The subject of dark them and light theme became big discussion when the BlackBerry Q10 came out with a dark theme. The Q10 got a dark theme due to it's AMOLED screen. Black pixels meant it would use no power. The BBM app was a dark theme and so was the Calendar and Contacts apps. Certain apps could also be coded to have the dark theme on the Q10. Many Z10 owners were then wanting the option for a dark theme. As a lover of the Q10 device, I enjoyed the dark theme a lot and I was very annoyed when Q10 owners lost the dark theme when the 10.1 Maintenance Release came out. I said my piece and a lot agreed with some welcoming the light theme.
Fast forward to now and the ability to choose between the light and dark theme is upon us. The update to OS 10.2 will bring this option and for those of you who would like to switch it up to the dark theme, here's how to do it. By default, the light theme is selected.
Also note that the ability to change visual theme is only found in OS 10.2.0.17xx and above. Unfortunately, the BlackBerry Z30 devices came with a lower OS 10.2 version so the option to change themes is not available. Hopefully, the Z30 will get an update soon.
How to change visual theme for SMS
- Go to the Hub by swiping up from the bottom bezel and to the right or by using the BlackBerry Hub icon
- Tap the overflow menu (three dots on the bottom right)
- Tap Settings, then Text Messages
- Find the Visual Theme dropdown menu and tap to select your theme
You will only see the theme in text conversations, not in the Hub.
How to change visual theme for the Calendar app
- Open up the Calendar by tapping Calendar icon from the Homescreen
- Swipe down from the top bezel to bring up more options
- Tap Settings, then General
- Tap the Visual Theme dropdown menu and choose your preference
- Close app and re-open to see the changes
How to change the visual theme for the Contacts app
- Open up the Contacts app by tapping the Contacts icon from the Homescreen
- Swipe down from the top bezel to bring up more options
- Tap Settings
- Under Default Theme tap the dropdown menu and select your preferred theme
- Close the contacts app and re-open to see the changes
How to change the visual theme for BBM
- Open up BBM by tapping the BBM icon from the Homescreen
- Swipe down from the top bezel to bring up more options
- Tap Settings
- Scroll down to the bottom and find the Visual Theme dropdown menu
- Select your theme
- Close app and re-open to see the changes
There you have it. If you're a Q10 owner and have missed the dark theme. Get it back now. Z10 owners, you can now give it a try.
Please note: If you are running the BBM Channels beta on your BlackBerry 10 device, you will NOT have the option to change to a dark theme on BBM. Check out all our BlackBerry 10 tips, tricks and how-tos for more.
Read more
Unable to integrate a Yahoo! Mail account on your BlackBerry?
Having issues with being able to integrate your Yahoo mail on your BlackBerry? You're not alone. Here are some possible fixes to try if you're having the issue.
How to make a PayPal payment through BBM
While PayPal integration was initially only available to those in Canada, it has slowly been rolling out to other regions. What better time to check out how easy it is to send money with PayPal through BBM.
How to update the Amazon Appstore on BlackBerry 10
Now that all BlackBerry 10 smartphones come preloaded with the Amazon Appstore, it's another one of those apps on your device that needs to be updated fairly regularly. For the most part, this is a fairly easy process as the app will check for updates whenever it's launched and let you know if there's any available, but if you're looking to take matters into your own hands and check for...
How to reinstall BlackBerry World easily
Every now and then in the CrackBerry Forums, I see posts from folks having issues with BlackBerry World. For the most part, the issues are easily resolved by reboot or simple refresh of BlackBerry World or just simply waiting it out if it's a known issue but in some rare cases, BlackBerry World simply refuses to load no matter what measures are taken with errors ranging from 'You must...