Skip to Content

How to Enable Dark Mode in the Gmail iOS App

by

gmail logoSince the release of iOS 13, Apple has included a system-wide Dark Mode option for iPhones and iPads, similar to the one it brought to the Mac in 2018 with the release of macOS Mojave.

Many third-party app developers have since added support for Dark mode to their apps, although it has to be said that some popular apps have been quicker than others.

On September 24, 2019, Google announced a new dark mode for its Gmail app, but rollout of the feature has been glacially slow. Fast forward to December, and the option still isn't showing up for all its users. You can follow the steps below to find out if it's available for you.

Okay, But Why Should I Use Dark Mode in Gmail?

The Dark theme in Gmail is designed to be easier on the eyes by providing less harsh display brightness in situations where ambient lighting is lower, while maintaining contrast and vibrancy.

gmail app dark mode
If you have an OLED iPhone, such as an iPhone X, iPhone XS, or iPhone 11 Pro, enabling ‌Dark Mode‌ can also conserve battery life, since black pixels in an OLED panel basically switch off and consume far less power.

How to Enable Dark Mode in Gmail for iOS

  1. Launch the Gmail app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap the Menu icon (the three lines) in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Scroll down and tap Settings.
    2how to enable dark mode in the gmail app for ios

  4. Tap Theme. (If you don't see the option, try force-quitting and then relaunching the app.)
  5. Select Light, Dark, or System default. The latter option makes Gmail's theme default to your device's system settings, which is a useful option if you've set the appearance of iOS to change automatically depending on the time of day.
    1how to enable dark mode in the gmail app for ios

Note that if your device is running iOS 11 or iOS 12, you'll see a Dark theme toggle instead of a Theme submenu in the Settings screen.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Released Seven New Products Today

Wednesday March 11, 2026 7:05 am PDT by
Starting today, the seven new Apple products that were announced last week are available at Apple Stores and beginning to arrive to customers. The colorful MacBook Neo and all of the other new products are on display at most Apple Store locations around the world starting today. Apple Stores have inventory of the new products for both walk-in customers and Apple Store pickup, but...
ios 26 4 yellow

Everything New in iOS 26.4 Beta 4

Monday March 9, 2026 3:50 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to test the iOS 26.4 beta, and the latest update is now available for developers and public beta testers. As testing goes on, there are fewer new features in each beta, but today’s release adds new emoji characters and a few other changes. New Emoji Apple added new emoji characters, including trombone, treasure chest, distorted face, hairy creature, fight cloud, orca,...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

Apple Planning 'MacBook Ultra' With Touchscreen and Higher Price

Sunday March 8, 2026 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch an all-new "MacBook Ultra" model this year, featuring an OLED display, touchscreen, and a higher price point, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Gurman revealed the information in his latest "Power On" newsletter. While Apple has been widely expected to launch new M6-series MacBook Pro models with OLED displays, touchscreen functionality, and a new, thinner design...