Three months ago, Google revealed a number of new features coming to Google Maps on iOS. At the time, Google Maps product manager Herman Ng said that all of the features would roll out before the end of the month. We promptly forgot about them, because Google never announced their availability when they did finally roll out. But, as The Verge notes, all of the features have launched, including dark mode. So we figured we’d show you how to enable dark mode for Google Maps on iOS.
How to enable Google Maps’ dark mode on iPhone
First, make sure that your Google Maps iOS app is updated to the latest version (5.83 at the time of writing). Now, open the app and tap on your profile picture in the top-right corner. Head to Settings, and the first option under the Using Maps section should be Dark Mode. Tap on Dark Mode, and you can choose to turn it on, turn it off, or set it to mirror your device. Personally, I prefer the third option so that the map is bright during the day and dark after sunset.
Every app has a legion of users who want a dark mode or dark theme of some nature. Those demands don’t always make sense, but when it comes to Google Maps, it’s easy to see why users would want to turn down the brightness, especially when driving with the app open at night.
How to enable Google Maps’ dark theme on Android
Dark mode for Google Maps on iOS is a recent addition, but Android users gained access to their own feature earlier this year. If you’re on an Android device, enabling the feature starts the same way. Tap on your profile picture and head to the Settings menu. From here, you’ll need to find Theme instead. From that menu, you should see the same three options described above.
What else did Google bring to the Maps app?
Other features that came to Google Maps in recent months include the ability to share your location from iMessage and two new widgets. If you want to know more about these features, check out our write-up from August. The widgets are especially useful. One tells you the live traffic conditions in your area. The other lets you quickly search for a location or navigate to a frequent destination with a single tap. If you’re a fan of widgets on your iPhone, these are worth checking out.
