With Android 10, Google introduced dark mode as a native Android feature — except you could only turn it on and off manually. Thankfully, with the March 2020 feature drop for Pixel phones, Google added the ability to schedule dark mode to match the sunset and sunrise. If you have a Pixel, here’s how to use that scheduling feature for yourself.
Products used in this guide
- Pixel for everyone: Google Pixel 3a ($363 at Amazon)
How to set up dark mode scheduling on your Pixel phone
If you want to set up dark mode scheduling for your Pixel phone, you need to make sure you downloaded and installed the March 2020 feature drop. Google began rolling this out on March 2, meaning you should already have it. If you don’t see the scheduling option, you can check for an update by going to Settings -> System -> Advanced -> System update.
Ready to go? Let’s do this thing.
Open the Settings on your Android phone.
Tap Display.
Tap Dark theme.
Tap Schedule.
Tap Turns on from sunset to sunrise.
That’s all there is to it! You can still manually enable and disable dark mode whenever you want, but having this scheduling option is a huge benefit if you want to simplify things.
Also, it’s worth pointing out that dark mode scheduling is not available for the first-gen Pixel phones. You’ll need to make sure you have a Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, or Pixel 4.
Our top equipment picks
Pixel for everyone
Google Pixel 3a
$363 at Amazon
Google experience without breaking the bank
The Pixel 3a isn’t the newest mid-range phone on the market these days, but it continues to stand out as one of the best possible options. Its 12MP rear camera captures gorgeous photos, Google’s promise of software updates through May 2022 is a huge win, and you get a solid AMOLED display for apps and games.
