How to Make Your Instagram Black and White: Photos, Grid, Dark Mode and Grayscale

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How to make a post black and white

Using Instagram's filters

1. Tap + to create a post, then select or take your photo or video.
2. Tap Next, then tap Filters.
3. Swipe through and pick a monochrome filter. Moon is the long-standing black-and-white option in Instagram's filter row; exact names and the lineup can vary by app version.
4. Tap the selected filter again to open the strength slider. Drag it left or right, then tap Done.
5. Tap Next, add your caption, and tap Share.

For Stories, open the camera, capture or pick a photo, and swipe left or right on the screen to cycle filters until you hit a monochrome one.

Using saturation for more control

A filter applies contrast and tone choices for you. If you want a neutral gray conversion instead, lower Saturation to zero in Instagram's editing tools, or do it in your phone's photo app before uploading. On iPhone, the Photos app includes built-in monochrome filters such as Mono, Silvertone and Noir. Dedicated editors give you finer control over how each color translates to gray, which matters for skin tones and skies. We compare options in our roundup of photo editor apps for Instagram.

How to build a consistent black-and-white grid

A grid that reads as "black and white" at a glance comes from repeating the same edit, not from one filter.

1. Pick one look and save it. Decide on high-contrast or soft and faded, then reuse the same filter strength or the same preset in your editor for every post.
2. Keep exposure consistent. Mixing very dark and very bright images breaks the grid more than any color would.
3. Convert Reels covers too. A color cover frame will stand out in a monochrome grid. Choose or upload a B&W cover when sharing.
4. Vary the subject, not the treatment. Alternate close-ups, wide shots and detail images so the grid doesn't look repetitive.
5. Plan ahead. A simple layout template helps you preview how posts sit together. See our Instagram templates guide.

If you tag monochrome work, pair a broad photography tag with a specific one. Our #photography hashtag sets and #aesthetic tags include options built around Instagram's 5-hashtag limit.

How to turn on dark mode

Dark mode swaps Instagram's white background for black. It doesn't change photos.

On iPhone and iPad

Instagram's Help Center says dark mode can't be switched inside the Instagram app on iPhone or iPad. It follows your device setting:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Display & Brightness.
3. Select Dark (or turn on Automatic to switch at sunset).

This applies to other apps that support dark mode too.

On Android

1. In Instagram, go to your profile and tap Menu (three lines).
2. Below Your app and media, tap Accessibility and translation.
3. Tap Dark mode, then select On, Off or System default.

Instagram notes this setting may require Android 10 or later.

On instagram.com

Dark mode on the web is set per browser and device, separately from the app.

How to make your whole phone black and white (grayscale)

Some people turn their screen gray on purpose. The idea is that colorful thumbnails, red notification badges and bright videos are less attention-grabbing without color, which can make it easier to put the phone down. It's a personal experiment rather than a proven fix, but it's free and instantly reversible. If cutting back is the goal, combine it with the tools in our guide to Instagram addiction and time limits.

On iPhone

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
2. Tap Color Filters and turn on Color Filters.
3. Select Grayscale.

Apple notes that color filters change how images and videos look, and that Night Shift turns off other color filter effects but keeps grayscale.

To toggle it quickly, add Color Filters to your Accessibility Shortcut (in Settings > Accessibility), which you can trigger by triple-clicking the side button.

On Android

Menu names vary by manufacturer, but on recent Android versions:

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Color and motion > Color correction.
2. Turn on Use color correction.
3. Choose Grayscale as the correction mode.

Google notes this isn't available on every device. You can also create an accessibility shortcut for it.

Grayscale on a schedule

On many Android phones, Bedtime mode can silence your phone and remove the screen's color at a set time each night. You can set it up in the Clock app under Bedtime or through Digital Wellbeing. On iPhone, you can build a similar routine with a Shortcuts automation that turns on color filters at a set time.