How to enable dark theme on Android: black and white phone screen

Many mobile device users need a dark theme on their phone, in which the interface and application settings have a dark or black background. This is because the phone’s dark mode has its advantages over the regular default theme.

Recently, many developers have added the ability to enable dark mode in their Android apps. Users can enable dark mode settings in a particular application by enabling the appropriate option if the application has such functionality.

It is not always convenient to perform such operations in a large number of applications. It is better to be able to immediately enable a very dark or black theme on the entire device in the Android operating system than in individual applications that support this visual mode.

Benefits of dark mode interface on your phone

Dark or black mode (Dark Mode) on a mobile device has a number of advantages over the usual (default) theme of a smartphone or tablet.

Features of using this theme:

• The dark background removes unnecessary stress from the user’s eyes, preserving vision, especially in the evening and at night.
• On a black background, the text in the phone settings and in installed applications is better distinguished.
• In the case of using the dark mode, the battery consumption is reduced, as a result, the battery is saved, the device is discharged more slowly.
• On many phones, a dark background will have more contrast than the default theme.

Taking into account these circumstances, the question naturally arises of how to make a dark theme on an Android phone. Unfortunately, in most cases, this problem simply cannot be solved.

Starting with the Android 10 operating system, in the phone settings, it became possible to activate the dark mode. In previous versions of Android, partial enablement is possible by changing some settings on the mobile device or by using third-party apps that can display black mode on the phone.

In preparing this article, we used two phones running a “clean” version of the operating system: Android 10 and Android 9. In several instructions, we will try to solve the dark theme problem in different ways.

Many users have devices with add-ons (shells) over the system: MIUI, EMUI, OxygenOS, Flyme, NubiaUI, etc. Third-party shells change system settings, add their own or disable default ones. Therefore, settings items may differ on your device, because some system options may be in the wrong place at the whim of a particular phone manufacturer.

How to enable dark theme on Android

First, let’s see how the dark theme of Android 10 is enabled. This functionality is built into the operating system by default. Therefore, there will be no problems here.

Complete the following steps on a phone running Android 10 or later:

1. Enter your mobile phone settings.
2. Click on the “Screen” section.
3. In the “Display” section, in the “Dark theme” option, move the switch to the “On” position.
4. The dark theme will work on the device.

Now, the black mode will be used by default in the system interface and in those applications that support the dark theme.

On some devices, dark mode automatically turns on when the battery drops to low to use the power saving mode. You can change this option in your phone settings.

If the device screen displays a wallpaper selected by the user in the phone settings, and a dark background is needed, download a suitable image with a black background to the mobile phone, and then select it as the desktop wallpaper.

How to enable dark theme in Android 9

Android 9 has a setting called Device Theme. This option partially changes the visual display mode of the theme, including dark mode in some places of the interface on the phone screen.

Go through the steps:

1. Tap the “Settings” icon.
2. Enter the “Screen”, click on “Advanced”.
3. Click on the “Device Theme” option.
4. In the “Device Theme” window, activate the “Dark” item.

On some screens, the display background will turn black. You will need to manually enable the dark theme in all supported apps. If necessary, you can set a dark image on the main screen to use it as wallpaper.

How to make a black and white screen on an Android phone

On Android 9 or earlier operating systems, you will not be able to simply turn on the dark theme. You will have to use workarounds to get a similar effect.

One solution to the problem is to use a black and white screen on the phone. In this case, the monochrome display settings on Android will be used.

To enable the black and white screen on Android, you will need to use the “Developer Mode” on the phone, which must first be activated.

Do the following:

1. Go to device settings.
2. Enter the “System” option.
3. Click on “Advanced”.
4. Open the “Developer options” option.
5. In the “Hardware accelerated rendering” section, click on the “Invert anomaly” item.
6. In the pop-up window, activate the “Monochrome Mode” option.

On the device screen, all details of the system interface and applications will turn black and white in various shades, depending on the applied color scheme. It’s not exactly dark mode, but maybe it will suit someone. In this mode, the battery consumption of the phone is significantly reduced.

How to make a dark theme on your Android phone

There is an exotic option to enable some sort of dark phone skin. The essence of the method is that on a mobile device, inversion is turned on – a reverse permutation of colors, which makes it possible to get dark colors in most interface elements.

Do the following:

1. Enter “Settings”.
2. Open Accessibility.
3. Turn on “Invert Colors”.

Colors will change on the phone, application icons will become somewhat unusual. Perhaps this option is right for you. It should be borne in mind that this mode, according to Google, the developer of the Android operating system, somewhat slows down the phone.

Using Third Party Applications

You can solve the problem with a dark theme using third-party applications from the Google Play store. There are quite a lot of similar programs out there.

You will have to test the applications yourself in order to choose the most suitable for your device, according to your desires and preferences.

For example, we are using the Black&White Launcher Theme application, which can be downloaded from Google Play at the link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tmeapps. go.launcherex.theme.blackandwhite .

Go through several steps:

1. Install the app on your phone.
2. In the program window, select “Go To Homescreen”.
3. After the theme on the device has changed, in the open window, select the main application – Black&White Launcher Theme.

If you have Android 9 Pie installed on your device, click on the “Settings” icon, from the available options, select the “System Settings” option. Go through the following parameters in sequence: “Display” → “Advanced” → “Device theme”. Select a dark theme for your device in the settings.

Changing this setting will make some system settings dark.

Article Conclusions

Often, users need to install a dark theme on their mobile phone. Dark mode saves battery power and improves vision in the evening and at night. The dark theme is built into the Android 10 operating system by default. Users of previous versions of Android will have to manually turn on some kind of black and white mode in the device settings or use a third-party application from the Google Play store.