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How to enable dark mode on Slack for iOS and Android

Ditch the tradition and swap to white-on-black text by making use of the new dark mode in the Slack app for iOS and Android devices.

Kevin Tucker

March 11, 2019 6:25 PM

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Dark theme enthusiasts can now invert the color palette for the Slack app on iOS and Android mobile devices. Inverted color schemes for text-based applications have been popular for decades, with users reporting increased comfort when reading for long periods of time. Dark color schemes even have the potential to save power in mobile devices with OLED screens. Whatever the reason for wanting a dark mode in Slack may be, the functionality is now live for many mobile users. Here's how to get it set up.

How to enable dark mode in Slack for mobile phones

The dark mode in Slack is a fan-requested feature that hit the app in beta form just last weekend, and since then the developers have become confident enough to introduce it into the proper mobile application through the latest update. Assuming your mobile device is running the app version 19.3.1.0-B-9754-1 or later, here's how to enable dark mode in Slack.

• Power on and unlock your phone, then tap on the Slack icon to open the app.
• In the upper-right of the screen, look for the options button — it's the vertical stack of three dots. Tap on it to expand the menu.
• From the menu, tap on Settings.
• Within the Settings menu, scroll down to Dark Mode and slide the toggle to enable.
• If required, restart the Slack app.

Once successful, the background color and text colors in the Slack app will swap, allowing for the inverted white-on-black color scheme that dark theme fans insist upon.

It's worth mentioning that while the dark mode functionality in the Slack mobile app has made it out of beta stages, some Android devices don't yet have access to the update that adds the dark mode toggle. Users that don't yet have the Slack update on their Android phones may wish to enroll in the beta to check it out. To apply, head over to the Slack for Android beta page on the official Slack website.

If you're more bothered by the color of Slack messages than the contents therein, the Slack dark mode was made for you. The dark mode toggle will be available for all iOS and Android users soon, and the Slack team even says it's working on adding the feature to the desktop version of the app sometime in the future.

Kevin Tucker

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.