Let’s be honest: we’ve all switched our phones over to Dark Mode at night and thought, “Ah, my eyes… finally, peace.” It’s the digital version of dimming the lights when the braai’s ready. And whether you love it for the vibe, the battery life, or just because it looks cooler, your subscribers are doing it too.
Which brings us to an awkward truth: your emails might look absolutely shocking in Dark Mode.
Yup. That sleek, polished newsletter you lovingly crafted? It could be arriving in inboxes looking like a bad knock-off of itself. White boxes where your logo should be, black text blending into black backgrounds, buttons disappearing into the void. It’s a crime against inboxes, and it needs to be fixed.
Wait, What Even Is Dark Mode?
If you’ve been living under a rock (or, let’s be fair, just not paying attention to your phone settings), Dark Mode is a display option that switches light backgrounds for dark ones and lightens the text. It’s easy on the eyes, saves battery, and makes you 76% cooler. (Okay, I made that last stat up, but it feels true.)
It’s now baked into everything from Gmail to Instagram, WhatsApp to Outlook — and yes, it affects email too.
Why Should You Care?
Because people actually use it. A lot of them.
Recent stats show over a third of emails are opened in Dark Mode. And those subscribers aren’t going to switch back to Light Mode just so your email looks half-decent. Nah. They’ll squint, judge you silently, and delete it. Harsh, but fair.
And here’s the kicker: not all email apps handle Dark Mode the same way. Some invert colours. Some don’t. Some get halfway through and give up. It’s chaos.
Here’s What Happens to Bad Emails in Dark Mode:
- Dark logos can blend in with the dark background (and yes, even we’ve fallen victim to this)
- Black text on a black background. (A bold move, invisible marketing.)
- Brand colours that suddenly look like they belong on a Halloween costume.
How to Stop Embarrassing Yourself in Dark Mode
Here’s how to keep your emails looking sharp, whether your readers are team Light or team Dark:
- Set background colours on everything – Don’t leave it to chance. Specify your colours in your code like the responsible marketer you are.
- Test, test, test – Use email preview tools. Or even better, send a test mail to yourself, switch on Dark Mode, and prepare to be humbled.
- Check your contrast – Whether it’s Dark Mode or Light Mode, make sure your text isn’t blending into the background like a Leopard in the Kruger.
The Bottom Line
Dark Mode isn’t going anywhere. People love it, inboxes support it (sort of), and your emails need to play nicely with it. A good-looking email in Dark Mode isn’t just about vanity — it’s about making sure your message actually gets read.
So, if you haven’t given it a thought until now… well, welcome to the party. Time to clean up those emails.
Need help making your emails Dark Mode-friendly?
Give us a shout. At TouchBasePro, we know how to make your emails look good in any light.
