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YouTube TV for Android adds long overdue dark mode

Last month, Google’s cord cutting television service was mired in contract disputes and lost Fox Region Sport Networks in some parts of the country. YouTube TV for Android is now rolling out a dark mode.

Compared to the primary app and Music — where it’s the default, YouTube TV’s dark mode has been a glaring omission. The web client introduced such a theme in late 2018.

The new look starts on the splash screen’s launch animation, with YouTube TV opting for a dark gray background. Instead of a red accent in the bottom bar for the tab you’re currently viewing, there’s just a white icon.

It’s applied app-wide as you scroll through the Library, Home, and Live tabs, as well as search and settings. YouTube TV’s dark theme is most useful when streaming content given that the black video window was often jarring against a bright background. It also helps when browsing through channels.

The app has no manual preference to toggle on/off the dark mode independent of your phone or tablet. Rather, YouTube TV respects your Android device’s set theme. The new look is rolling out with version 4.14.3 through the Play Store.

That update is not yet widely available, and addresses a big gap with Google’s first-party app lineup. It’s not yet showing up for iOS.

More about YouTube TV:

Thanks Jondan

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com