Do dark screens use less energy?
Most of the time, yes. Dark mode uses less energy than a traditional white background and the impact can be significant. A Purdue study found that when using auto-brightness the energy saving for dark mode is between 3% and 9%.
Changing from light to dark mode reduces the phone’s power consumption by 42% at 100% screen brightness.
When the brightness level is 50%, switching from light mode to dark mode saves 9% of the battery, and when the brightness level is 30%, the saving is only 3%.
OLED OR LCD?
However, dark mode is not a green choice for every sort of display. It’s important to note that these savings only apply to OLED screens. LCD screens work differently; they are always backlit, even if the screen is black.
This means dark mode has a limited impact when building apps or experiences for devices like Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku. Opportunities for energy savings in dark mode will increase as older TVs and screens are phased out.
Accessibility?
Dark mode can be a valuable accessibility feature for many users. Some visual impairments can make it difficult to look at or process bright colours. While others with dyslexia or visual processing disorders find it tough to interpret black text on a white background.
