Your Instagram is probably black because dark mode is turned on. The background then becomes dark and the text light. Instagram may follow your phone’s setting. So first check whether other apps are dark too. Can you no longer see posts or buttons? You may have a blank black screen. That is different from dark mode.
Choose your device below or first see which problem you recognise.
Is Instagram dark, or is the screen completely black?
Look at what you can still see on the screen. In this table, you will find the first step that fits the situation.
| What do you see? | What can you do? |
|---|---|
| A dark background, but readable text and normal photos | Check your phone’s dark mode. Also check Instagram if your version has an option for it. |
| A blank black screen without usable buttons | Close Instagram completely and open the app again. |
| Strange or inverted colours in photos, including outside Instagram | Check the colour settings under accessibility on your device. |
| Only one photo or video is black | Open another post. This shows whether the problem only affects that one post. |
A dark background alone does not indicate that someone has taken over your account. Dark mode changes how the app looks.
Turning off Instagram dark mode on your iPhone
Start with your iPhone settings. Apple explains how to set dark mode through Settings or Control Centre.
- Open Settings and search for dark mode.
- Choose the light appearance.
- Open Instagram again and check whether the background has become light.
Is Instagram still dark? Check whether your phone itself has switched to the light appearance. If not, check the setting again. Is only Instagram still dark? Then follow the steps for when Instagram stays black.
Does your screen become dark again automatically later? Check whether an automatic schedule is enabled for the appearance. If you see that option, you can turn off the schedule to keep the light appearance.
Turning off Instagram dark mode on Android
Google explains that the dark theme on Android makes your phone and supported apps appear dark. The name and location of this setting vary by phone.
- Open your phone’s settings.
- Use the search function to look for dark theme or dark mode.
- Turn off that setting if you find it.
- Open Instagram again and check whether the background is now light.
Are mainly your photos showing strange colours? Also look for colour inversion. This setting reverses colours. It is different from dark mode, so do not turn it on to make the background dark.
Making Instagram lighter on your computer
Do you use Instagram in a browser? First check whether only Instagram is dark, or whether other websites and windows are dark too.
- Open Instagram’s menu and look for a theme or appearance setting. Not every version has this option.
- Can you see the setting? Choose the light appearance.
- Is the option not there? Look for dark mode in your computer’s settings and try the light appearance.
- Refresh Instagram and check whether the background changes.
Do you use a browser extension that makes websites dark? This is an extra feature that you have added to your browser yourself. Temporarily turn it off for Instagram and check again. You do not need to install a new extension for this.
What should you do if Instagram stays black or the button is missing?
Not every version of Instagram has a separate button for dark mode. Is it missing for you? Start with your device’s display settings. You do not need to reset your account for this.
Have you chosen the light appearance, but does Instagram remain black? Try these steps in order:
- Close Instagram completely and open the app again. Simply returning to the home screen does not always close the app.
- Check whether an update is available. Check this in your phone’s official app store.
- Restart your phone. Then first check whether your phone is set to the light appearance. Next, open Instagram.
- Compare the app with the website. Open Instagram in your usual browser. This lets you check whether the problem only occurs in the app.
Do you see a blank black screen without posts? Changing the theme will probably not help. Check whether other apps and websites load normally.
Does everything else work, but Instagram remain blank? Try again later. You can also report the problem through Instagram’s help function, if you can still open it.
Have the layout and buttons changed too? Read why Instagram looks different. This concerns more than just a dark background.
Does dark mode on Instagram change your photos or reach?
Dark mode changes the background around your posts, not the photo you posted. It is therefore not a photo filter. A photo may look different against a dark background than against a white background.
Are you unsure about a photo? Open the same photo in your photo album and compare it with your post. Do not immediately adjust your photo’s brightness because of the app’s dark background.
Dark mode does not provide more reach either. The setting determines how you see Instagram, not how many people see your post. Your followers use their own display settings.
What does dark mode on Instagram do for your eyes and battery?
A dark background can be more comfortable in a dark room. That does not mean dark mode solves eye problems. Choose the appearance in which you can read text easily, and also adjust your screen brightness.
You can read the same text briefly against a light and a dark background. This helps you notice which appearance feels more comfortable at that moment.
Whether dark mode saves battery depends partly on your screen type and brightness. This setting therefore does not always mean that Instagram uses much less power. If you also publish your own content, our Instagram services includes packages for followers and likes. The product pages show the available quantities and prices.
