7 Best Ways to Fix Dark Mode Not Working in Gmail and Other Google Apps
On Android, dark mode is a system-wide setting for devices running Android 10 (Q) and later. Likewise, dark mode is supported on iOS 13 and higher. Dark mode applies to basic items such as settings and also applies to supported applications, such as Instagram and other Google apps.
Now, if your Google apps do not have a dark theme, do not be sad. Just follow the tips in this article to go dark on Google apps like Gmail. Let them check.
1. Check software compatibility
For now, dark mode will not work on all Android and iOS phones. The minimum operating system requirements for different Google applications is different for dark mode.
For example, for dark mode on Gmail, you must use an Android phone running Android Q (10) or higher. For iPhones, it is not only supported by phones running iOS 13, but it also works for iOS 11 and iOS 12.
However, the dark mode on the Chrome browser only works on iOS 13+ devices. On the contrary, in Android, it works on all phones running Android Lollipop 5.0 or higher. Similarly, for Google Keep, it works on phones running Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher, and under Calendar it starts with Android 7.0 Nougat.
2. Update the application
Whenever an application receives a new feature, you must always update it, whether you are an Android or iPhone user. The new features are mainly related to the updates of the application. So updating them makes sense. Visit the Google Play Store (Android users) and the App Store (iPhone) to update Google apps. On Android phones, you must also update Google Play services.
3. Restart the phone
Restart your phone once you are certain that your phone meets the requirements for dark mode and that you have updated Google apps. Restarting the phone has proven to be beneficial for many users.
4. Force Stop App
On Android phones, you should also try to forcibly stop the application. To do this, go to Settings> Apps & Notifications or Application Manager. Then find the Google app in which the dark mode does not work. Tap on it. Then press the Force Stop button.
Force the shutdown of the application closes the application on your phone. It will not delete any data from the application. Then go back and open the application. If you have a system-wide dark mode, it will apply automatically. Otherwise, go to the application settings and turn on the dark mode (more details below).
Point: On iPhone, remove the app from the list of recent apps.
5. Clear the cache (Android only)
Another way to apply dark mode if it is available is to clear the cache of the required Google application. To do this, go to Phone Settings> Apps & Notifications or Application Manager or Installed Apps. Tap the name of the application. Then tap Storage. Under the storage option, tap Clear Cache.
Clearing the cache is different from removing storage or data because it will not delete any personal data from your phone. This will only delete temporary files. Once you have cleared the cache of the application, restart your phone.
6. Enable dark mode in phone settings
Some Google apps like Google Photos do not have a dedicated dark mode setting. This only works when dark mode is enabled in the phone settings. So, you have to enable the dark mode in the system settings.
Note: The system-wide dark mode is only available on phones running Android 10 (and higher) and iOS 13 (and higher).
To turn on dark mode on Android, go to Phone Settings> Display. Activate the Dark theme.
Point: You can also enable the dark theme from Quick Settings.
On iOS, open Settings and go to Display and Brightness. Tap Dark to activate the dark mode. You can also activate it from the control center. We have a fantastic troubleshooting guide for troubleshooting dark mode issues on iOS.
Once you have enabled the dark mode setting throughout the system, the supported applications automatically switch to the dark theme.
7. Check the dark mode in the application settings
Some Google apps have a built-in setting to enable dark mode. Generally, three options are offered in the application theme settings: clear, dark and default system. If the clear theme is enabled in the application and you turn on the dark theme in the system settings, dark mode will not work for this application. So you have to check individually in the settings of the application.
To do this, open the application and press the three-bar icon at the top. Almost all Google apps have settings under the three-bar icon. Then tap Settings. Dark mode or theme settings directly under the settings will be visible to you. You will also need to tap the general settings as you would in Gmail. Then activate the dark mode.
Patience is the key to success
Even though the dark application update began months ago, many users have not yet received it. Since this is a server-side update, please wait a little longer. Hope your Google apps will shine soon in dark mode. Until then, if you want to use dark mode in Gmail, you can force it.
Then: Are you tired of waiting for the dark mode on Google apps? Check out its alternatives on Android.