But rarely any native launcher supports the dark mode. Does that mean launchers don’t have the right to enjoy the dark mode? No. Thanks to the power of Android, you can customize anything, which means you can ditch your stock launcher and replace it with a third-party launcher that supports dark mode. So which launcher should you download for the dark mode? Don’t worry. We have done the dirty work of curating the launchers for you. Here are the best 7 launchers that offer dark mode on Android.
1. Nova Launcher
How could the popular Nova Launcher lack dark mode? Among other amazing features that Nova Launcher has in store, dark mode is also on the list. You need to enable the night mode setting in the launcher. You can then enable/disable the dark theme individually for the search bar, app drawer, drawer icons, and folders. You can also schedule the night mode as per your preference. To turn off the dark theme, either turn the toggle off for individual items or disable the night mode. Nova Launcher also offers dark icons for the notification bar. The setting is present under Nova Launcher Settings > Look & feel > Dark icons. While the launcher is known for its customization, it misses on some important features such as unread icons, gestures, and hidden apps in the free version. Thankfully, the night mode isn’t limited to the prime variant of Nova Launcher. Size: 6MB Download Nova Launcher
2. Action Launcher
Another launcher that offers a dark theme in the free variant is the Action Launcher. The theme is applied to all the aspects of the launcher such as app drawer, search bar, quick edge, and more. Surprisingly, it doesn’t apply to the launcher settings though. Similar to Nova, Action Launcher also lets you customize the dark mode. However, the customizations are limited to the plus version of the launcher only. On the bright side, the number of customizations offered is far higher than that provided by Nova. Further, Action Launcher has another powerful feature related to themes known as Wallpaper mode. When enabled, the theme color is changed according to the wallpaper. Size: 12MB Download Action Launcher
3. Microsoft Launcher
The Microsoft Launcher offers a dark mode in addition to light and transparent themes. The dark tone is applied to the launcher settings, its own widgets, search, and its feed. Unfortunately, it’s not applied to the app drawer and folders. To make the best use of the dark theme, set a black or dark wallpaper. The folder background appears dark that way. To enable the dark mode, go to the launcher Settings > Personalization > Theme. Here you can customize the accent color too. To turn it off, change the theme to light or transparent. Unlike Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher doesn’t have a premium variant. So all the cool features such as customizable dock, personalized feed, integration with Cortana, and an easy way to share web pages to your Windows 10 PC are available for free. Size: 24MB Download Microsoft Launcher
4. POCO Launcher
POCO Launcher from the house of Xiaomi is a new addition to the family of launchers. When compared to the third-party launchers such as Nova, it doesn’t offer much customization. However, it is far superior to the stock launchers to the extent that it provides a dark mode too. Before you get too excited, let me break some bad news. The dark mode isn’t spread across many things for it is limited to the app drawer only. Other exciting features include layout customization, group icons by color, notification badge, and the ability to hide icons. All these are available for free. Size: 13MB Download POCO Launcher
5. Lawnchair Launcher
Lawnchair Launcher is Pixel Launcher on steroids. It offers all the Pixel Launcher features coupled with other extra customizations (for free), one being the native dark theme. When enabled, the theme is applied to the launcher settings, search bar, folders, app drawer, and app shortcuts. If you want, you can choose the items for which you want to apply the theme. The launcher also provides an option to extract the accent color from wallpaper. Size: 3MB Download Lawnchair Launcher
6. Pear Launcher
Even though the app has a weird name, it isn’t strange at all, in fact, it is loaded with some impressive features. From gestures to badges and layout customization, Pear Launcher is home to dark mode as well. The theme is applied to the app drawer, dock, and folders with the ability to disable it for one of them. Size: 3MB Download Pear Launcher
7. Rootless Launcher
Rootless Launcher is also a variant of Pixel Launcher that is loaded with themes such as light, dark, transparent, and automatic. The launcher doesn’t offer any extra feature. If you need a small launcher just for the sake of dark mode in the app drawer, Rootless Launcher is a good choice. However, the dark mode in the app drawer isn’t a pure dark mode. Size: 1MB Download Rootless Launcher
You’re in Luck, Android 9.0 Pie Users
For the longest time, there was no native way to enable dark mode in Android. But things changed with Android 9.0 Pie when Google finally enabled the dark theme. If your phone runs Android 9.0 Pie, you can apply a dark theme without any launcher. To enable the built-in dark mode, open Settings on your phone and go to Display. Tap on Device theme and select Dark. For best results, use it with the stock launcher of your phone.
Future Is Dark
Users love for dark mode has put everyone in action. Xiaomi is working on introducing a dark mode in future updates. News has it that the upcoming Android 10 will offer a system-wide dark mode too. With Google apps such as YouTube and Messages offering a native dark mode, and even Chrome working on a dark mode, looks like soon everything will be dark. What are your thoughts about dark mode? Do you like it? Let us know in the comments below. Next up: Not a fan of notification dots? Check these launchers that offer notification count badges instead.
