Project Summary

In Q3 2023, I was a lead designer for creating a feature that educates users about the dark theme on the iHeart mobile app.

In recent years, many apps have shown dark theme adoption due to its benefits, such as reduced battery usage, improved visibility for users with low vision or sensitivity to bright light, and enhanced usability in low-light environments. Our analysis of user feedback collected over the past few years also showed a significant demand for the dark theme feature. In response, we launched the dark theme on our mobile app in 2021. However, many users were still unaware of the theming option and frustrated that they couldn’t set their app to the dark theme. Despite the availability of dark theme, over 70% of mobile users were still using the light theme. 

User reviews collected from the App Store and Google Play Store

After onboarding, users will see a bottom drawer introducing the dark theme with its benefits, a toggle to turn it on, and instructions on where to change the theme. Previously, users had to find their way to the theming options buried deep in the Settings page. In the new experience, users can directly enable the dark theme from the bottom drawer and seamlessly continue with their flow afterward. 

Previously, we used a banner or tooltip to introduce the new feature in the app. While they are effective in quickly communicating the new feature, they are static and have limited functionality. The bottom drawer enables users to quickly learn about the new feature and take action without navigating to different pages. 

Impact

Since the launch of dark theme user education in Q3 2023, we have observed a significant increase in adoption.
In February 2024, we rolled out the feature internationally. The feature is now available on the iHeart apps in Canada, Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand.