Let’s talk about dark mode and accessibility! There’s a myth that dark mode is good for accessibility, because it improves text readability. It's not always true.
The full article and resources on my blog: https://stephaniewalter.design/blog/dark-mode-accessibility-myth-debunked/
1. Dark mode doesn’t improve readability for everyone. While dark mode can improve readability for some users, it’s not true for everyone. Dark mode can also make things hard to read for a couple of people, including people with astigmatism, but also, people navigating with a mouse when the focus indicator is poorly handled, people with dyslexia, etc. (for longer debunk, check the resources section).
2. Give users choice: if you can offer both, let people decide what works for them.
3. Make your dark theme accessible: check for contrast ratio, font weights, make focus indicator visible, etc.
A couple of links to dig further:
- Dark UI themes are new and cool — but are they accessible?https://uxdesign.cc/accessibility-and-dark-ui-themes-f01001339b65 by Sheri Byrne-Haber
- Accessibility for People with Astigmatism https://www.levelaccess.com/blog/accessibility-for-people-with-astigmatism/ (on level access, not a fan of them because of their buying an overlay tool, but, the article explains nicely)
- Dark mode UI design – 7 best practices https://atmos.style/blog/dark-mode-ui-best-practices
Stef Walter