Outlook mobile is rolling out Dark Mode and exemplifies Microsoft 365 Design
Published Aug 28 2019 09:00 AM 34.6K Views
Microsoft

Today we are starting to roll out dark mode in Outlook for iOS and Android. For added comfort or when a bright screen may not be appropriate, we’re bringing people the choice and flexibility to adapt their experience with a simple and powerful Microsoft 365 Dark Theme experience.   

 

Outlook for Android and iOSOutlook for Android and iOS

 

Adapting to work life flow, Outlook focuses its design on the context of where people want to use Dark Mode. When asked, people found the experience comfortable and aesthetically pleasing while keeping their email and calendar content crisp and clear. This way, Outlook helps you stay connected and organized so you can get things done wherever you are such as dimly lit living rooms, home offices or airplanes.

 

Blog - iPhone & iPad - 1200x628.png

 

This experience is in keeping with other modern apps that aim to ease viewing and reduce eye strain. And, to help optimize battery life, once iOS and Android devices support dark themes*, Outlook plans to automatically switch to Dark Mode based on their device settings in addition to Outlook in-app options.

 

Blog - iPhone - 1200x628.png

 

It’ll take several weeks to complete the full roll out of Dark Mode in Outlook for iOS or Android worldwide. Download the app today and keep your app up to date so once it’s available to you, you can share feedback with us by visiting Outlook.UserVoice. To learn more about the Microsoft 365 cross-company design approach to Dark Mode, refer to this article in Medium by Jon Friedman, corporate vice president of design and research at Microsoft.

 

*When iOS 13 and Android Q are available, Outlook is planning to automatically switch to dark theme based on those settings  

 

34 Comments

Love it ! :cool:

Iron Contributor
Nice enabled it yesterday :)
Deleted
Not applicable

Hi,

I installed today Outlook V4.0.0 on iOS 13.1 Public Beta 1 and Dark Theme in Outlook is not working.

I´ve setup my iPhone to Dark Mode but Outlook is still light.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Kind Regards,

Silver Contributor

Is this only available when account is from Office/Microsoft 365? I have the same version on both Pixel XL 1st gen (Android 9) and Samsung S9 and dark mode only is available on Samsung.

 

P.S. Pixel - personal IMAP server, Samsung - work O365 account.

Microsoft

@wroot @Deleted 

 

We're thrilled you're excited to get Outlook for iOS and Android in Dark Mode.  We just started to roll out the app in iOS and Android on 8/28, it will take several weeks to propagate through the app stores worldwide. There is a small chance you might need to restart your app to see the changes but more likely the update has not yet reached your device. If you see the Dark Mode option in Settings under Preferences, then you've got it.  If not, please be patient. 

Silver Contributor

So, if both devices have the exact same version and build there still can be difference?

Brass Contributor

My app updated to version 30.137 and the release notes say "Dark Mode".  When I launch Outlook the Splash Screen is Black but then once I am inside of outlook it's not dark.  Running Android Q beta 6 with System wide Dark mode enabled.  Is there a Toggle anywhere?

Silver Contributor

On my Samsung S9 (Android 9) it is in the regular settings, right below the Accesibility setting, called Theme.

Copper Contributor

I am on Outlook Mobile 4.1.1 on iOS 13.1 beta 8.  Device has dark mode configured, but outlook still in default mode, dont see a setting in Outlook for dark mode.....

Microsoft

@Daniel Schmidt @leeCDC  Hello!  Thanks for your patience -- we're still in the process of rolling out.  You're doing the right thing by keeping your app up to date.  Your devices are not yet lined up to receive the update however (even if you have the right version of the app) -- Once it has, you will see a Dark Mode toggle in Outlook for iOS under Preferences and in Outlook for Android you can choose a Dark Theme under Preferences.  When you see the toggle option you will know that your device has been updated with the Dark Mode feature.   

Copper Contributor

I have recieved no more than 4 updates to the android outlook app since the dark mode announcement. Every time the changelog has stated : dark mode is available and so on, but even so, its still not here.. note 9

Silver Contributor

And you will get the same reply about staged rollout. This is what i found unnerving recently. MS is switching to releasing new versions not tying to version numbers. Same is happening with current Insider builds of Windows 10 19H2 update. You may receive a new build with new features, but this features are turned off. How the hell IT and regular users should orient now when versions doesn't mean anything? Look into a magic bowl or something?..

Copper Contributor

Agreed.  This has been announced as being available with "the next update."  They ought to peddle back the announcement until it is "actually" available.  Sloppy.

Brass Contributor

This staged rollout is nothing if not aggravating and frustrating.  So even if I'm fully updated and the app release notes has the lie about containing dark mode, my only option is to continuously and compulsively go into the settings and scroll around hoping that I might find the setting?  This is absolutely stupid.

