Google Maps has a ton of useful features, with new Maps features added all the time. However, if you’re using it to help you navigate a long night’s drive, you might be grateful for its dark theme, or “night mode” if you’re using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. You get the same search tools, traffic alerts, and turn-by-turn directions, but without blinding you every time you search for an update. Additionally, if you’re running the app on your phone and it’s not plugged in, those muted colors on your OLED screen can actually result in a longer-lasting charge.
Regardless, there will always be people who prefer to keep Maps in light mode or night mode all the time, and they have configured their app to behave accordingly. However, some light mode users may be perplexed when their screen sometimes suddenly switches to night mode.
This happens for several common reasons. For some, it may be a hidden adjustment button that they haven’t activated. For others, it could be due to their phone overheating. Night mode suddenly triggering can have several causes, but there are ways to prevent night mode from appearing in Google Maps without notice.
Are you sure you are using the correct Night mode setting?
We know this is like saying “try unplugging it and plugging it back in”. But it’s still a good first step and can help you find tricky conditions you didn’t realize were attached. To set the Google Maps top-down theme on your phone, tap your avatar at the top of the screen, select Settings, then “Apps & display,” then Theme.
If you notice that Google Maps changes its appearance when navigation is turned on after sunrise or sunset, or when you go through a tunnel (yes, Google Maps knows where you are in a tunnel, even without a GPS connection), you’ll need to tap your avatar again in the Maps app, choose Settings, then Navigation, and scroll down to a section called “Map View.” In both cases, you can choose to always display Maps in a light theme, a dark theme, or the same as your device. The latter option means that if you have configured your operating system to switch modes on any schedule, the app will do that too.
Those who connect their phone to the vehicle’s infotainment systems should also check their system’s theme settings. On Android Auto, go to Settings, then “Day/Night Mode for Maps” and choose Day, Night, or Automatic. In CarPlay, tap Settings, then Appearance to select your mode. Other infotainment providers may have more specific settings, use a ported version of the Google Maps mobile app, and therefore rely on different in-app settings. You may need to consult your vehicle manufacturer or system supplier for assistance.
Why night mode activates when your phone overheats
Even with the air conditioning on full blast, the summer sun can still blast your dashboard, stripping suction cup attachments and adhesives from dashcam cables. If your device is parked in this strike zone, it may overheat and start to slow down its processes. This means reducing background activities, lowering your screen brightness, and enabling night mode to save power.
Google and Apple allow Android and iOS app developers to adjust their running experiences based on the thermal state of the device. In the case of Google Maps, users may see a message appear in the app, stating that their overheating device needs to cool down and that Maps has automatically switched to the dark theme to continue working.
If this happens to you regularly, you should take steps to reduce your device’s exposure to heat. This may involve moving your phone away from the dashboard, perhaps even getting a different car mount. In addition to the sun, we also saw reports of overheating where drivers were using wireless chargers to charge their mobile device. These pads are inefficient and tend to get burned out, so consider plugging in your device with an old-fashioned cable instead if you need to charge it. You may also want to consider removing your phone’s case to improve heat dissipation as well as the overall health of your phone’s battery.
