Facebook is finally giving WhatsApp users a dark mode option — months after other apps made the switch
WhatsApp announced Tuesday that it has made dark mode available on iPhone and Android devices, giving users what the company called its “most requested feature.”
The update makes the new look available to any WhatsApp users who have the latest version of Apple’s operating system, iOS 13 — as well as anyone using Android 10 or Android 9.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp has been testing the feature in beta mode on Android for close to a year, and more recently on iOS as well. In its blog post, WhatsApp said its tests focused on maintaining readability in low light situations by using colors similar to the ones already used by devices as well as helping users identify important information.
While ultimately a personal preference, two benefits of switching to dark mode include helping reduce eye strain and saving battery (which is made possible because darker colors require less energy to display).
WhatsApp’s addition of dark mode arrives well after many popular iOS and Android apps introduced their own versions. YouTube made the switch in 2018 and the Facebook Messenger app got the update last April, while iOS and Android users have had a system-wide option for months.
For iPhone users, download the latest version of WhatsApp from the App Store
Then, go into your phone’s Settings app and tap “Display & Brightness”
Under “Appearance,” tap “Dark” to enable dark mode (this will enable dark mode across your entire phone as well as within WhatsApp).
Source: BusinessInsider