Gmail’s dark mode goes missing, forcing our eyes to endure unbearable whiteness

Not everyone loves the “dark mode” trend that saw most popular apps get a white-on-black color scheme, but I’m a lifelong fan. It’s good for your phone’s battery (if you have an OLED screen), it’s easier on the eyes, and it’s just plain cooler to look at. 

Imagine, then, my surprise when I opened Gmail on my phone this morning and instead of the comfort of darkness I was subjected to the app’s horribly white, default look. Worse, the setting for dark mode – typically located under Settings – General Settings – Theme – is totally gone as well. 

It’s not just me. Twitter is teeming with darkness enthusiasts complaining about dark mode missing from Gmail, mostly on Android. 

My iPhone’s Gmail doesn’t have the dark mode option either, and I’m quite sure I’ve had it before. It’s worth noting that on iOS, dark mode still hasn’t rolled out for all users. But a couple of Androids I have on my hands are all missing the option, so something’s definitely awry. 

One Reddit suggestion, via Android Police, was to restart my phone, but I’ve tried that to no avail, and it doesn’t appear to be working for most users with this issue. 

I’ve asked Google about this and will update the article when I hear back. 

In the meantime, if you’ve suffered the same terrible fate, I’ve got a couple of handy suggestions for you:

• reduce your phone’s brightness to a minimum

• don’t use Gmail on mobile unless absolutely necessary

• squint really hard

• hire a temporary assistant to follow you around and read your emails aloud to you

Whatever you do, don’t panic. Hold strong. We will survive this crisis together. Godspeed.