New Facebook Messenger ‘dark mode’ currently being tested in select countries

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Hello darkness, my old friend

Glancing at Messenger first thing in the morning can feel a little like being woken up with a flashbang, particularly if your smartphone has an especially bright screen. 

However, that problem could soon be a thing of the past, with noted app-teardown expert Jane Manchun Wong revealing on Twitter that the Android version of Facebook's popular messaging application is currently testing its upcoming 'dark mode', as reported by Android Police.

The catch? The test is currently only available to select users in certain countries – neither Facebook nor Wong have indicated which regions have access, though based on TechRadar testing it didn't include the US or Australia at time of writing.

According to Wong, users with access to Messenger's new dark mode can find a toggle for the setting within the app's 'Me' section. 

Of course, as the new mode is only in its testing phase, it's far from complete – an in-app 'work in progress' message from Facebook reportedly states that "While we put the finishing touches on dark mode, it won't appear everywhere in Messenger."

The dark mode test comes shortly after a recent minimalistic UI makeover, which saw Messenger reduce its number of tabs and refine some of its clunkier design aspects. 

It's unclear when Messenger's dark mode will roll out to more territories, but we'll keep you posted when it does.

Stephen Lambrechts
Stephen Lambrechts
Senior Journalist, Phones and Entertainment

Stephen primarily covers phones and entertainment for TechRadar's Australian team, and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming in both print and online for over a decade. He's obsessed with smartphones, televisions, consoles and gaming PCs, and has a deep-seated desire to consume all forms of media at the highest quality possible. 

He's also likely to talk a person’s ear off at the mere mention of Android, cats, retro sneaker releases, travelling and physical media, such as vinyl and boutique Blu-ray releases. Right now, he's most excited about QD-OLED technology, The Batman and Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga.