Expo Config Plugin to disable forced Dark mode.

withDisableForcedDarkModeAndroid.js

// disable forced dark mode to prevent weird color changes
// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
const { createRunOncePlugin, withAndroidStyles, AndroidConfig } = require('expo/config-plugins')

function setForceDarkModeToFalse(styles) {
  const newStyles = AndroidConfig.Styles.assignStylesValue(styles, {
    add: true,
    // ############# FOLLOW IF YOU'RE ON SDK 52 #############
    // TODO: AndroidConfig.Styles.getAppThemeGroup() will be available in SDK 52 (or expo/config-plugins 9+), for now I just hardcoded AppTheme
    // parent: AndroidConfig.Styles.getAppThemeGroup(),
    parent: { name: 'AppTheme' },
    name: `android:forceDarkAllowed`,
    value: 'false',
  })

  return newStyles
}

const withDisableForcedDarkModeAndroid = (config) => {
  return withAndroidStyles(config, (config) => {
    config.modResults = setForceDarkModeToFalse(config.modResults)
    return config
  })
}

module.exports = createRunOncePlugin(
  withDisableForcedDarkModeAndroid,
  'disable-forced-dark-mode',
  '1.0.0'
)

A simple

"./plugins/withDisableForcedDarkModeAndroid.js"

is enough. No need to put inside an array. Just tested today on a new project of mine.

I have tried on the Poco F3 (SDK 47), but it does not work. This issue started before I updated to MIUI 14 - Android 13.

Completely insane issue, makes me really mad that at the very start of the new project Expo forces you to eject to solve this 😡. Xiaomi Mi9T Pro, thanks for asking...

You don't need to eject, just use a custom dev-client!

This code works great! the perfect solution for my app. (using SDK 48)

it doesn't work for me :(

I would like to remind you that plugin mods only run in the expo prebuild process, that is, for the changes to take effect it is necessary to generate an .APK (for testing) or .AAB (for playstore).

I don't know why this setting doesn't apply to the expo client, I believe it's possible to generate the .android folder with the npx expo prebuild command and run it on any android emulator (without expo client), that might solve the problem :)

Tested on Xiomi Redmi 9 it worked after building an .apk

References:
How to works plugins and mods
React Native Expo Android Dark Mode issue
Problem when trying to disable dark mode on Android
How to disable night mode in my application even if night mode is enable in android 9.0 (pie)?

Awesome
It work for me

Worked for me too.

Worked here, thanks for this.

Worked, thanks!

I'm using react-native-edge-to-edge in my app

changed the plugin accordingly

function setForceDarkModeToFalse(styles) {
  styles = AndroidConfig.Styles.assignStylesValue(styles, {
    add: true,
    parent: {
      name: 'AppTheme',
      parent: 'Theme.EdgeToEdge',
    },
    name: `android:forceDarkAllowed`,
    value: 'false',
  });

My styles.xml looks like this but forceDarkAllowed: false is not applied.

<resources xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.EdgeToEdge">
  <item name="android:textColor">@android:color/black</item>
  <item name="android:editTextStyle">@style/ResetEditText</item>
  <item name="android:editTextBackground">@drawable/rn_edit_text_material</item>
  <item name="colorPrimary">@color/colorPrimary</item>
  <item name="android:windowLightStatusBar">true</item>
  <item name="android:forceDarkAllowed">false</item>
</style>
<style name="ResetEditText" parent="@android:style/Widget.EditText">
  <item name="android:padding">0dp</item>
  <item name="android:textColorHint">#c8c8c8</item>
  <item name="android:textColor">@android:color/black</item>
</style>
<style name="Theme.App.SplashScreen" parent="AppTheme">
  <item name="android:windowBackground">@drawable/splashscreen</item>
</style>
<style name="BootTheme" parent="Theme.BootSplash">
  <item name="postBootSplashTheme">@style/AppTheme</item>
  <item name="bootSplashBackground">@color/bootsplash_background</item>
  <item name="bootSplashLogo">@drawable/bootsplash_logo</item>
</style>
</resources>

Sorry, here is the updated file which works with EdgeToEdge @felippewick

// disable forced dark mode to prevent weird color changes
// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
const { createRunOncePlugin, withAndroidStyles, AndroidConfig } = require('expo/config-plugins')

function setForceDarkModeToFalse(styles) {
  const newStyles = AndroidConfig.Styles.assignStylesValue(styles, {
    add: true,
    // TODO: AndroidConfig.Styles.getAppThemeGroup() will be available in SDK 52 (or expo/config-plugins 9+), for now I just hardcoded AppTheme
    // parent: AndroidConfig.Styles.getAppThemeGroup(),
    parent: { name: 'AppTheme' },
    name: `android:forceDarkAllowed`,
    value: 'false',
  })

  return newStyles
}

const withDisableForcedDarkModeAndroid = (config) => {
  return withAndroidStyles(config, (config) => {
    config.modResults = setForceDarkModeToFalse(config.modResults)
    return config
  })
}

module.exports = createRunOncePlugin(
  withDisableForcedDarkModeAndroid,
  'disable-forced-dark-mode',
  '1.0.0'
)

If you're on SDK52, you can change the TODO

Updated the gist

<resources xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
  <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.EdgeToEdge">
    <item name="android:textColor">@android:color/black</item>
    <item name="android:editTextStyle">@style/ResetEditText</item>
    <item name="android:editTextBackground">@drawable/rn_edit_text_material</item>
    <item name="colorPrimary">@color/colorPrimary</item>
    <item name="android:forceDarkAllowed">false</item>
    <item name="android:windowLightStatusBar">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowLightNavigationBar">false</item>
    <item name="enforceNavigationBarContrast">false</item>
  </style>
  <style name="ResetEditText" parent="@android:style/Widget.EditText">
    <item name="android:padding">0dp</item>
    <item name="android:textColorHint">#c8c8c8</item>
    <item name="android:textColor">@android:color/black</item>
  </style>
  <style name="Theme.App.SplashScreen" parent="Theme.SplashScreen">
    <item name="windowSplashScreenBackground">@color/splashscreen_background</item>
    <item name="windowSplashScreenAnimatedIcon">@drawable/splashscreen_logo</item>
    <item name="postSplashScreenTheme">@style/AppTheme</item>
  </style>
</resources>

@hirbod forceDarkAllowed is being copied to the styles.xml file. But it is not being applied in the build. Using expo android release build.
Splash screen (background color given as white using expo-splash-screen plugin) is still showing a black background when in dark mode.

I have given userInterfaceStyle: light in app.config.ts

I tried applying false under Theme.App.SplashScreen, still same result. I am testing in a Redmi phone. Any help?

Same issues with 53 splash screen. Does any one prevented dark mode for splash screen.

Try installing "expo-system-ui" if you haven't, apparently it's required to enable "userInterfaceStyle". https://docs.expo.dev/develop/user-interface/color-themes/