Business networking social media site LinkedIn has recently rolled out a dark mode option for its users on both desktop and mobile.

The dark shift has grown in popularity in recent years, following concerns over eye strain and sleep disruption due to blue light exposure and increased screen time. According to Social Media Today:

Blue light display helps to improve your device’s readability in the daylight, but in low-light situations, blue light can cause your brain to stop producing melatonin, which can then lead to disrupted sleep cycles, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.

And with so many of us now checking our phones in bed before turning in for the night, this is a significant concern – in fact, research shows that since 1985, the percentage of adults who are getting less than six hours sleep per night has increased by 31%.

Dark mode reduces the brightness of displays, which is particularly helpful at night or in other low-light environments to reduce strain.

Late to the dark party

LinkedIn’s move is belated in comparison to the brand’s social siblings: Facebook first rolled out its dark mode for mobile last fall, WhatsApp launched its dark mode in March of 2020, and Instagram added dark mode two years ago. Virtually all mainstream social media apps either already support dark mode, or are currently testing – including Messenger, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, and Pinterest.

But hey, better late than never, right?

LinkedIn’s dark goals

LinkedIn’s dark mode palette rollout focused on two main emphases:

• “Accessibility – Dark mode meets accessibility standards, with color and contrast elements that help reduce eye strain and keep in mind light sensitivities. We adjusted certain colors within the dark mode design to meet or exceed color contrast ratios for better text legibility and user interface controls to accommodate the overall light to dark background contrast.

• Inclusivity – We also took this opportunity to introduce dark mode versions of our illustrations that complement the dark mode experience. These illustrations capture a wide variety of industries and fields beyond tech and represent professionals of all abilities of backgrounds, bringing to life our vibrant and diverse LinkedIn community.”