The dawn of Dark Mode
Is dark mode helpful, or just cool?
As more and more apps and interfaces introduce dark mode (and as I happily switch them over to the dark side), I became interested in learning more about what caused this recent phenomenon, if users need it, and how it affects usability.
Dark interfaces have been around for a long time (Adobe Creative Suite and Netflix to name a couple), but they’ve become a wildly popular option with users recently. In just the past year, the proliferation of dark mode options has inundated Apple and Android and across platforms, like Instagram and the Gmail app over the last few months.
Apple’s support page for installing dark mode on Mac claims the setting “makes it easier to stay focused on your work, because your content stands out while darkened controls and windows recede into the background.”
Is it really any better for reading?
There is no merit to claims that dark mode improves focus and productivity, says Susanne Mayr, a human-computer interaction researcher at the University of Passau. In all of her studies, readers “detected more errors and/or read faster when dark text was presented on a light background than under reversed conditions.” This is backed up by how our eyes respond to light. When the background is bright, our pupils constrict which leads to a better image quality on the retina and improved perception of details, particularly small text on a phone screen. When the background is dark, our pupils dilate which leads to optical blurring. For some, dark mode themes with especially high contrast may even contribute to fatigue or strain.
Dark mode won’t help relieve eye strain from staring at your phone all day.
However, there is merit for why you would use dark mode to decrease brightness or cut out blue light, to limit eye soreness or fatigue while reading at night. Similar functions exist — blue light filters and adaptable brightness are widely available and solve the same problem, but they don’t solve the problem as visually or don’t even look that cool. Dark mode gives people the perception of control they want over their healthier digital consumption.
Google claims that Android’s new dark theme for developers “improves visibility for users with low vision and those who are sensitive to bright light.” Dark mode can help people who have photophobia, which can cause bright light to trigger migraines. Other people who have vision conditions may find it easier to read bright text on a dark background, though there is less of a consensus.
There is opportunity to better understand people with brain conditions, dyslexia, migraines, and autism, and their sensitivity to light and certain color combinations in the development of more impactful modes.
Implementing dark mode for your platform?
There is a ‘might as well’ feel to dark mode’s slow addition across platforms— yet it changes the look of a product drastically. Its use is highly dependent on context and user preference. There is a notable lack of research on the topic, but it has become popular due to whatever the perceived benefits are to the user, rather than any scientific reason. Reasons for gravitating towards light or dark mode vary from “The darkness is depressing,” “Dark is easy on the eyes,” or “It just looks cool.”
Dark mode has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a ‘Color Inversion’ option on Android and some other early adopters. But maybe it’s time to be more strategic when it comes to using dark mode. Whether as an option or a default interface, it’s best to consider the following:
Design primarily for the context of use.
If users are often in a dim environment, a bright rectangle glaring at them is not ideal. In fact, it reduces the odds that users would even look at the screen, and they might just choose not to use your product.
Or are they going to be using the application outside in the sunlight? Dark themes can be hard to read in the sun. Google Maps users can notice that the map turns dark as the sun goes down. Your eyes no longer have to adjust as you switch between the bright display and the dark road ahead. ‘Automatic at sunset’ is an option on the Twitter app.
Consider your audience.
Are people staring at the screen for long periods of time with dense data? Twitter, for example, found that users spent more time in its app when dark mode was turned on. Older users who are used to working in Excel and Word are most likely going to hate your dark theme.
Keep track of design basics.
Don’t downplay size, spacing, or contrast just because a design is in dark mode. Because dark themes have no hue values and can be paired with anything, a UI designer should be able to work with the same ease, regardless of the color scheme. This doesn’t mean contrast and color should be sacrificed — a dark interface simplifies the interface yet can make elements less likely to stand out among the crowd.
Consider why products use dark interfaces.
If we look to Spotify — an app where darkness is a key part of its design — we can see how the effectiveness of dark mode is dependent on the design’s goals. Spotify wanted to put an emphasis on the music, the artwork, photographs of artists, and important navigation buttons, like play. Everything else fades into the background. It achieves its goal of simplicity and creating an almost movie theater-like experience.
Go a step further and consider the psychology behind user motivations.
Nowadays, users expect the option to turn on dark mode. If users opt in based on their perception of power-conservation and health-related benefits that dark mode represents, they will probably feel good from interactions with the color scheme because it will remind them of these benefits. If they want to feel cool, they will likely feel cool when dark mode is on. Alignment with self-concept, perceived benefit, and the emotional messages conveyed by the aesthetic is critical.
Since many of us look at our screens 24/7 — and often at night — there needs to be more research done about the healthiest ways to present screens. Right now, many gaps exist, especially among those with visual impairments. Dark mode may be a serviceable update for now — and a cool-looking one at that — but there is potential for something bigger and better if companies prioritize research of this type of accessibility.
