WhatsApp’s long-awaited Dark Mode feature may launch soon for users

WhatsApp’s latest update to its beta app brings a new “Dark Theme.” Here’s everything you need to know.

Dark Mode returns to WhatsApp’s beta (Pixabay)

Dark Mode has long been rumoured to come on WhatsApp. Some bits of the feature even made it to the older iterations of WhatsApp's beta on Android. The stable version, however, never got the feature despite a lot of anticipation. Now, WhatsApp's latest beta version on Android has revived hopes for the Dark Mode.

According to WABetainfo, WhatsApp's new 2.19.282 beta version comes with a new section called Theme Settings. The new section is buried under Settings. Here, the app allows users to change the WhatsApp theme to different modes. Light theme is the usual white theme that's available for WhatsApp forever. A "System default" automatically recognises the theme of Android that has been set by the user and changes accordingly. The "Dark Theme" is the one that inverts colours.

The website says when you switch on the "Dark Theme", the app changes to "blue night" colours. The feature, however, still appears to be in development as the dark mode doesn't fully change all the elements of WhatsApp. Based on the screenshot shared by the website, the text still doesn't seem to be optimised for the new Dark Mode.

 

📝 WhatsApp beta for Android 2.19.282: what's new?

Finally new hidden tracks about the Dark Theme and more details for Disappearing Messages (both under development).https://t.co/QhtHjbIK4h

NOTE: These features are not available and they will be enabled in future.

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) October 7, 2019

Another big feature that has been spotted in the new beta version is the self-destructing feature. The latest update shows users can choose between 5 seconds, 1 hour, 1 day, 7 days, and even 30 days for these self-destructing messages.

That being said, WhatsApp's new beta update suggests the instant messaging company hasn't given up on the Dark Mode feature. It is worth noting that Google's Android 10 (Android Q) and Apple's iOS 13 bring system-wide dark mode. WhatsApp is likely to be one of the biggest third-party apps to embrace the new OS optimisations. For those still not on Android 10, a native Dark Theme would make a lot of sense.