microsoft Office, it’s hard to get past the image of black text on a blinding white background.
However, just in time for the launch of iOS 13 and Android 10 in the next few weeks, Microsoft has rolled out a new version of its Outlook app for iOS and Android that’ll keep you in the dark.
The app includes a new switch, enabling users to enact a dark mode the company is keeping consistent across the Office suite. Once iOS 13 and Android 10 and their system-wide dark mode features arrive, Outlook will automatically confirm to user’s overall preference.
Handily, for Android users, the app will automatically switch to dark mode when you turn on the power-saving mode.
Related: Dark mode apps to try
Microsoft has also promised dark mode versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, Planner, and To-Do on mobile apps. The rollout doesn’t end there. Microsoft is also bringing dark mode to the Office.com on the web today, while the online versions of OneDrive and Planner are on deck for darkness in the near future too.
“We brought designers together from across the company to create a common Dark Mode experience for all our mobile and web apps,” Jon Friedman, Microsoft’s head of Office design, said of the new style in a blog post. “The creative energy that came from exchanging ideas and collaborating with new peers was one of the most fun parts of this entire effort.
“Starting from the ground up and using the new grey palette for Fluent, our app teams began by aligning to the single palette. This included increasing contrast, brand colour saturation, and consistency among details like how and when we use shadows when in Dark Mode.”
iOS 13 is expected to arrive in mid-September, while Android Q will begin rolling out to Pixel users on September 3, if recent reports are to be believed. We’d imagine Microsoft will crank out the rollouts of dark mode apps in the next few weeks.
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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.
