Dark mode in Windows 11 switches Settings, File Explorer, the taskbar, the Start menu, and many apps to dark colors. To turn it on, open Settings > Personalization > Colors and set Choose your mode to Dark. You can also mix modes, such as a dark taskbar with light apps, and set individual apps like Office and your browser to match.
How to turn on dark mode
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Select Personalization, then Colors.
- Next to Choose your mode, select Dark.
The change applies right away to Windows and to apps that follow the system setting.
Mix dark and light (Custom mode)
- In Settings > Personalization > Colors, set Choose your mode to Custom.
- Set Choose your default Windows mode (taskbar, Start menu, notifications) to Dark or Light.
- Set Choose your default app mode (Settings, File Explorer, and apps) to Dark or Light.
A popular combination is a dark taskbar with light apps, which keeps documents bright and easy to read.
Use a dark theme instead
Go to Settings > Personalization > Themes and pick Windows (dark). A theme changes the wallpaper, colors, sounds, and mouse pointer together, while the Colors setting above changes only the colors.
Add an accent color
On the Colors page, choose an Accent color, then turn on Show accent color on Start and taskbar (available in dark mode) and Show accent color on title bars and window borders to add a touch of color to the dark look.
Make apps use dark mode too
- Microsoft Edge and Chrome: follow the Windows setting by default. In Edge, check Settings > Appearance; in Chrome, check Settings > Appearance > Mode.
- Microsoft Office: in Word, Excel, or Outlook, go to File > Account > Office Theme and choose Black, Dark Gray, or Use system setting. On a Mac, see how to make Word dark mode on Mac.
- Websites: many sites switch automatically when Windows is in dark mode. Google services have their own settings; see how to turn off dark mode on Google.
Switch automatically at night
Windows 11 doesn’t have a built-in schedule for dark mode. If you want it to switch at sunset, free tools in the Microsoft Store can automate it, or you can simply use Night light (Settings > System > Display > Night light), which warms screen colors on a schedule to reduce eye strain.
Troubleshooting
- Some apps stay light: older desktop programs don’t support dark mode, or have their own theme setting.
- The options are grayed out: Windows isn’t activated, which locks personalization settings, or a work policy controls them.
- Text is hard to read: try a contrast theme in Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes.
Related: Change the theme in Windows 10.
Related: Change the Word background to white.
Related: Change the Windows display language.
Related: Open Task Manager in Windows 11.
Related: Show hidden files on Windows 11.
Frequently asked questions
Does dark mode save battery?
On laptops with OLED screens, dark mode can reduce power use. On most LCD screens, the difference is small.
How do I turn dark mode off?
Go back to Settings > Personalization > Colors and choose Light. On Windows 10, see how to disable dark mode in Windows 10.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.