How Dark Mode Affects Email Design & What eCommerce Brands Should Do
Is Dark Mode Hurting Your Email Design? Let’s Fix That.
Dark mode is everywhere—on iPhones, Android devices, Gmail, Outlook, and more. With more users opting for dark mode to reduce eye strain and save battery life, eCommerce brands need to make sure their emails look great no matter how they’re viewed.
But here’s the catch: not all emails are designed to handle dark mode well. Fonts disappear, logos turn invisible, and entire layouts can break—leading to lower engagement and lost sales.
So, what does this mean for your email marketing strategy? Let’s break it down.
What Happens to Emails in Dark Mode?
Dark mode inverts or modifies colors to create a darker background, but email clients handle this differently:
Full Color Inversion – White backgrounds turn black, and dark text turns light.
Partial Color Adjustments – Some email clients tweak certain colors while leaving images and other elements untouched.
No Changes – Some apps ignore dark mode settings altogether, displaying emails exactly as designed.
Because of these variations, an email that looks perfect in light mode might look broken in dark mode.
Common Dark Mode Email Design Problems
If your emails aren’t optimized for dark mode, you might run into:
Invisible Logos & Graphics – Dark logos on dark backgrounds disappear.
Unreadable Text – Some email clients auto-invert colors, making text too light or too dark.
Broken Email Layouts – Background images and buttons may not display properly.
Inconsistent Branding – Colors can shift unexpectedly, hurting your brand’s visual identity.
These issues can hurt engagement, decrease conversions, and make your emails look unprofessional.
How to Optimize Emails for Dark Mode
1. Use Transparent Logos & Icons
Logos with white or black backgrounds can disappear in dark mode. Use transparent PNGs so they adapt to different backgrounds.
2. Set Background Colors Manually
Instead of relying on default settings, define background colors explicitly in your HTML and CSS to prevent unwanted changes.
3. Use Dark Mode-Friendly Text Colors
Light gray or off-white text works better than pure white on dark backgrounds.
Avoid using pure black (#000000) or pure white (#FFFFFF) as they can create harsh contrasts.
4. Test Your Emails in Both Modes
Use email testing tools like Litmus, Email on Acid, or Klaviyo’s built-in preview to check how your emails look in dark and light mode across different email clients.
5. Add Dark Mode-Specific Code
Advanced users can use CSS media queries to define styles for dark mode:
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
body {
background-color: #121212;
color: #ffffff;
}
}
This helps ensure your emails look consistent and branded, no matter how they’re viewed.
Why eCommerce Brands Should Care About Dark Mode
Dark mode isn’t just a trend—it’s a user preference that affects email engagement and conversions.
Emails that aren’t optimized for dark mode can lead to lower click-through rates and sales.
A seamless, well-designed email experience increases brand trust and engagement.
The fix? Make sure your emails are designed to work in both light and dark mode.
Let’s Make Your Emails Dark Mode-Ready
At Milhook, we specialize in designing high-converting emails that look stunning in every inbox. Whether you need help optimizing your Klaviyo flows, setting up engaging campaigns, or fixing dark mode issues, we’ve got you covered.
Want to see how we can improve your email performance? Let’s chat.
Contact Us Today