Copper Contributor

on Android Note9.  The Google Play store says the current version has Dark Mode, the FAQ in the app itself explains how to turn on Dark Mode.  Yet I have no dark mode under preferences as indicated.   The Play Store and the app itself say they are both version 4.0.4.

Brass Contributor

Finally today the option showed up it is not working for me.  Pixel 3 XL, Android 10.

Brass Contributor

When I got the notice that you had replied, I went to my phone force stopped the Outlook app, then cleared cash storage for it before re-launching it. And I'm thrilled to say tha now I see the option, and it does work! At least for me, on my Google Pixel 3 (not xl).

 

It's still stupid that I had to keep checking day after day for days and days despite already having the update that supposedly enables it. Really bad and botched rollout of a highly sought after feature.

Deleted
Not applicable

Same here!

i force close the Outlook app and after restart the dark mode switch appears.

iPhone 8 - iOS 13.1 PB2

Copper Contributor

NOT seeing it yet.  Ensured all apps were up to date, closed out outlook, restarted.

iPad Pro on iOS 13.1

Copper Contributor

The option showed up for me sometime last night or this morning, and it is working.  Request for the developers though....  On Android can you please tie the option to the OS' own Night Mode setting.  I think when people want dark mode or not they want it in every app that they can. One global setting is ideal.  Best not to send users into every single application to toggle it.  Of course it would also be nice if Microsoft Office responded the color mode of Windows 10, and didn't have its own to sett/change.  

 

Please, if you are going to "roll out" features the roll them out with different version numbers like you do for OneDrive and other "rolling" software.  I'm still on 4.0.4 (345) which is the same version that didn't have dark mode yesterday.

Silver Contributor

After reading first reply here about it working i i checked the settings and it was there. Worked at once without having to reset the app or cache. Pixel 1 XL, Android 10.

 

It also works ok with System default setting and turns dark automatically when battery saver or Dark theme is enabled (new in Android 10). I don't know what "night mode" means. Night light is actually a different thing.

Copper Contributor

I got the dark mode update, but it's now forcing my home screen widgets (both email list and calendar) to also be in dark mode, which I don't want. But there are no options in the app to choose if the widget shows dark or light mode. Even if the main app is in light mode, the widget is still dark. Please fix this.

 

[Update : The widget is tied to the system's mode. If Android is on night mode, then the widget will turn dark and vice versa. For now if I want the system to be on night mode and the widget to be light mode, I have to first set android to light mode, create the widget in light mode, and then change the android system back to night mode. However, the widget reverts back to dark mode upon reboot. Would still like to have an option to be independent of the system's night mode] 

Brass Contributor

I've been waiting for this for a long time. It looks great!

Essential PH-1 Android 10

Copper Contributor

I have it enabled on iPhone XR iOS 13.2 but it doesn’t change automatically with system dark mode. I need to go in to app and switch it manually. It’s supposed to switch automatically right? Otherwise not very useful 

Copper Contributor

Not visible on either my iPhone 8 running iOS 12, not my iPad Pro running iOS 13.1 beta.

I am looking in the settings area of the Outlook app itself and not seeing it.  is this not the right place to be looking for it?  Dark mode is enabled on the iPad.

Copper Contributor

There is a preferences section in settings. It will appear eventually. They are updating every few days must not have reached you with rollout yet. But if it doesn’t switch on automatically with system dark mode it’s a bit pointless anyway

Silver Contributor

At least on Android it shows 3 settings: Light theme, Dark theme and System default. If you set the 3d one, then it follow what mode is turned on the system.

Copper Contributor

In iOS it’s just a toggle that says dark mode

Silver Contributor

iOS 13? In the blog post they say:

 

And, to help optimize battery life, once iOS and Android devices support dark themes*, Outlook plans to automatically switch to Dark Mode based on their device settings in addition to Outlook in-app options.

*When iOS 13 and Android Q are available, Outlook is planning to automatically switch to dark theme based on those settings

 

Maybe this means when iOS 13 is final. Maybe then there will be an additional toggle or it will just use the system's setting. Not sure. Maybe roll out is still going and not all settings are deployed.

Copper Contributor

Yeah must be that. Yes iOS 13.1 beta. 

Copper Contributor

I like and use Dark Mode (version 4.3.1 on iOS), but I have noticed a little problem with setting signatures per account.  It is black on black.

Copper Contributor

Is there anyone who is using Intune MDM and outlook app. We are facing issue with email sync after the release. Not all user but atleast 50-60 users so far. Initialy only from German. Now from Americas as well. Anyone noticed this issue so far?

Copper Contributor

I have dark mode in app, but light version appears in widget.  My Samsung S8 will not get systemwide dark mode since it will not update to latest Android version.  Why doesn't the widget follow the app setting?

Copper Contributor

A very happy user of the dark mode apps.
I will be more happy if you go one step further to also make this available for the Email and Calendar widgets.

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‎Aug 28 2019 09:08 AM
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