Instagram's Dark Mode Is Here To Make Nighttime Scrolling So Easy
If you've upgraded to Apple iOS 13, you're probably already familiar with all the cool features the new operating system has. Of course, one of the most notable ones is Dark Mode, which allows you to view your iPhone in the alternative color palette of black and white. Besides the beautiful aesthetic, Dark Mode is also a practical function: Monochrome colors make long hours on your iPhone way easier on the eyes. Fans of Dark Mode will be happy to hear that the feature now extends to Instagram. The social media company rolled out the feature on both iOS and Android on Oct. 7. Here's how to get Instagram Dark Mode, which is now the coolest way to scroll through your newsfeed.
Getting Dark Mode on Instagram is super simple. You'll first want to make sure you have the latest version of Instagram downloaded. If you're using an iPhone, you'll need to be running the new iOS 13 — which as of Oct. 8 supports the new Instagram Dark Mode — and if you're an Android, you'll need the Android 10. If you're already using Dark Mode on your iPhone or Android's overall operating system, you won't need to do anything to get Dark Mode on Instagram — the app will automatically follow suit and switch to the black-and-dark gray version. Unfortunately, you aren't able to toggle on Dark Mode specifically within the app itself, which means your whole system will need to be on Dark Mode for it to work.
If you haven't tried Dark Mode on your iOS 13 operating system yet, now's the time, because it's seriously a game changer. To toggle on the system-wide Dark Mode, just go to your Settings, tap Display & Brightness, and then turn on the Dark button. Better yet, you can ask Siri to turn on Dark Mode by just saying, "Hey Siri, turn on/off the Dark Mode" — I swear, it's just like magic. For Android users, you'll similarly go to the Settings app, tap Display, and then click the Dark them button. Turning on dark mode is really as easy as that. In no time, you'll be viewing your screen from a whole new perspective.
If you're having trouble making sure your Instagram app is updated. In iOS 13, you can go to the App Store and click on your account icon in the top righthand corner. Then, you'll see the apps that need updating, and you can click "Update All." If there are no updates available, you can scroll down to the Instagram app in your account page in the App Store, and you can update from there if aren't up to date. For Android users, you can update your app in Google Play. Once you're all set with the latest version of the 'Gram — and if you're running iOS 13 or Android 10 — Instagram Dark Mode is yours whenever you want it.
Fans are elated about Instagram's Dark Mode, and it totally makes sense given how nice the monochromatic aesthetic looks on the photo-sharing app. Twitter user @brichareese praised the feature on all the different platforms: "My iPhone dark mode, Twitter dark mode, Instagram dark mode. Let's gooooo."
Twitter user @itskyleharris praised the aesthetic of the new version: "Instagram #darkmode is beautiful."
Other social media platforms, like Twitter, also support iOS 13's new Dark Mode. Though Twitter has had a Dark Mode theme since 2017, it became integrated with the overall iOS 13 system wide update in September 2019 so that it matches the overall look of your iPhone. Unlike Instagram, however, Twitter gives you the extra control to toggle on Dark Mode even if your system's appearance isn't. It's a useful option that makes Dark Mode more flexible, since you may not always want the app to match your system's appearance. Hopefully Instagram will incorporate a native Dark Mode option in the future. (I'll stop scrolling long enough to cross my fingers for that!)
With so many platforms going dark this fall, now's the time to give it a try. So sit back, dim the lights, and enjoy your pre-bedtime Instagram session, without all the squinting.
