WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion users. The app allows users to send messages, photos, videos, documents and more to individuals or groups.
In recent years, many apps have introduced “dark mode” display options, which replace bright white backgrounds with black or dark gray. This can help improve visual comfort for users, especially at night.
While the WhatsApp mobile app has included a built-in dark mode option since early 2020, WhatsApp Web – the browser-based version usable on desktops and laptops – does not currently have an integrated dark theme. This has led many users to ask: Does WhatsApp Web have dark mode?
The benefits of dark mode
Enabling dark mode on apps and websites has a few key benefits:
– It puts less strain on your eyes than a bright, white interface. The high contrast of black text on a white background can cause eye fatigue over time, especially in low light conditions. Dark mode helps minimize this effect.
– It extends battery life on devices with OLED displays. On OLED screens, individual pixels are turned off to display black. Having more black pixels means fewer pixels need to be illuminated, which conserves battery power.
– It provides an alternative aesthetic option. While light mode is considered “default,” many users simply prefer the way a dark interface looks and functions. The choice comes down to personal taste.
As more and more apps and operating systems have introduced dark mode toggles, users have come to expect and demand this functionality. The dark aesthetic feels modern and sleek. When apps don’t offer a dark mode choice, some users complain and ask for it to be added.
Does the WhatsApp mobile app have dark mode?
Yes, the mobile app versions of WhatsApp have included a built-in dark mode option for both iOS and Android since March 2020.
To enable dark mode in WhatsApp for iOS, open WhatsApp Settings > Chats and tap “Dark Mode.” You can select “Dark,” which applies a black background, or “Set by Battery Saver,” which allows iOS to automatically apply Dark Mode when Battery Saver is turned on.
On Android, open WhatsApp Settings > Chats and select one of the “Dark theme” options: “Dark” for a black background, “Set by Battery Saver” to match system Battery Saver settings, or “System Default” to match the device’s display theme settings.
This applies a darker color scheme to all in-app screens, from chats to your profile page. It helps provide an improved viewing experience and reduces eye strain.
Does WhatsApp Web have a built-in dark mode?
Unfortunately, as of October 2023, there is no built-in dark mode or theme option for WhatsApp Web. The desktop browser version uses a plain white interface and does not allow users to enable darker display settings.
WhatsApp Web relies on website styling delivered from WhatsApp’s servers. Since dark mode has not yet been implemented on the back end of WhatsApp Web, the feature is unavailable in the browser-based app.
This has led to some user frustration, as the web version seemingly lags behind the mobile apps in dark mode support. However, WhatsApp has not provided any official timeline for adding dark mode to WhatsApp Web.
Can you manually enable dark mode on WhatsApp Web?
While WhatsApp Web itself does not have a native dark mode, there are a couple of workarounds users have found to manually enable a form of dark mode:
– **Use a browser extension** – Browser extensions like Dark Reader and Dark Background Light Text can be installed to apply a custom dark theme to specific websites. These will invert light colors to dark on any webpage, including web.whatsapp.com. However, this affects the entire browser window – you cannot single out WhatsApp Web specifically.
– **Apply a custom CSS theme** – Some tech-savvy users have created and shared custom CSS code snippets that will override WhatsApp Web’s default styling with a homemade dark theme. This involves copying and pasting code into your browser’s CSS editor extension. The dark mode will persist whenever you visit WhatsApp Web. However, this option is a bit complex for casual users.
– **Use secret hidden themes** – There are a couple of hidden color themes that can be enabled in WhatsApp Web by adding some text after the URL: `web.whatsapp.com/?theme=dark` applies a rudimentary dark gray theme, while `web.whatsapp.com/?theme=light` applies more of a light gray. However, these are not true dark/light modes – just alternate color schemes.
So in summary – through extensions, code injection, or secret themes, you can manually toggle a form of dark mode for WhatsApp Web. But there is currently no native, built-in dark mode option like the mobile apps have.
When will WhatsApp Web add dark mode?
WhatsApp has not officially announced plans to add dark mode to the WhatsApp Web interface. The company rolled out the feature to mobile apps first and likely wants to refine the implementation there before tackling desktop.
Looking at WhatsApp’s development history, it often takes several months or more for new features to make their way from mobile to the desktop browser version.
That said, dark mode is such a universally demanded and expected feature that WhatsApp will almost certainly expand it to WhatsApp Web in the future. It may arrive later in 2023 or sometime in 2024.
Enabling dark mode across all WhatsApp platforms will provide a consistent experience for users on both mobile and desktop. So while WhatsApp Web currently lacks a native dark theme, increased user pressure makes it likely just a matter of time before dark mode comes to the browser app.
Conclusion
To summarize briefly:
– WhatsApp’s mobile apps for iOS and Android have offered built-in dark mode options since 2020, allowing users to enable a black or dark gray theme.
– WhatsApp Web, the desktop browser version, does not currently have an official integrated dark mode.
– Users can approximate dark mode on WhatsApp Web through third-party browser extensions, custom CSS injection, or hidden color themes. But there is no native setting option.
– WhatsApp has not announced plans for adding dark mode web support, but it is likely in development and could be released in 2023 or 2024.
So while WhatsApp Web may eventually get updated with dark mode to match the mobile experience, for now users must rely on makeshift workarounds to enable a darker theme in the browser.
| Platform | Has Dark Mode? |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp for iOS | Yes |
| WhatsApp for Android | Yes |
| WhatsApp Web | No |