Skip to main content

Twitter’s mobile-inspired dark mode desktop makeover isn’t just about looks

Twitter.com is looking a little more like the Twitter made for smartphone screens. On Monday, July 15, the social media platform rolled out a heavily anticipated redesign, bringing some of the tools of the app to the desktop experience, along with adding customization options, including a new dark mode. Twitter says the updated web platform is rolling out beginning today.

Twitter’s new look brings several features that will feel familiar for users of the mobile app. The Explore section of the Twitter app, which curates a collection of tweets and live video based on your interests and even physical location from accounts you don’t yet follow, is now part of the left-hand side navigation bat that also houses quick access to messages and your profile page. Bookmarks also make their twitter.com debut, while lists are also now faster to access from within that same navigation bar.

Tapping on the messages icon from that left sidebar opens a redesigned home for Direct Messages. Now, Twitter says the Direct Messages page allows users to see conversations and send messages without switching between screens.

The heavily anticipated dark mode also arrives with the redesign, though as an option that doesn’t ditch the old blue background either. The display settings now include the familiar “dim” dark mode the white text on a dark blue background, along with a new “lights out” option for white text on a black background. Twitter also added new themes to change the icons and design aspects that use Twitter’s iconic blue to another hue.

Both the dark mode and new color options are accessible within a few clicks by tapping on the more at the bottom of that new left navigation bar, then clicking on display. The same settings are also available from the display options inside the Settings menu.

The update also makes switching between accounts easier, using a quick log out option in the left navigation bar.

While the update brings a new look, new features and a handful of shortcuts, Twitter says the update is also designed to offer faster performance. But the company isn’t done making changes either — Twitter says the redesign also creates a better foundation for future updates to the platform.

Editors' Recommendations

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
Windows 10 tablet mode isn’t disappearing, but it’s now harder to find
Surface Pro 6 Review

Microsoft has announced the latest Windows 10 Insider build, which includes some changes to how a 2-in-1 hybrid laptop will deal with "tablet posture." When a keyboard is removed from the screen, such as on a Surface Pro, Windows will no longer prompt you to enter tablet mode as it currently does.

In other words, the colorful, square tiles of tablet mode are going away completely. This mode will still be found in the Action Center pull-out in the bottom right corner of the taskbar. However, as confirmed by a Twitter conversation with The Verge's Tom Warren, the system will no longer prompt you to enter tablet mode when it senses that you've disconnected your keyboard.

Read more
Google Assistant 2.0 isn’t just a minor evolution. It’s a game-changing upgrade
google assistant 2 change the way we use phones feat

Folding devices like the Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X represent the next major alteration in phone design, but what about the next, next? What will change the way we interact with our phones, once we're done folding them in half?

Google gave us a teaser during the Google I/O 2019 keynote presentation, as it demonstrated the prowess of Google Assistant when the masses of data it requires to operate is shifted from the cloud to the device. Voice control has been part of our smartphone experience for a while, but the speed, versatility, and accuracy of this advanced system could be a game-changer.
Meet Google Assistant 2.0
What did Google announce? A next generation version of the Google Assistant we currently know and love from our Android phones, Google Nest products, or even Android Auto. Google Assistant uses three complex algorithms to understand, predict, and act upon what we’re saying, which requires 100GB of data storage and a network connection to operate. Google announced it has used deep learning to combine and shrink those algorithmic models down to 500MB — and that means it’ll fit happily on our phones, and stops network latency slowing responses and actions down.

Read more
Instagram’s new camera feature, Create Mode, isn’t for taking photos or video
instagram create mode f8 2019 instagramshoppingtags

Instagram’s camera is getting an upgrade -- but not for taking pictures. During the annual F8 conference on April 30, Instagram shared an upcoming new design for the camera mode. The update brings a Create Mode that allows users to share information without having to start by taking a photo or video. Instagram also shared details on a new shopping tool, fundraising efforts, and a test to eliminate the like counts.

Sometime in the next few weeks, an Instagram update will bring a new design to Instagram’s built-in camera. The update features the new Create Mode, which allows users to use effects and stickers, but doesn’t require starting out with a photo or a video. Instead, users start from scratch on a blank canvas and add stickers and other effects.

Read more