Good news for Microsoft Office users who are still working into the evenings: All Office apps for iOS are getting a dark mode, starting with Outlook.
Microsoft Office iOS dark mode on the way
We expect to be able to install iOS 13 and iPadOS in September, with the biggest visual improvement being the introduction of a dark mode. This darkens all iOS menus and automatically turns on the dark mode of iOS apps, if the developer supports it.
From now on we can also add Microsoft’s Office apps to this list, which the company announced with a stylish trailer. Microsoft promises to give all Office apps for iOS a dark mode before iOS 13 comes out in September. The web version of Office will also get such a switch, which is good news for Mac and iPadOS users who can also work on their documents in their browser.
Most apps will soon receive an update that adds this new look, but Microsoft Outlook is already up and running today. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, SharePoint, Planner and To-Do will follow in the coming weeks.
Made to give your eyes a rest
In a blog post, Microsoft’s Jon Friedman explains how the design team worked. He emphasizes that we specifically looked at ways to make the apps less intensive for your eyes in the evening. “Some of the dark modes of apps have neon colors so they are still bright on your eyes, we aimed for a calmer color palette that is nicer on your eyes.”
Once iOS 13 is on your iPhone or iPadOS is on your iPad, you can turn on iOS 13 dark mode by pressing a new button in the Control Center. In addition to all the apps from Apple, there are already dozens of iOS apps that support the mode. Once the update is actually available, more will undoubtedly follow.