diff --git a/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/java/net/aliasvault/app/MainActivity.kt b/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/java/net/aliasvault/app/MainActivity.kt
index 450f161f9..dbea3d245 100644
--- a/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/java/net/aliasvault/app/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/java/net/aliasvault/app/MainActivity.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 package net.aliasvault.app
+import android.content.res.Configuration
+import android.os.Build
 import android.os.Bundle
+import android.util.Log
+import android.view.WindowInsetsController
+import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
 import com.facebook.react.ReactActivity
 import com.facebook.react.ReactActivityDelegate
 import com.facebook.react.defaults.DefaultNewArchitectureEntryPoint.fabricEnabled
@@ -11,6 +16,10 @@ import expo.modules.splashscreen.SplashScreenManager
  * The main activity of the app.
  */
 class MainActivity : ReactActivity() {
+    companion object {
+        private const val TAG = "MainActivity"
+    }
+
     /**
      * Called when the activity is created.
      */
@@ -24,6 +33,77 @@ class MainActivity : ReactActivity() {
         // @generated end expo-splashscreen
 
         super.onCreate(null)
+
+        // Configure system bars based on dark mode
+        configureSystemBars()
+    }
+
+    override fun onResume() {
+        super.onResume()
+        // Reapply system bar configuration when app resumes
+        // This ensures our settings persist even if other code tries to override them
+        configureSystemBars()
+    }
+
+    override fun onConfigurationChanged(newConfig: Configuration) {
+        super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig)
+        // Reapply system bar configuration when theme changes
+        configureSystemBars()
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Configure system bars (status bar and navigation bar) colors and appearance
+     * based on current theme (light/dark mode)
+     */
+    private fun configureSystemBars() {
+        val isDarkMode = (resources.configuration.uiMode and Configuration.UI_MODE_NIGHT_MASK) == Configuration.UI_MODE_NIGHT_YES
+        Log.d(TAG, "Configuring system bars - isDarkMode: $isDarkMode")
+
+        window.apply {
+            if (isDarkMode) {
+                // Dark mode: black background with light icons
+                val bgColor = ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.av_background)
+                Log.d(TAG, "Setting dark mode colors - bgColor: ${String.format("#%06X", 0xFFFFFF and bgColor)}")
+                statusBarColor = bgColor
+                navigationBarColor = bgColor
+
+                if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.R) {
+                    // Android 11+ (API 30+): Use WindowInsetsController
+                    insetsController?.apply {
+                        setSystemBarsAppearance(
+                            0, // Light icons/text
+                            WindowInsetsController.APPEARANCE_LIGHT_STATUS_BARS or WindowInsetsController.APPEARANCE_LIGHT_NAVIGATION_BARS,
+                        )
+                    }
+                } else if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+                    // Android 8-10 (API 26-29): Use deprecated flags
+                    @Suppress("DEPRECATION")
+                    decorView.systemUiVisibility = decorView.systemUiVisibility and
+                        android.view.View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LIGHT_STATUS_BAR.inv() and
+                        android.view.View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LIGHT_NAVIGATION_BAR.inv()
+                }
+            } else {
+                // Light mode: light gray background with dark icons
+                statusBarColor = ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.av_background)
+                navigationBarColor = ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.av_background)
+
+                if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.R) {
+                    // Android 11+ (API 30+): Use WindowInsetsController
+                    insetsController?.apply {
+                        setSystemBarsAppearance(
+                            WindowInsetsController.APPEARANCE_LIGHT_STATUS_BARS or WindowInsetsController.APPEARANCE_LIGHT_NAVIGATION_BARS,
+                            WindowInsetsController.APPEARANCE_LIGHT_STATUS_BARS or WindowInsetsController.APPEARANCE_LIGHT_NAVIGATION_BARS,
+                        )
+                    }
+                } else if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+                    // Android 8-10 (API 26-29): Use deprecated flags
+                    @Suppress("DEPRECATION")
+                    decorView.systemUiVisibility = decorView.systemUiVisibility or
+                        android.view.View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LIGHT_STATUS_BAR or
+                        android.view.View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LIGHT_NAVIGATION_BAR
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml b/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml
index 6dcf2f04f..4b5e161dd 100644
--- a/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml
+++ b/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
 <resources xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
+  <!-- Dark mode overrides for main app theme -->
+  <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.EdgeToEdge">
+    <item name="android:statusBarColor">@color/av_background</item>
+    <item name="android:navigationBarColor">@color/av_background</item>
+    <!-- Force opaque navigation bar (override EdgeToEdge transparency) -->
+    <item name="android:enforceNavigationBarContrast">false</item>
+    <item name="android:windowTranslucentNavigation">false</item>
+    <!-- Dark mode: use light icons/text on dark background -->
+    <item name="android:windowLightStatusBar">false</item>
+    <item name="android:windowLightNavigationBar">false</item>
+  </style>
+
   <style name="PasskeyRegistrationTheme" parent="Theme.Material3.DayNight.NoActionBar">
     <item name="colorPrimary">@color/av_primary</item>
     <item name="colorOnPrimary">#FFFFFF</item>
diff --git a/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml b/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
index ae251334b..646f14d48 100644
--- a/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
+++ b/apps/mobile-app/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
     <item name="android:textColor">@android:color/black</item>
     <item name="android:editTextStyle">@style/ResetEditText</item>
     <item name="colorPrimary">@color/colorPrimary</item>
-    <item name="android:statusBarColor">#fff</item>
+    <item name="android:statusBarColor">@color/av_background</item>
     <item name="android:navigationBarColor">#fff</item>
     <item name="android:windowDrawsSystemBarBackgrounds">true</item>
+    <!-- Light mode: use dark icons/text on light background -->
+    <item name="android:windowLightStatusBar">true</item>
+    <item name="android:windowLightNavigationBar">true</item>
   </style>
   <style name="ResetEditText" parent="@android:style/Widget.EditText">
     <item name="android:padding">0dp</item>