Whether it’s due to eye strain reduction, energy efficiency, or just sheer aesthetic appeal, more users are switching to darker interfaces - and they expect brands to keep up.

At Dexterous Designs, we’ve helped a range of clients design and build digital products that seamlessly support both light and dark themes. As we look towards 2025 and beyond, it’s clear that dark mode is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a design standard.

Here’s what we’ve learnt (and what we recommend) when it comes to designing for dark mode today.

1. It’s Not Just Inverted Colours

The biggest misconception about dark mode is that it’s simply the inverse of light mode. But great dark mode design is much more nuanced.

Pure black backgrounds can feel harsh and unnatural, especially on larger screens. Instead, opt for deep greys or subtly tinted tones (like dark blue-greys) to reduce eye fatigue and enhance depth.

Similarly, pure white text on a black background can be too stark. Softer, slightly greyed text offers better readability and less visual strain.

2. Maintain Visual Hierarchy and Contrast

Contrast ratios are crucial in dark mode - but they work differently than in light mode. While light backgrounds allow for more subtle shadows and gradients, dark interfaces can easily become flat or muddled if not designed carefully.

Use the following:

• Elevated layers with subtle shadows or borders
• Accent colours sparingly for actions or highlights
• Consistent spacing to guide the user’s eye

Most importantly, test your interface using tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker to ensure WCAG accessibility compliance.

3. Design for System Preferences

Modern browsers and operating systems now support the 'prefers-colour-scheme' media query, which means users can set a system-wide preference for dark or light mode.

We recommend:

• Auto-detecting the user’s system setting
• Offering a manual toggle to override it
• Saving user preference with localStorage or a database for logged-in experiences

This approach provides flexibility and a better user experience across devices.

4. Reassess Branding in a Dark Context

Your brand’s primary colour might look fantastic on white, but in dark mode it could clash, glow awkwardly, or lose legibility. That’s why we advise clients to:

• Create dark mode variants of logos (especially those with dark outlines or colours)
• Adjust brand palettes to maintain harmony in both modes
• Test key visuals like hero images, buttons and illustrations under different lighting conditions

Don’t be afraid to slightly tweak brand assets - consistency doesn’t have to mean identical design choices across modes.

5. Think Holistically: Content, Imagery, and Motion

Dark mode affects more than just UI components.

You’ll also want to review:

• Imagery: Transparent PNGs can look strange against dark backgrounds. Consider adding subtle backgrounds or using 'mix-blend-mode'.
• Charts & Data Visuals: Adjust data visualisation colours for clarity and contrast.
• Animations: Movement can be more jarring on dark backgrounds, so test your transitions and hover states carefully.

6. Test in Real-World Conditions

Your design might look polished on a Retina display, but how does it perform in real-world environments? Dark mode is often used in low-light or night-time settings, so always test your UI:

• In low ambient lighting
• On older or lower-end displays
• With different user accessibility settings enabled

This helps ensure your interface is truly user-friendly, not just trendy.

Final Thoughts: Dark Mode as a UX Standard

Dark mode is no longer just about aesthetics - it’s about user choice, accessibility, and performance. In a digital landscape where personalisation is expected, supporting both light and dark themes is a sign of thoughtful, modern design.

At Dexterous Designs, we treat dark mode not as a layer to add at the end, but as a core consideration from the beginning of a project. If you're planning a digital product refresh or a new build in 2025, it's time to put dark mode on your checklist, and do it properly.

Need help implementing dark mode into your website? Let’s chat.