Dark Mode Research

Owned by Kristen S
Last updated: Jul 03, 2021
3 min read

Pros.

·       Contrast : Black or dark backgrounds provide the easiest contrast and allow users to read discrete information quickly when in a dark environment (which is often the environment in cars).

 

 

·       Distractions of bright interfaces: Bright interfaces can be a significant distraction and diverts the users attention as they lose focus on their task.

 

Bright Interface

Dark interface

 

·       Reduces eye strain:  Dark mode is gentler on the eyes as less blue light is required, meaning fewer negative effects on general health.

 

·       Saves battery life: Dark mode uses an increased number of black pixels, which means your device is using less energy powering colourful pixels.

 

o   Dark mode is best optimized in OLED and AMOLED screens.

®    Dark mode does not have much of an impact on LCD screens (like in Samsung Galaxy S9). But in the case of AMOLED screens (like in iPhone XS), the dark mode saved approximately 63% power.

 

Cons.

  • Shrinks space: making the space feel smaller/more congested -> less spacious design. Not ideal if you’re trying to convey a simple, spacious design.

  • Accessibility: Low contrast colours can be hard to read, so research on the best dark mode colour combinations, especially for those who suffer from colour-blindness.

  • Productivity: Leads to low productivity as we are more used to naturally reading black text on a white background so our processing time when this is reversed, increases. So for users with normal vision, light mode leads to better performance most of the time.

 

When to use dark mode

  • Embrace minimalism and flat design: If design is minimalist and doesn’t require room for lots of content, dark mode is preferrable.

  • Generate emotion: When you’re trying to create a certain emotional response with colour theory, you can use low visibility but don’t let it distract the user by using lots of aesthetics.

  • Optimize battery usage: Identify the screen that’s used (OLED, AMOLED, LCD ) in order to optimize battery usage accordingly.

·       User’s time spent reading: If users spend long hours reading or scrolling down, light themes might visually stain your eyes.  But always perform a usability test to observe the bounce rate and engagement.

Tips for Dark Mode Design

·       Avoid Black Background: safer to use dark grey as the primary surface colour for components, rather than true black (#000000), as wider range of colours can be used.

 

·       Avoid Saturated Colours: Desaturate primary colours, and use lighter tones (colours in the 200–50 range) because they have better readability on dark theme surfaces.