Dark mode has been around for a while now with a number of apps and operating systems offering it as an option. Some people generally just prefer the design while others suggest their battery lasts longer by using it. One thing that’s undeniable is that it’s just a lot more comfortable when using it in low light because the darker screen elements aren’t straining your eyes.
This update isn’t a surprise, the company announced it back in May 2018, but now users can finally access the ‘dark mode’ in Facebook’s Messenger app for Android and iOS. But it can only be enabled through a secret Easter egg.
To enable Dark Mode you firstly need the latest version of Facebook Messenger for either iOS or Android, then you have to send a message containing the crescent moon emoji (🌙) to one of your Facebook friends (or even yourself). Once you’ve done that, a bunch of moon emoji will rain down over your chat screen, letting you know that you’ve unlocked the feature and that you can toggle it on or off within the app’s settings menu.
As one would expect, Dark Mode switches Facebook Messenger’s standard white and blue colour theme to a far more eye-friendly black and grey − perfect for night time chats in bed. It’s a feature that users have been asking for, for a while.
Hiding the feature behind an Easter Egg might seem a bit OTT or even annoying, but love it or hate it, one thing it does do is generate a bit of hype around it which others never really do.
On another note, Apple is rumoured to be adding a dark mode to iOS (as it has with MacOS) later in the year. That will help with the native apps, which will all be switchable to the mode.
