Android 15 might offer you a better way to force dark-mode on stubborn apps
Android 15, although still in early beta, is proving to pack some mighty powerful features when it comes to polishing the UI and giving users more of what they want. In a new APK breakdown by Mishaal Rahman (via Android Authority), we get a glimpse of a feature that will give you a choice to force dark mode on all apps on your device, even if the app doesn't natively support it.
For many users, dark mode has become an indispensable feature. It offers a more comfortable viewing experience in low-light environments, and can even potentially help to conserve battery life. However, not all apps have embraced the dark side, leaving users with a mishmash of light and dark interfaces that can be jarring to the eye. One example of this is Google's own Fitbit app, which doesn't have dark mode support and might be the only app on my device that I am forced to stare at with its blinding light.
Currently, and in the past, the solution to this problem has been a setting called "override force-dark," which can be found in "Developer options." However, this option has limitations: While it can force some apps into a dark mode of sorts, the results often look janky and can leave text illegible.
Image credit: Android Authority/Mishaal Rahman
The upcoming "make all apps dark" feature seems to be a significant improvement from the current option, offering a more consistent and visually pleasing dark mode experience across all apps. The toggle for this will be available under accessibility settings, making it easier to find and suggesting that it's a feature not meant to be hidden from users. In the screenshots below, you can see a comparison of how this setting works with apps like Fitbit and Amazon versus the existing solution.
Images credit: Android Authority/Mishaal Rahman
Since this feature is still under development, its final implementation could differ from what has been seen so far, just as there's no guarantee that it will make it into the final release of Android 15. However, its presence in the developer preview shows that Google is at least exploring the possibility of giving users more control over apps' appearances.
Things that are NOT allowed: