In this guide
Dark mode bugs are easy to ship because developers mostly test in light mode. Most are visible in a few minutes. Turn dark mode on (Settings > Display > Dark theme) and walk through your main flows with this list.
Before you start
- Use a real device if you can. Some effects only show on actual displays.
- Test a fresh install and an update from an older version. Saved theme choices can differ.
- If your app has its own theme switch (light / dark / system), test all three.
Checklist
- Text contrast. Read every screen. Grey text on a dark grey card is the usual culprit. Why: low contrast is unreadable outdoors. Check: squint at the screen at low brightness; anything you must lean in for fails.
- Hard-coded colors. White backgrounds or black text that ignore the theme. Why: they stay fixed while everything else flips. Check: look for bright rectangles and invisible text.
- Images and icons. Dark logos on dark backgrounds, transparent PNGs with black shapes, photos with white borders. Check: open every screen with an icon or illustration.
- Status bar and navigation bar. Icons must stay visible: light icons on dark bars, and the reverse. Check: look at the clock and battery on each screen, including splash and full-screen views.
- Dialogs, bottom sheets, menus, toasts. These are often styled separately from the screens. Check: trigger each one.
- Inputs and states. Hint text, disabled buttons, selected and focused states, error messages. Check: tap through a form and trigger an error.
- Switching live. Toggle dark mode while the app is open, then return. The app should recreate with the new theme, keep its place and not flash the wrong colors. Check: pull down the quick settings, toggle, return.
- Splash screen and first frame. A white flash at start in dark mode is a common bug. Check: cold start the app in a dark room.
- Forced dark. Some devices can darken apps that do not support dark mode. If you did not build a dark theme, check how your app looks when the system darkens it, or decide to opt out deliberately. Check: look for the setting in Display or Developer options on your device; names vary by manufacturer.
- Web views and embedded content. Pages shown inside the app may stay white. Check: open every screen that shows web content.
- Charts and colored states. Color meaning (red, green) must still be clear on a dark background. Check: view the screen with a color-vision simulation or grayscale mode.
- Screenshots in your store listing. Do they match the theme you recommend? Not a bug, but worth a decision.
What to report
Ask testers for a screenshot, the screen name and whether the device was set to dark, light or automatic. Note the manufacturer; forced dark and theme handling differ between brands.
Limits
This list covers appearance, not accessibility compliance. Combine it with the large font test and a 10-minute screen reader test.
Overview: Android app testing. Related: rotation and configuration changes.
Start free on AppReviewX and let testers run this checklist on their own devices.