Check Out Dark Mode in iOS 13

One of iOS 13's major new features is a systemwide Dark Mode option, which matches the ‌Dark Mode‌ feature we got in macOS Mojave last year.

Enabling ‌Dark Mode‌ can be done through the Settings app on the iPhone (or iPad) under the Display & Brightness section. You can select Light or Dark mode, or choose to enable them based on the time of day (Sunrise to Sunset) or a custom-picked schedule. If you long press on the Brightness indicator in Control Center, you can toggle on ‌Dark Mode‌ from there if you don't want to use the Settings app.

darkmodeschedules
Turning on ‌Dark Mode‌ changes the look of the entire operating system, darkening everything from the wallpaper and the Home screen to individual apps.


Speaking of wallpaper, iOS 13 has several new wallpapers available, which turn colors from light to dark based on which mode you have activated.


You'll see darker themes in all of your apps, from Settings and Photos to Apple Music.


Messages and Phone have new darker interfaces that are easier on the eyes when ‌Dark Mode‌ is activated.


Apple has put a lot of work into ‌Dark Mode‌, and most Apple apps at this time are supporting the feature. Maps already had a nighttime ‌Dark Mode‌, but now it's activated all the time when ‌Dark Mode‌ is turned on. Dark themes are available in Mail and Apple News.


The App Store, the Reminders app, and even the Health app have ‌Dark Mode‌ interfaces, as do other apps like Home (though it was already dark) and Wallet.


Other apps shown in ‌Dark Mode‌ include Shortcuts, Notes, and Contacts.


Safari has a dark theme too, but it looks best when websites are in ‌Dark Mode‌ themselves, such as Apple's website. MacRumors has a dark theme coming in a future update, so stay tuned.


For those who prefer darker themes on their devices, iOS 13 isn't going to disappoint. Once third-party apps have all implemented dark options, ‌Dark Mode‌ will be seamlessly available across the iOS and iPadOS operating systems.

Right now, iOS 13 with ‌Dark Mode‌ is limited to developers, who will need to download the update using Xcode 11 or a Mac running macOS Catalina. Apple plans to make iOS 13 and iPadOS available to public beta testers in July ahead of a fall launch.

Related Forum: iOS 13

Popular Stories

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...

Top Rated Comments

84 months ago
I can't be the only person who finds dark mode more intensive on my eyes, particularly in comparison to when true tone is enabled and blue light is minimised.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
I am still trying to figure out what is all the hype about "dark mode". :eek:
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
Now lose the Flat Design and give us back Intuitive Mode.
Lose the low contrast hard to read obsession and give back the feeling of It Just Works.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
Wow. Things that were white before are now black.

Amazing
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
So what does private browsing look like in dark mode?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
The advantages of dark mode are so obvious that they should be impossible to miss.
Other than minute battery savings with OLED equipped devices, what is so obvious? Since you are so capable of identifying them, mind to show a list instead of giving an empty reply?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)