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Facebook Messenger: With a message about dark mode

4.3.2019

Translation: machine translated

Facebook dares to try something new. Now that the somewhat discredited company has completely redesigned its Messenger app, Dark Mode is coming one day. And you can already have it today. With a message.

A leak in the Facebook group allows you to darken the Facebook Messenger app and thus save some battery. Unlike some other hidden settings, dark mode is quite easy to switch on.

An emoji for dark mode

To switch on dark mode, all you have to do is send a message. At least on Android. I don't know whether this also works on Apple iOS. Can anyone verify this? So, let's keep it short:

Open the Facebook Messenger
Send yourself the moon emoji: You can also copypaste it here 🌙
Long click on the emoji
It's raining moons
A message appears informing you of the experimental stage of Dark Mode
Switch on dark mode in the app settings
Done

If it doesn't work, then you either need to update your Messenger or restart the app.

Why you want dark modes

Dark modes for apps are all the rage at the moment. In other words, instead of bright colours, white and grey backgrounds are being replaced by black. Google has recently made a name for itself as a dark mode rollout, but the search company is failing. The joke about dark mode is that you have to use the colour Amoled black, i.e. HEX #000000, for the effect to be fully effective. Amoled black saves the battery on Amoled screens, as the black pixels on your screen are not supplied with power when they are supposed to display #000000. Google, however, uses a shade of grey that should appear as black.

In addition, you are less dazzled in dark mode, which is a little easier on your eyes. That's nice. So I don't understand why Google systematically fails to do this either.

Background information
True Black - Saving electricity on a low flame
by Dominik Bärlocher

So, that's it. Now we - you, me and the other three people in the world who still use Messenger - have a black Messenger. Cool, right?

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Dominik Bärlocher

Senior Editor

dominik.baerlocher@digitecgalaxus.ch

Journalist. Author. Hacker. A storyteller searching for boundaries, secrets and taboos – putting the world to paper. Not because I can but because I can’t not.

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