Snapchat is one of the most popular social media apps, allowing users to send ephemeral photo and video messages called snaps. With over 300 million daily active users, Snapchat has become a ubiquitous part of mobile technology and communication. As more and more users upgrade to phones with OLED displays, interest in dark mode for apps has grown. Dark mode allows for an inverted color scheme, switching background colors to black and text to white. This can help improve battery life and reduce eye strain when using phones in low light conditions. For Snapchat users on Android, the big question is: does Android have dark mode for Snapchat?
What is Dark Mode?
Dark mode is a color scheme option that displays light text on a dark background instead of dark text on a light background. It essentially inverts the colors on the screen. Dark mode has become increasingly popular over the last few years, largely spurred on by the release of Android 10 in 2019 which included a system-wide dark mode option.
There are several key benefits to using dark mode on mobile devices and apps:
- Improved battery life – OLED displays which are common on many flagship Android phones do not light black pixels which means less energy consumption.
- Reduced eye strain – The lower brightness of dark mode puts less strain on eyes when using phones in low light conditions.
- Enhanced visibility – For some users, light text on a dark background is easier to read.
As dark mode has gained popularity on Android, more and more apps have started adopting the feature to provide users with an optional inverted color scheme.
Does Snapchat Have a Dark Mode?
Currently, there is no native dark mode option within the Snapchat app on Android or iOS. The standard white background is still predominant across the Snapchat user interface on both mobile operating systems.
Snapchat has not officially commented on their plans regarding dark mode support. There are some indications based on surveys sent out to users that dark mode is something they are considering for a future update. However, no specific timeline has been given.
While Snapchat itself does not have a built-in dark mode, the overall system-wide dark mode settings on Android 10 and above will invert the colors. This means when dark mode is enabled at the device level, the Snapchat app will show light text on dark backgrounds.
However, the results are not perfect. Some user interface elements like stickers or emoji may not switch colors appropriately. System dark mode is not optimized specifically for Snapchat so there can be inconsistencies in how the inverted colors display across all parts of the app.
Why Doesn’t Snapchat Have Dark Mode Yet?
There are a few possible reasons why Snapchat has not yet implemented an official dark mode, even as the feature grows increasingly common across apps.
Prioritizing Other Features
Snapchat has kept their app experience focused around key social features like Stories, messaging, lenses and filters. These have been their priorities in terms of product development. Dark mode may simply have fallen lower on their roadmap compared to other upgrades and capabilities they wanted to deliver to users.
Design Constraints
The Snapchat user interface combines text, photos, videos, illustrations, emoji and more. This diversity of content and media shared through Snapchat may present design challenges in implementing a dark mode that looks cohesive. More testing is likely needed on how dark mode impacts the legibility or appearance of these mixed media components.
Limited Resources
While Snap’s revenue and resources have been growing steadily, they still face limitations compared to tech giants like Facebook. Prioritizing dark mode would require diverting engineering resources from other feature work.
Concerns Over Engagement
Snapchat product designers may have worries that dark mode could negatively impact user engagement. For example, vibrant colors are a big part of Snapchat’s fun, visual appeal to young users. Muting this too much with a dark color scheme could potentially decrease time spent in the app.
Third-Party Dark Mode Options for Snapchat
While an official built-in dark mode from Snapchat is still unavailable, Android users do have some third-party options to get an inverted color scheme on Snapchat. However, there are limitations with these methods.
Android 10+ System Settings
As mentioned previously, enabling Android’s system-wide dark mode under display settings will invert Snapchat’s interface. However, the results may be inconsistent across all parts of the app.
Hex Installer (Requires Root)
Third-party apps like Hex Installer can manually theme Snapchat with custom colors and styles. However, this requires root access on your Android device which involves increased risks.
Substratum (Requires Root)
Another theming engine called Substratum can be used along with Andromeda add-on to apply Snapchat dark mode themes without root. But it requires an unlocked bootloader on your device.
OLED Black Mode Apps
Some dark mode apps like OLED Black Mode use accessibility features to try force Snapchat’s background black on OLED displays. This can cause stability issues and problems viewing content.
How to Enable Android 10+ System Dark Mode for Snapchat
Until Snapchat releases an official built-in dark mode, Android 10 and above users can try enabling the system-wide dark mode for an inverted color scheme. Here are the steps:
- Open Settings on your Android phone.
- Tap Display.
- Choose Dark under the Dark theme option.
- Open the Snapchat app.
The Snapchat user interface should now display with a black background and light text. Some users may need to manually restart their device or app to see the dark mode take effect everywhere in Snapchat.
As noted, there will likely be inconsistencies in things like stickers or parts of the Snapchat camera failing to invert colors properly. The system dark mode is not a full replacement for a properly designed dedicated dark theme from Snapchat. But it can get users closer to a dark mode experience in the interim before an official version is launched.
Are There Any Leaks or Hints About Snapchat Dark Mode?
There are not many definitive leaks or reports indicating Snapchat secretly has dark mode ready for launch. However, there are a few subtle signs dark mode could be in development behind the scenes:
- Surveys sent to users by Snapchat asking for opinions on potential new features like dark mode.
- Job listings at Snap discussing experience building apps with dark mode support.
- Snapchat’s new spotify integration has dark mode styling.
- Parts of Snapchat web version have CSS that could suggest dark mode theming is in progress.
Overall, concrete evidence of an imminent Snapchat dark mode launch remains elusive. But there are hints it is at least on Snapchat’s radar based on the limited info outside the company. Many users continue to eagerly await dark mode being officially rolled out.
When Will Snapchat Get Dark Mode?
Predicting an exact timeline for a native Snapchat dark mode implementation is difficult without any official announcements from Snapchat. However, looking at the typical development cycles and feature rollout velocity from Snapchat, some educated guesses can be made.
2022
A 2022 launch of dark mode would be fairly optimistic. While possible based on Snapchat’s software engineering productivity, it may be too soon unless dark mode has been secretly in the works for a while already.
2023
A 2023 launch for dark mode seems more plausible. This would allow Snapchat’s product teams to get through their 2022 roadmap priorities first. It lines up with the timing of when Android 10 was released and dark mode gained more mainstream adoption.
2024
Unless Snapchat accelerates feature development, 2024 seems the most likely target for finally releasing dark mode. Two years allows time for careful design iterations, implementation, and quality testing before launching it to hundreds of millions of users.
Conclusion
In summary, Snapchat currently does not have official support for a built-in dark mode on Android or iOS. Enabling Android 10+ system dark mode can provide a makeshift inversion of colors in Snapchat. But it is imperfect. Snapchat dark mode is something users have been requesting for years. While there are hints Snapchat may be exploring the concept, there is no clear timeline for its release. Realistically, 2023 or 2024 look the soonest that dark mode could arrive based on normal Snapchat product cycles. For now, enjoying Snapchat with full dark theme functionality remains elusive. But the future looks bright for a black-backed Snapchat interface.