How to Change Colors and Themes on Your iPhone

Where to find color and theme settings on your iPhone

You can change how your iPhone looks by adjusting the display colors, switching between light and dark modes, and customizing accent colors throughout the system. These settings live in the Settings app under Display & Brightness, and some options also appear in Accessibility if you need more control over contrast or color filters.

The quickest way to switch between light and dark mode is through Control Center — swipe down from the top right corner (or up from the bottom on older models), long-press the brightness slider, and tap the moon icon. But if you want to set a schedule so your phone automatically switches at sunset, or customize which apps use which mode, you'll need to go into Settings.

Key Takeaways

Dark Mode and Light Mode are toggled in Settings > Display & Brightness, and you can schedule automatic switching at sunset and sunrise.
Accent color (the blue used for links, buttons, and highlights) can be changed in Settings > Display & Brightness > Accent Color on iPhone 15 and newer models.
Color filters and grayscale options in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size let you adjust how colors appear if you have color blindness or light sensitivity.
Individual apps may have their own theme settings separate from system-wide colors, so check an app's own settings if the system change doesn't affect it.

Switching between light mode and dark mode

Open Settings and tap Display & Brightness. You'll see three options at the top: Light, Auto, and Dark. Tap Dark to switch when ready to dark mode, or tap Light to return to light mode. If you choose Auto, your phone will switch based on the schedule you set below.

To set a schedule, tap the Auto option and then tap Scheduled. You can choose Sunset to Sunrise (which uses your location to figure out when the sun goes down) or set a custom time range. Once scheduled, your phone will switch automatically at those times without you having to do anything.

Some apps don't respect the system-wide dark mode setting — they may have their own theme toggle buried in their settings. If an app stays light when your phone is in dark mode, open that app's settings and look for a Theme, Appearance, or Display option.

Changing the accent color (iPhone 15 and newer)

iPhone 15 and later models let you change the blue accent color that appears on buttons, links, toggles, and other interactive elements. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and scroll down to find Accent Color. Tap it to see options like Blue, Green, Pink, Orange, Red, and Yellow.

Select the color you prefer and it will explore across most of the system when ready — in Mail, Messages, Settings, and other built-in apps. Some third-party apps may not respond to this setting because they use their own color scheme, but Apple's apps will change.

Using color filters for color blindness or light sensitivity

If you have color blindness or find certain color combinations hard to read, iOS includes color filters that shift how colors appear on screen. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and scroll down to Color Filters. Toggle it on and choose from Deuteranopia, Protanopia, Tritanopia, or Grayscale depending on your needs.

Deuteranopia and Protanopia are for different types of red-green color blindness. Tritanopia is for blue-yellow color blindness. Grayscale removes all color from the screen. You can also adjust the intensity slider to make the effect stronger or weaker. These filters explore system-wide, so every app and screen will use the adjusted colors.

If you want to turn color filters on and off quickly without opening Settings each time, you can add them to Control Center. Go to Settings > Control Center, scroll down, and tap the plus sign next to Color Filters. Then you can toggle them on or off from Control Center in one tap.

Adjusting contrast and text appearance

In the same Accessibility menu (Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size), you'll find options to increase contrast and adjust text boldness. Tap Increase Contrast to make text and UI elements stand out more against their backgrounds. This is useful if you find the default contrast too subtle.

Below that, toggle on Bold Text if you want all text across the system to appear thicker and heavier. Your phone will restart after you enable this, so save any open work first. You can also adjust the text size itself using the slider at the top of this menu — making text larger or smaller throughout most apps.

Customizing colors in individual apps

Many apps have their own color or theme settings separate from the system settings. Open the app, go to its settings (usually a gear icon or Settings option in the menu), and look for Theme, Appearance, Colors, or Display. Some apps let you pick between light and dark independently of your system setting, and some offer custom color palettes.

For example, Mail has its own theme option, Notes lets you choose between light and dark, and many third-party apps like Spotify or Discord have dedicated appearance menus. If changing your system colors doesn't affect an app, that app is using its own settings — check inside the app itself.

Turning off color effects and returning to defaults

If you've applied color filters or other adjustments and want to return to the standard appearance, go back to the same menu where you turned them on. For color filters, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters and toggle it off. For accent color, return to Settings > Display & Brightness > Accent Color and choose Blue (the default).

If you've adjusted contrast or bold text and want to undo those changes, toggle them off in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Your phone will restart again if you're turning off Bold Text. All these changes are reversible and won't affect your data or apps — they only change how things look on screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different colors for different times of day?

You can schedule light and dark mode to switch at specific times, but you cannot schedule different accent colors or color filters to change automatically. You would need to manually switch accent colors if you want different ones at different times of day.

Why doesn't dark mode work in some apps?

Some apps, especially older ones or those from smaller developers, don't support system-wide dark mode. They may have their own theme toggle in the app's settings, or they may only offer one appearance. Check the app's own settings menu before assuming it's broken.

Will changing colors affect my battery life?

Dark mode can slightly reduce battery drain on iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone 12 and newer) because black pixels use less power. Light mode, color filters, and accent color changes have no meaningful effect on battery life.

Can I create a custom color that isn't in the preset list?

The accent color picker on iPhone 15 and newer only offers the preset colors Apple provides — you cannot create a custom hex color or RGB value. If you need a specific color, you may need to look for a third-party app that offers more customization.

Do color filter changes sync across my other Apple devices?

Color filters and display settings are device-specific and do not sync through iCloud. If you want the same settings on your iPad or Mac, you'll need to set them up separately on each device.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.