![]() ![]() In other words, screen brightness is as important as the display mode when it comes to battery consumption. However, at only 30% screen brightness, the average power savings from using dark mode dropped to only 14%. Pixels displaying pure black (#000000) can be turned off completely and save the most power.Ī study at Purdue University found an average of 67% reduction in power consumption by using dark mode when the screen brightness was at 100%. This means that, when portions of a design use dark colors, those pixels can use less power than those displaying brighter colors. OLED displays control each pixel individually and send only as much power to each one as needed at any given time. For reference, the first iPhone to use an OLED display was the iPhone X, which was released in 2017. As of 2023, roughly half of smartphones being produced use an OLED display. The truth is that dark mode can save battery only on devices with OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays. This is because most users do not fully understand how the process works. When asked why they use dark mode, some survey respondents commented, “ uses less battery than light mode” or “to save battery power.” Most users are likely to switch dark mode on in the operating-system settings, assuming they are enjoying the maximum battery-saving benefits dark mode has to offer across the device (whether individual designs support dark mode or not), and do not think about it again. Battery SavingsĪnother widespread notion is that enabling dark mode in the smartphone’s operating-system settings will automatically save battery across the board (similar to Low-power mode or Battery-saver mode). It seems that the brightness level of the screen and surrounding environment make as much of an impact on eye fatigue as the color of the design. The researchers found that dark mode was best at reducing eye fatigue when the entire virtual environment was dimly lit, yet dark mode's advantage over a dimly lit light mode was still very small. This setup allowed the researchers to control all lighting conditions and isolate the effects of the dark and light modes better than simply having participants look at screens in a brightly lit room. One study compared participants’ levels of eye fatigue while reading passages in both dark and light modes within an immersive virtual reality (VR) headset. However, some research has failed to find a significant difference in reported measures of eye strain and headaches when participants complete tasks in both light mode and dark mode. While dark mode is not guaranteed to reduce headaches, this belief is widespread and motivates many users to permanently set their devices to dark mode.ĭark mode does slightly reduce the amount of light being taken in by the retina and might feel easier on the eyes during a single session - particularly in dark environments. I don't think I'm getting headaches as much ” So ideally, I use dark mode on everything I can. As one research participant put it, “ My eyes have always been very sensitive to bright lights. ![]() Reducing eye strain is the most common reason users with normal vision mention for using dark mode. Let’s take a closer look at the commonly cited reasons for supporting and using dark mode. Improved accessibility for those with visual impairments (e.g., cataracts)Īfter updating to allow for dark mode, the Google Docs application on Android touts that it’s, “Easier on the eyes at night.The argument that dark mode improves the user experience (and accessibility in some cases) always seems to circle back to the same few reasons, mentioned by users, designers, and developers alike: In a recent survey of 115 mobile users asking what mode they generally have their mobile device in, roughly 1/3 said dark mode, 1/3 said light mode, and 1/3 said a combination of both. ![]() To understand how much dark mode impacts users, we recently conducted a survey and some mobile usability-testing sessions in dark mode on mobile. However, it takes valuable time and resources to fully support dark mode and “wear it well” because most designs are built in light mode first. You might even think it’s essential - at least if you were to read many of the web-design articles devoted to the topic. ![]()
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