How to Turn On Dark Mode on Your iPhone

Dark Mode is one of the most popular visual features on modern smartphones. Instead of displaying a bright white background with black text, Dark Mode flips the color scheme to a dark grey or pitch-black background with white text. This makes looking at your iPhone significantly easier on the eyes, especially in low-light environments like a dark bedroom or a movie theater. On iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone X and newer), using Dark Mode can also noticeably improve your battery life, because the screen actually turns off individual pixels to create the color black. Apple makes it very simple to enable this feature manually or set it on a schedule.

Method 1: Turn On Dark Mode Using the Control Center

The Control Center provides the absolute fastest way to toggle Dark Mode on and off without digging through menus.

1. Open your iPhone’s Control Center:
   • If your iPhone has Face ID: Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.
   • If your iPhone has a Home button: Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
2. Locate the Brightness slider (the vertical bar with a sun icon inside it).
3. Press and hold your finger firmly on the Brightness slider.
4. The slider will expand to fill the screen, and three buttons will appear underneath it.
5. Tap the circular button labeled Dark Mode (the icon looks like a half-filled circle).
6. Your screen will instantly transition from light to dark. Tap anywhere outside the slider to return to the Home Screen.

Method 2: Turn On Dark Mode Using the Settings App

If you prefer a more permanent change, you can adjust the display preferences in your main Settings.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on Display & Brightness.
3. At the very top of this menu, under the “Appearance” section, you will see two preview images of an iPhone: one labeled “Light” and one labeled “Dark.”
4. Tap the circle underneath Dark.
5. Your iPhone will immediately switch to Dark Mode.

How to Schedule Dark Mode Automatically

Many users prefer Light Mode during the bright hours of the day, but want Dark Mode to activate automatically when the sun goes down to prevent eye strain.

1. Navigate to Settings > Display & Brightness.
2. Look directly below the Light/Dark selection for the toggle switch labeled Automatic.
3. Tap the switch to turn it on (green).
4. A new Options button will appear immediately beneath it. Tap it.
5. You now have two choices:
   • Sunset to Sunrise: This is the most popular option. Your iPhone will use your location data to determine exactly when the sun sets in your area and automatically switch to Dark Mode. It will return to Light Mode when the sun rises the next morning.
   • Custom Schedule: If you work night shifts or have a specific routine, you can manually enter the exact times you want Light Appearance and Dark Appearance to begin every day.