Top 8 Ways to Fix Dark Mode Not Working on Android
Enabling dark mode on your Android device not only enhances its aesthetic appeal but also has practical benefits, such as reduced eye strain andimproved battery life. Although enabling dark mode on Android is easy, there can be times when your phone fails to transition to a darker color scheme. If you are experiencing a similar issue, work your way through the following fixes to resolve the dark mode not working issue on Android.
Table of Contents
1. Re-Enable Dark Mode
Your first course of action is to reapply the dark mode on your Android. If it’s just a temporary OS-related issue, disabling and re-enabling the dark mode should solve your problem.
Open theSettingsapp and tap onDisplay. Select theLightoption, wait for a few moments, and then select theDarkoption.
2. Disable Scheduled Dark Mode
On Android, you can schedule dark mode to turn on automatically at specific times. This feature can cause your Android to disable dark mode on its own after a certain duration, leading you to believe that dark mode is not working correctly.
To avoid any confusion, you may disable the scheduled dark mode option on your Android by following the steps below.
1.Open theSettingsapp and then tap onDisplay.
2.Tap onDark mode settingsand toggle off the switch next toTurn on as scheduled.
On some Android phones, enabling the battery-saving option can also cause the dark mode to activate automatically. To turn it off, open theSettingsapp and go toBattery and device care>Battery. Then, turn off the toggle next toPower saving.
3. Check Accessibility Settings
Changing the visibility enhancement options in the accessibility menu can override your dark mode preferences on Android. To overrule this possibility, you need to review theaccessibility settingson your phone and verify they are configured correctly.
1.Open theSettingsapp and navigate toAccessibility>Visibility enhancements.
2.SelectDefaultunder Display mode and hitApply.
3.Tap onHigh contrast themeand selectNone.
4.Turn off the toggle next toColor inversion.
4. Switch to the Default Theme
Although most third-party themes for Android provide support for dark mode, not all of them do. If you’re experiencing issues with dark mode while using a custom theme, consider switching to the default theme and see if that solves the problem.
Note:The exact steps for resetting to the default theme may vary depending on the Android skin your phone is running. The following steps will work for Samsung phones running One UI.
1.Tap and hold anywhere on the empty spot on your home screen and selectThemes.
2.Tap theMenu icon(three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner and tap onMy stuff.
3.Select theDefaulttheme and hitApply.
5. Enable Dark Mode Using In-App Settings
If the dark mode is not working only in a specific Android app, such as Facebook or Google Maps, you should check the in-app settings for that app andenable dark modefrom there.
If you cannot locate the option to activate dark mode within the app, it is likely that the app does not support it. In case an app has recently received a dark theme feature, update to the most recent version of the app by heading over to thePlay Store or Galaxy Store.
6. Clear App Cache
Another reason why apps on Android may fail to switch to dark mode is due to corrupt or outdated cache data. You can try clearing the cache data for the problematic app to see if that helps.
1.Locate the problematic app on your phone. Long press on its icon and tap theinfo iconfrom the menu that appears.
2.Go toStorageand tap theClear cacheoption at the bottom.
7. Force Dark Mode in Apps Using Developer Options
Your favorite app doesn’t support dark mode yet? No problem. There is a hidden setting on your Android that you can activate to force apps to run in dark mode. Here’s how:
1.Open theSettingsapp on your phone and scroll down to tap onAbout phone.
2.Go toSoftware informationand tap theBuild numberseven times. This will unlock the Developer Options menu on your phone.
3.Head back to the Settings page and tap onDeveloper options. Scroll down to locate theForce Dark modeoption and enable it.
8. Factory Reset Your Android
Lastly, if nothing works, resetting your Android device may be your only option. Since this process resets all settings, you should only use this as a last resort.
1.Open theSettingsapp and tap onGeneral management.
2.Scroll down to tapResetand selectReset all settingsfrom the following menu.
3.Tap onReset settingsand enter your device pin or password to proceed.
See the Light in the Darkness
By enabling dark mode on your Android phone, you’re able to make it more comfortable and pleasant to use, especially in low-light conditions. We hope that one of the solutions mentioned above worked and that you are now able to use your phone in dark mode again.
Pankil Shah
Pankil is a Civil Engineer by profession who started his journey as a writer back in 2016. He joined TechWiser in March 2021 as a freelance writer to cover buying guides, explainers, and tips & tricks for Android, iOS, Windows, and Web.
