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How to enable Dark Mode in iOS 15 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

How to enable Dark Mode in iOS 15 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Short guide:

  1. The easiest way to turn on Dark Mode is to use Siri. Say “Hey Siri, turn on dark mode”.
  2. You can also turn it on from the Control Centre. Open the Control Centre by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen. On the iPhone 8 and older iPhones, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
  3. Tap and hold the Screen Brightness slider to see the screen options. Tap the Dark Mode button in the bottom-left.
  4. To use Dark Mode all the time, tap the Settings icon to open Settings, then tap Display & Brightness. In the Appearance section, tap the icon or checkbox for Dark.
  5. To have Dark Mode turn on automatically, leave the Automatic toggle switch turned on. Tap Options to set custom times for Light and Dark Modes to turn on.

Before and after

The iOS 15 Display & Brightness settings screen in Light Mode and Dark Mode

This section explains how to enable Dark Mode in iOS 15 and how to select it as a permanent setting. It comes as step-by-step instructions  with pictures of the screen to help. 

Using Siri to turn on Dark Mode

1. The easiest way to turn on dark mode is to use Siri, the built-in voice assistant.  If Siri is enabled, just say “Hey Siri, turn on dark mode”.

Asking Siri to turn on Dark Mode

Using Control Centre

2. You can also switch to Dark Mode from the Control Centre. Open the Control Centre by swiping down from the top-right corner or, on the iPhone 8 and older iPhones, swiping up from the bottom of the screen. Press and hold on the Screen Brightness slider to open the screen options.

Open Control Centre and tap and hold on the Screen Brightness slider

Switch to Dark Mode

3. Tap the Dark Mode button in the bottom-left.

Tap the Dark Mode button in the bottom-left

Making Dark Mode your standard setting

4. To use Dark Mode all the time, tap the Settings icon to open the Settings app. Tap Display & Brightness.

Open Settings and tap Display and Brightness

Enable Dark Mode

5. In the Appearance section, tap the screen icon or checkbox for Dark. Tap the Automatic toggle switch to turn it off.

Tap the Dark screen icon then the Automatic toggle switch to turn it off

Set Dark Mode to turn on automatically

6. Alternatively, you can have Dark Mode switch on automatically. Make sure Dark Mode is active and leave the Automatic toggle switch turned on. By default, it will turn on at sunset, while Light Mode will turn on at sunrise. To change this, tap Options

Leave Automatic turned on. Tap Options to change the timings.

Create a Custom Schedule

7. On the Appearance Schedule screen, tap Custom Schedule.

Tap Custom Schedule

Set new times

8. Now tap the time next to Light or Dark and set a new time for that mode to kick in.

Tap Light or Dark and set a new time

Return to the Home screen

9. When you are happy with your settings, you can return to the Home screen by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, or by pressing the Home button on devices with a physical Home button.

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