How to fix the dark mode glitch

It is true that it is a configuration that takes less time to implement and that its arrival on mobile phones has been progressive. Be that as it may, the happy owners of an Android smartphone already have it updated, but, in the case of some of them, They are seeing how the thing does not quite work out. Basically because when activating this dark mode, the phone does really strange things to them on the screen that leads many of them to have to turn it off.

That is basically what Google Maps does when we activate the dark mode on some Android phones. What after that new theme appears on the screen without problems, it suddenly appears as if it were blinking: the app looks normal but, for a second, everything starts to display with the famous clear theme and, the next moment, it returns to the dark mode. That is, an effect like that of flickeo of some video games when they produce defects in their graphics.

What is flickeo?

Flickering is a visible change in brightness between cycles displayed on video screens. It is an effect (or defect, rather) that occurs in video recordings and consists of some lights flashing very quickly. Although it is a relatively normal thing, it is very annoying and is usually quite unprofessional (Even if you are not directly to blame for all this).

Problems in Google Maps dark mode and how to fix it

The users who seem to be suffering from this problem in a more generalized way are those who have a Google Pixel, specifically the 3a, 3a XL, 4a and 4 XL models, in addition to the Pixel 5 itself, which does not seem to be saved. In the same way, it is not the only range that is suffering from these problems and other devices from different manufacturers are reporting errors: this is the case with the OnePlus 7 Pro, for example.

At the moment the latest betas published by Google of their maps application continue to produce this error, so it is to be expected that, unless they are corrected at the last minute, they will reach the Android application store with the same bug. That necessarily delays a solution for several weeks, which will lead to practically all of those victims to continue forgetting the dark mode for the moment: better to continue with the lifetime until the Mountain Viewers have a reliable solution and safe.

But not all is lost. If you are suffering from the same problem, verify that in the topic of Google Maps you have selected “the same from the system” so that you get the dark mode from Android itself, and not the “dark mode” as such which is where many of those affected report that these errors are occurring.

You no longer have problems? Activate it this way

Until a while ago, Google Maps only had the dark theme in the navigation mode, but finally, already we can have it in all its interface. And what is even better, it is possible to choose if we want to “darken” Maps permanently or only when that dark theme is activated throughout the device. The procedure to activate it is very simple, just follow the following steps:

1. Once the Google Maps app is open, tap on the icon or photo of your account in the upper right corner.
2. Go into ‘Settings’ to access the application settings.
3. Click on the section ‘Theme’.
4. Three options will be displayed: ‘Always show in clear theme’, ‘Always show in dark theme’ or ‘Use the same theme as the device’.
5. Select the one you prefer and click on ‘Save’.

If you choose the second option, you will have the default dark theme whenever you use the Google Maps app; if you opt for the latter, it will alternate between the light and dark theme depending on the system theme. In any case, you will see how the new dark theme of Google Maps tints its entire interface in gray tones, including the maps.

Enable dark mode on Android system

We already know that dark mode has been gradually implemented in mobile operating systems, so it is easier to apply it so that other apps can be seen in the same style. It can be a good solution if activating dark mode in Google Maps has not worked.

Thus, we will only have to open the phone’s settings menu by following this route: Settings> Display> Dark theme. In terminals such as Google Pixel and phones with Android One, this dark mode can be referred to as “Dark Theme”, treating it as if it were yet another customization of the appearance of our phone. In other manufacturers the route may change, since in several terminals the option to switch to dark mode may be in another section such as “Personalization”.

In Android Auto there is no problem with dark mode

This exonerates an older car that belongs to a more analog age and with less electronic systems. But when you have Android Auto, that integration is total and your smartphone goes into the background, letting the main screen take center stage.

The problem comes many times at night, when outside there is not a single light and we have all the reflection of the clear mode of the app of maps illuminating the interior, which can be annoying and offer us blind areas of the road that we can’t see. Now, Google wants us to be able to change those settings with a simple click, especially if your car is not able to dim the brightness of that panel when turning on the lights, for example.

Android Auto version 6.4 is the one that corrects this small defect that we have been suffering in recent times, thanks to an update that, according to Mountain View, will be distributed over the next two weeks. A control that, basically, allows you to switch between dark and light mode quickly, with a single click, without having to waste time looking for the configuration of the app, with the risks that this entails.

It is very useful in those cars with integrated multimedia systems, these types of functions that make driving safer at night, at which time the clarity of a screen can lead us to have the odd scare.