Youtube Dark Mode Rolls out for Some Android Users
Google recently added a Dark Mode to the YouTube mobile app
(following Dark Mode for the desktop website), but there’s just one problem:
iOS users get it first. Finally ,
Android got this new feature.
Some users are reporting that the official YouTube app on
Android has mysteriously switched over to the dark theme. This dark theme has
more of a dark gray tone than a pure black tone, so it is not completely
blacked out. The general settings page within the app now has a switch for
enabling this dark theme (which was enabled for the user when the app started
up). The new color scheme is more of a dark gray tone than purely black so is
more of a toned down theme than what is typically considered a full dark mode. The
new option in the settings menu under the general section can just as easily be
toggled off back to disable the dark theme and revert to the usual lighter
colors.
This dark theme appears to be on a staged rollout, and
should hopefully roll out to all Android users eventually. However, with the
inexplicable delay in implementing this feature on Android as against desktop
and iOS, we aren’t holding our breath. The feature began rolling out last night
with users seeing the “Dark theme” automatically applied along with a pop-up at
the bottom of the screen noting the new feature. There’s an option to turn it
off, as well as dismiss the prompt.
This is a server-side update so you won’t have to download
anything. You’ll certainly know when the dark theme is available on your device
since YouTube automatically applies it when you open the app. It can manually be invoked by heading into
Settings and then General. There is a new “Dark theme” toggle. Channels still
retain their colorful app bars, while the biggest impact of the dark theme is
on the video page — where the video player is black before it fully loads. The
initial loading experience is now less visually jarring. The dark theme comes with a toggle that allows
you to switch it off. There are no additional changes in terms of design when
you apply the new theme, except for the obvious darker color, which isn't
really black but more of a dark gray.
Earlier we can use dark mode in Android with the help of
root access. But now no need of root and awaiting feature is coming in all
phones. About six months ago Google has announced that a dark theme will be
rolled out to YouTube for both the Android and iOS users. This happened only
partially. Android users were skipped from the initial rollout while iOS users
were able to take advantage of the new feature. Now, we have a good news for
the Android users that they are going to get the Youtube Dark Mode feature. It
will take some time to arrive on all devices as it is a staged distribution
process.
Based on the number of users who received the option today,
it appears as though this is an official rollout of the feature. As such, most
Android users should see the change on their devices in the coming days or
weeks.
“Again, when dark mode for Android does go live on a device,
users should see the option automatically enabled with a dialog box offering to
disable the feature. Whether they choose to turn it off then or leave it
enabled, the dark theme can be toggled on or off by going into the app’s
settings menu. To find the option, tap on the avatar in the top right corner,
select Settings, choose General and locate the Dark Theme item near the top of
the menu.
With the arrival of this theme on Android, YouTube should
again be on par with the service on other platforms. Google has not officially
stated why it has taken the company so long to bring this feature to Android.
If you have an interesting theory, we’d love to hear it in the comments below.”
Reported by the androidauthority.