Facebook-owned Instagram becomes the latest app to support dark mode. The social media app now supports dark mode on devices running iOS 13, and Android 10. As the name suggests, Instagram dark mode turns the entire app UI into a shade of black. These include the feed, stories, and the discover tab.
The roll out of this new Instagram feature was revealed by CEO Adam Mosseri via Twitter. Though Mosseri only mentions support for iOS 13 and Android 10 devices, the feature reportedly works on Android 9 devices as well. This is because the OS version natively supports system-wide dark mode. For those planning on trying out the new feature, here’s how to go about it.
Starting today, you can use Instagram in dark mode on iOS 13 or Android 10. Turn dark mode on your phone to try it out. 👀
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) October 8, 2019
How to enable dark mode on Instagram
The dark mode toggle feature is not in the app. Instead it automatically turns on when a user enables system-wide dark mode. As noticed by users, the dark mode on the Instagram app is a mix of dark gray along with black color. Other than a difference in look, dark mode on apps will also save battery on phones with OLED screens.
Besides rolling out dark mode, Instagram is also removing its Following tab. This is essentially the activity feed displaying what posts friends are liking, commenting on or following. The removal of this feature too was confirmed by CEO Mosseri via Twitter.
Today we’re removing the ‘Following’ tab on Instagram, which was created to help people discover new posts and accounts their friends engage with. We’re always trying to stay focused and keep Instagram simple, and so we celebrate launches and ‘unshipping.’ https://t.co/3kqD2xqV7J
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) October 7, 2019
As per Mosseri, the removal of this feature is with the objective of keeping “Instagram simple”. Instagram launched its “Following” tab back in 2011, long before its Explore tab.
