Instagram users report bug with dark mode as app remains in light mode on Android

Many Instagram users on Android devices have been taking to X and Reddit in the past few hours to report an annoying bug where the app refuses to honor dark mode settings, essentially flash-banging unsuspecting users with bright white interfaces every time they open the app.

The complaints started flooding in early today, with frustrated users describing how Instagram keeps reverting to light mode despite their dark mode settings being enabled.

One Reddit user captured the confusion perfectly: “Why is it white? I always have my dark mode on.” The post quickly attracted responses from others experiencing the identical issue, with one commenter joking, “can this company do fucking anything LMFAOOOO.”

The worst part is that it’s not even stuck in light mode fully. Some users report mixed theming, where portions of the interface display in dark mode while others remain blindingly bright. Multiple Android users confirmed they’re seeing fragments of both themes simultaneously, creating a disjointed visual experience that’s painful to navigate. “My app has weird visual glitches where some parts are in light mode and other are in dark mode,” one affected user explained on r/Instagram.

The problem doesn’t seem universal though. Some Instagram users report no issues whatsoever, leading to speculation about whether this affects specific Android versions or device manufacturers.

I couldn’t replicate the problem on my Pixel 7a and Pixel 8 immediately, but I often notice a similar issue where the app’s theme gets messed up when switching from dark mode to light mode. I actually posted about it recently, showing how Instagram displays a dark mode navigation bar with light mode UI on Pixel phones.

These reports, however, suggest that issue happens even without switching from light mode to dark mode or vice versa.

For those desperately seeking relief from the eye strain, some users have found a temporary workaround: toggling dark mode off in Instagram’s settings, closing the app completely, reopening it, and then turning dark mode back on. However, this fix appears temporary, with the bug returning after closing the app multiple times.

Meta hasn’t acknowledged the issue yet, so it’s unclear if and when we can expect a fix to go live. But I’d suggest keeping an eye out for updates on the Play Store.

Instagram has been experiencing a particularly rough stretch lately. The platform recently dealt with widespread app crashes on Android, posts vanishing from user profiles, and even a two-factor authentication failure that locked users out of their accounts. So it’s clear that the social media giant needs to sit back and address these issues first, before introducing new UI changes and features.