How to get WhatsApp dark mode on Android and iOS

WhatsApp hasn’t rolled out dark mode for its app as yet. But Android and iOS users can still get dark mode enable. Here’s how.

WhatsApp dark mode. (Shutterstock)

Other than saving battery, dark mode also gives a UI change which users prefer over the white background. If you're someone who cannot wait for WhatsApp to roll out dark mode, there are a few workarounds. Android users can get dark mode on WhatsApp if their phone is compatible with Android Q. iOS users can also get dark mode on WhatsApp.

Android

If your smartphone is running on Android Q beta, there are a few steps to follow for getting dark mode on WhatsApp. Android Q beta already offers system-wide dark mode but not on third-party apps. After turning on dark mode by selecting dark theme from the settings menu, here's what you need to do.

Go to 'About Phone' and tap on 'Build number' seven times. This will turn on developer options. Here, select 'Override force-dark' from the list of options. Dark mode will now be visible on WhatsApp. It isn't over though as you still need to change the wallpaper to black.

iOS

Apple is also introducing system-wide dark mode on its upcoming iOS 13. But iPhone users need not download iOS 13 beta for dark mode. The following steps can be followed to enable dark mode on WhatsApp. First, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations > Invert Colours > Smart Invert.

This will enable dark mode on iPhone but one final workaround needs to be done. Similar to Android, iOS users also need to change the wallpaper to black for the chats to appear in dark mode.