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How to turn on dark mode on a Samsung Galaxy phone

By Updated 14 November 20263 min read

Device: Galaxy S26 · Software: One UI 9 · Checked October 2026

Real screenshot · Galaxy S26, One UI 9

In short

Open Settings, tap Display and tap Dark at the top of the page. To switch it on and off automatically, tap Dark mode schedule and turn on Turn on as scheduled. Tap Light to go back.

Opening a bright white screen in a dark bedroom feels like someone has switched on the big light right in your face. Dark mode turns your phone's menus, settings and built-in Samsung apps dark, which may help reduce eye strain at night or in darker surroundings.

4 of 4 steps show a real screenshot from our Galaxy S26.

Steps

0 of 4 steps
  1. 1

    Open Display

    Open Settings and tap Display, just above Battery.

    Android screenshot: Open Display
  2. 2

    Tap Dark

    At the top of the page, tap Dark. Tap Light to switch back.

    Android screenshot: Tap Dark
  3. 3

    Open Dark mode schedule

    To switch dark mode on and off automatically, tap Dark mode schedule, just below Light and Dark. On ours Dark was selected.

    Android screenshot: Open Dark mode schedule
  4. 4

    Turn on Turn on as scheduled

    Then choose Sunset to sunrise, the default, or Custom schedule and set your times.

    Android screenshot: Turn on Turn on as scheduled

If you do not see this option

  • No Display in Settings Samsung says to open Settings, then navigate to and tap Display.
  • No Sunset to sunrise or Custom schedule They appear only after you switch on Turn on as scheduled.
  • On One UI 8.5 Our Galaxy A57 with One UI 8.5 had the same Light and Dark choice at the top of Display, with Dark mode schedule just below it.
  • Want a one-tap switch? Samsung says you can open the Quick settings panel by swiping down from the top with two fingers, then tap Dark mode to turn it on and tap again to turn it off. Source: Use dark mode on your Samsung Galaxy

If this does not work

  • Sunset to sunrise does not work The Dark mode schedule page says Location needs to be turned on to schedule Dark mode between sunset and sunrise, because the phone has to know where you are to know when your sun sets.
  • Dark mode does not switch on at the set time The page notes that Dark mode will wait until the screen is off before it turns on. It is simply being polite and not changing colours while you are in the middle of reading.
  • The phone is back in Light If the phone shows Light after you switch the schedule off, tap Dark again on the Display page.
  • Wallpaper still bright in Dark mode? Open Settings, Wallpaper and style. The last switch on the page is Dim wallpaper when Dark mode is on. It was on on our Galaxy S26 on 1 November 2026; switch it on if your wallpaper looks too bright in Dark mode.
  • Dark mode looks wrong or will not apply? Samsung says dark mode may not work as intended with a downloaded theme, and also lists high contrast fonts and some third-party apps as possible causes. Try the default theme to see whether the theme is the problem.
  • One app stays white? Samsung says apps from other makers may stay as they are unless they're built to support dark mode. Google says an app that stays light with dark theme on most likely doesn't have a dark theme.

Good to know

Some apps from other developers ignore the system setting and like to do their own thing, with their own theme option in their settings.

Eye comfort shield, further down the same Display page, is a separate setting for warmer colours at night.

Don't worry about trying it out. Samsung says you can tap Light to turn dark mode off. Samsung says it may help reduce eye strain at night or in dark surroundings.

About this guide

Device
Android
Shown on
Samsung Galaxy S26 (SM-S942N, Korean model), One UI 9, Android 17 (build S942NKSS4BZIG)
App
Settings
Path
Settings › Display › Dark
Real screenshots
4 of 4 steps
Checked
October 2026
Sources
2 official, linked below

The screenshots are from our Samsung Galaxy S26, the Korean model SM-S942N, with One UI 9 and Android 17 (build S942NKSS4BZIG), in Dark mode. Samsung says which screens and settings you see can depend on your network, software version and model. We switched the schedule on and off again.

What changed: every step re-shot on our own Galaxy S26 (Korean model SM-S942N) on One UI 9, dark mode, with the steps rewritten for the One UI 9 screens.

Sources

Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.

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