Facebook has finally included a new dark mode in its Messenger app, and it’s relatively easy to enable.
Dark Mode is more than just a personal preference as it can save battery life if you spend a lot of time within the app. This is thanks to the fact that your phone isn’t spending all of that energy to light your bright screen up. Especially if you have a OLED screen since the black portions of the screen feature pixels that aren’t lighting up at all.
Facebook still has yet to add the setting by default since they are still testing things out, however you can personally unlock it using a hidden Easter Egg. There doesn’t seem to be any issues with it currently, so you shouldn’t run into any troubles using it, and unlocking it is quite simple.
Enabling the feature is as simple as sending someone a specific emoticon (crescent moon icon). Open Messenger and browse to someone you want to send the message to. Let them know why you are sending them a random emotion or slip it into a conversation somehow. In the message window, click to open up the selection of emoticons (smilies) and use the search box to type “moon” to find it quick. Look for the crescent moon (half-moon) in the results and select it. Send the message and you will unlock the setting.
Once you send it, Messenger will immediately react with an animation of crescent moons falling from the top of the app downward like a fanfare celebration. It will ask if you want to enable the setting. Selecting yes will take you to the new setting in the settings window. Select it, and you will now have dark mode enabled.
Facebook state,
“Messenger’s dark mode provides lower brightness while maintaining contrast and vibrancy,”
“Dark mode cuts down the glare from your phone for use in low light situations, so you can use the Messenger features you love no matter when or where you are.”
According to Facebook, in the coming weeks, users will no longer have to go through the additional step of sending the crescent moon emoji to unlock dark mode – it will instead be available right from settings for everyone.
