Instagram is going dark to make those midnight scrolls easier on the eyes. An update brings compatibility with the iOS 13 and Android 10 dark mode to the photo-centric social platform, as well as a new feature to prevent phishing. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri shared the new dark mode feature via a late-night tweet (because, dark mode) on October 7.
Instagram’s new dark mode works with the device-wide dark mode — when the feature is activated in iOS 13 or Android 10, all the compatible apps will automatically switch to dark mode. While some apps allow for overriding that feature and switching just the app over to the dark side, Instagram’s dark mode only works with the device’s operating system, for now.
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
On iOS 13, Instagrammers can turn on the dark mode in Settings, by selecting “Display and Brightness” and tapping on the Dark mode option, or tapping on the Automatic option, which switches the device from light to dark based on the time of day.
On Android, the device-wide dark mode is inside the settings and display option. Under the Advanced options, the dark mode is located in the theme settings.
The dark mode requires Android 10 or iOS 13 or later — users may need to update their OS to access the feature.
Instagram is just one of the apps adding a new dark mode option. Thanks to the compatibility in iOS 13 and Android 10, several apps are building in the feature, including Pinterest. Even Twitter, an early adopter of the dark mode, has redesigned the dark mode for more contrast and better battery life.
The dark mode isn’t the only update rolling out to Instagram — a new tool allows users to see if an email was sent by Instagram, or if the message in their inbox is a phishing scam. In an update rolling out now, users can go to the security settings in Instagram then tap on the “Emails from Instagram.” The screen will then list all the emails sent from the platform over the last two weeks — so if that email isn’t there, it’s a scam.
Heads up: Today, we’re launching a new feature to help people identify phishing emails claiming to be from Instagram. This account security feature (accessed through Settings) allows anyone to check if an email claiming to be from Instagram is genuine. pic.twitter.com/3UE5kSypM6
— Instagram (@instagram) October 7, 2019
The updates come along with Instagram’s updated Activity tab, which removes the Following tab that shows what friends are interacting with on the network.