diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/account/BriarAccountManager.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/account/BriarAccountManager.java
index eb1e2faaa..28d667920 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/account/BriarAccountManager.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/account/BriarAccountManager.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class BriarAccountManager extends AndroidAccountManager {
 			super.deleteAccount();
 			Localizer.reinitialize();
 			UiUtils.setTheme(appContext,
-					appContext.getString(R.string.pref_theme_light_value));
+					appContext.getString(R.string.pref_theme_system_value));
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/BriarApplicationImpl.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/BriarApplicationImpl.java
index 3026d8302..aa9e57798 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/BriarApplicationImpl.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/BriarApplicationImpl.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import static java.util.logging.Level.FINE;
 import static java.util.logging.Level.INFO;
 import static java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger;
 import static org.briarproject.briar.android.TestingConstants.IS_DEBUG_BUILD;
+import static org.briarproject.briar.android.settings.DisplayFragment.PREF_THEME;
 
 public class BriarApplicationImpl extends Application
 		implements BriarApplication {
@@ -109,11 +110,11 @@ public class BriarApplicationImpl extends Application
 	}
 
 	private void setTheme(Context ctx, SharedPreferences prefs) {
-		String theme = prefs.getString("pref_key_theme", null);
+		String theme = prefs.getString(PREF_THEME, null);
 		if (theme == null) {
 			// set default value
-			theme = getString(R.string.pref_theme_light_value);
-			prefs.edit().putString("pref_key_theme", theme).apply();
+			theme = getString(R.string.pref_theme_system_value);
+			prefs.edit().putString(PREF_THEME, theme).apply();
 		}
 		// set theme
 		UiUtils.setTheme(ctx, theme);
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/settings/DisplayFragment.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/settings/DisplayFragment.java
index f15492939..00ac6332d 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/settings/DisplayFragment.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/settings/DisplayFragment.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import static org.briarproject.briar.android.settings.SettingsActivity.EXTRA_THE
 public class DisplayFragment extends PreferenceFragmentCompat {
 
 	public static final String PREF_LANGUAGE = "pref_key_language";
-	private static final String PREF_THEME = "pref_key_theme";
+	public static final String PREF_THEME = "pref_key_theme";
 
 	private static final Logger LOG =
 			getLogger(DisplayFragment.class.getName());
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/util/UiUtils.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/util/UiUtils.java
index c92d5829e..19b92a574 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/util/UiUtils.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/util/UiUtils.java
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ import static android.view.WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_HIDDEN;
 import static android.view.inputmethod.EditorInfo.IME_NULL;
 import static android.view.inputmethod.InputMethodManager.SHOW_IMPLICIT;
 import static android.widget.Toast.LENGTH_LONG;
-import static androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_AUTO_TIME;
 import static androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM;
 import static androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_NO;
 import static androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_YES;
@@ -349,12 +348,7 @@ public class UiUtils {
 		} else if (theme
 				.equals(ctx.getString(R.string.pref_theme_dark_value))) {
 			setDefaultNightMode(MODE_NIGHT_YES);
-		} else if (theme
-				.equals(ctx.getString(R.string.pref_theme_auto_value))) {
-			// TODO remove AUTO-setting as it is deprecated
-			setDefaultNightMode(MODE_NIGHT_AUTO_TIME);
-		} else if (theme
-				.equals(ctx.getString(R.string.pref_theme_system_value))) {
+		} else {
 			setDefaultNightMode(MODE_NIGHT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
index 0103648c1..9c83c6c52 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
@@ -63,17 +63,14 @@
 	<string-array name="pref_theme_entries">
 		<item>@string/pref_theme_light</item>
 		<item>@string/pref_theme_dark</item>
-		<item>@string/pref_theme_auto</item>
 		<item>@string/pref_theme_system</item>
 	</string-array>
 	<string name="pref_theme_light_value" translatable="false">light</string>
 	<string name="pref_theme_dark_value" translatable="false">dark</string>
-	<string name="pref_theme_auto_value" translatable="false">auto</string>
 	<string name="pref_theme_system_value" translatable="false">system</string>
 	<string-array name="pref_theme_values">
 		<item>@string/pref_theme_light_value</item>
 		<item>@string/pref_theme_dark_value</item>
-		<item>@string/pref_theme_auto_value</item>
 		<item>@string/pref_theme_system_value</item>
 	</string-array>
 
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 4719ed5f2..8a4e128f5 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -543,7 +543,6 @@
 	<string name="pref_theme_title">Theme</string>
 	<string name="pref_theme_light">Light</string>
 	<string name="pref_theme_dark">Dark</string>
-	<string name="pref_theme_auto">Automatic (Daytime)</string>
 	<string name="pref_theme_system">System default</string>
 
 	<!-- Settings Connections -->
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/xml/settings_display.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/xml/settings_display.xml
index 4a7d146a9..53e45009e 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/xml/settings_display.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/xml/settings_display.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 		tools:summary="System default" />
 
 	<ListPreference
-		android:defaultValue="@string/pref_theme_light_value"
+		android:defaultValue="@string/pref_theme_system_value"
 		android:entries="@array/pref_theme_entries"
 		android:entryValues="@array/pref_theme_values"
 		android:key="pref_key_theme"