To change a black background to white on an iPhone 13, turn off Dark Mode or use the Invert Colors accessibility settings. The most common reason for a black background is that Dark Mode is enabled, which changes supported system screens and apps to a dark appearance; accidentally turning on Invert Colors is another possibility.
Why your iPhone 13 has a black background
Dark Mode is the most frequent cause of a black background on an iPhone 13. This setting changes the system interface and supported apps to a dark color scheme. Another possible cause is that Invert Colors has been turned on, which reverses the colors on your display. OLED screens consume more power when displaying black pixels, so a white background may have a marginal positive effect on battery usage. For individuals with visual impairments or certain forms of color blindness, a white background can be more accessible.
Turn off Dark Mode to get a white background
The primary method to get a white background is to turn off Dark Mode.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Appearance.
- Select Light.
This immediately changes the background to white across supported system screens and apps. An older path documented by Apple is Settings > Display & Brightness > Appearance, but the current support page uses the Settings > Appearance path.
Use Smart Invert to reverse colors intelligently
Smart Invert reverses colors on the display but leaves images, media, and some apps that use dark color styles unchanged. This is useful for adjusting brightness and display color without affecting photos or videos.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Tap Display & Text Size.
- Turn on Smart Invert.
Smart Invert may not fully affect some apps that already use dark color styles. If you want to know how to make phone brighter while keeping media natural, this is the setting to use. To turn off Inverted Colors, return to the Invert Colors menu and toggle the switch off.
Use Classic Invert to reverse all colors
Classic Invert reverses all colors on the screen, including images and media. This is the most aggressive option for turning a black background white. The Inverted Colors setting has two options: Smart Invert and Classic Invert, with Classic Invert fully inverting all colors including images and videos.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Tap Display & Text Size.
- Turn on Classic Invert.
Everything on the display will have its colors reversed. If you want to learn how to add accessibility features to the iPhone & iPad control center, you can add an Accessibility Shortcut for Invert Colors there for faster toggling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which setting is best if the goal is a white background everywhere?
Classic Invert is the closest documented option because it reverses all colors onscreen, including in apps and media. This ensures every part of the display becomes white.
Will this change every app?
Not always. Smart Invert excludes images, media, and some dark-style apps, so those areas may not become white. Classic Invert changes every app and element on the screen.
Is there a difference between Dark Mode and Invert Colors?
Yes. Dark Mode is a theme setting that changes supported system screens and apps to a dark appearance. Invert Colors changes the color values on the display, with Smart Invert and Classic Invert behaving differently from each other and from Dark Mode.
Can I set a custom background color on my iPhone 13?
No, the iPhone 13 does not offer the feature to set a custom background color; you can only choose from predefined options.
