Inconsistent Dark Mode Behavior in Edge on iOS

Question

I've developed a web application that behaves differently in Edge on iOS compared to other browsers and platforms. Specifically, when the iOS system dark mode is enabled, Edge automatically applies dark mode to the web app, disregarding the prefers-color-scheme settings. This issue does not occur in Chrome or Safari on iOS, or in any browser on Android and Windows.

Issue Details:

Expected: The app should adhere to the specified prefers-color-scheme CSS media query settings, allowing for light or dark mode based on the app's design.

Actual: With the iOS system dark mode enabled, Edge forces the app into dark mode, ignoring the app's CSS preferences. This is isolated to Edge on iOS devices.

Seeking Solutions:

1. Is there an Edge-specific meta tag or CSS rule that ensures respect for prefers-color-scheme settings?
2. How can we prevent Edge on iOS from overriding the app's dark mode settings without affecting other platforms or browsers?

I'm looking for any advice or solutions to ensure consistent user experience across all platforms and browsers, particularly for iOS users on Edge.

Answer 1

The annoying default setting is to force a custom dark mode if the user uses dark mode in iPhone/iPad. You can disable the setting here:

Hamburger menu ☰ (iOS) or Ellipsis … (iPadOS) > Settings > Appearance > Dark theme for all web pages

This setting should be off (unchecked) by default as otherwise the styling is wrong. I didn’t find a way to prevent this behavior and override this flag.

Answer 2

Hi @Ulaganathan, Shalini,

Please check if you have enabled the New Dark Mode flag on Microsoft Edge iOS. You can go to edge://flags and search for the flag. If you have enabled it, you can try disabling the flag and see if the problem can be fixed.

What's more, please note Microsoft Edge iOS has a separate setting of Light/Dark Mode, which means you can specify Microsoft Edge Light/Dark Mode without following the system settings. Another option "Dark theme for all web pages" is also provided if you manually choose "Dark Mode". This might also be the cause to your problem. Try turning off this option and see the result.

If you have concerns on this different behavior of Microsoft Edge iOS, you can send feedback from Microsoft Edge to the Dev Team to let them know.

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Best Regards,

Shijie Li