To turn on dark mode in Windows 11, select Start > Settings > Personalization > Colors, then set Choose your mode to Dark. Start, the taskbar and apps that support dark mode switch to dark colors.
Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.
What dark mode changes
Windows 11 has three color modes on the Colors page: Light, Dark and Custom. Microsoft describes Light as the mode for daytime use and Dark as the mode with colors suited to low-light rooms. Custom lets you mix the two.
Dark mode changes the Windows interface: the Start menu, the taskbar, the action center and apps that follow the Windows setting. It does not recolor your photos, videos or the content of most web pages, and it does not change your desktop picture. Those are separate settings, covered further down.
Dark mode is also different from two features that sound similar:
- Night light makes the whole screen show warmer colors at night. It does not make anything dark.
- Contrast themes are an accessibility feature that uses strongly distinct colors to make text and controls easier to see.
Turn on dark mode in Settings
- Select Start, then select Settings. The Settings app opens.
- Select Personalization in the Settings app. The personalization pages appear, including Colors and Themes.
- Select Colors, then find the Choose your mode setting.
- Open the Choose your mode list and select Dark. Start, the taskbar and supported apps change to dark colors.
Dark mode stays on until you change the setting again. The official reference for this page is Microsoft’s Personalize your colors in Windows article.
Use Custom mode for dark Windows and light apps
If you like a dark taskbar but find dark app windows hard to read (or the reverse), use Custom mode instead of Dark.
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors.
- Set Choose your mode to Custom. Extra choices appear below it.
- Pick dark or light for Windows itself (Start, the taskbar and similar system areas).
- Pick dark or light for apps.
A common setup is dark for Windows and light for apps: the taskbar and Start stay dark while app windows keep a light background.
Add an accent color to Start and the taskbar
The accent color is the highlight color Windows uses for buttons, links and other interactive parts of the interface. On the same Colors page you can:
- Select Automatic to let Windows pick an accent color from your background, or Manual to pick one yourself.
- Turn on Show accent color on Start and taskbar to tint those areas with the accent color.
- Turn on Show accent color on title bars and window borders to tint the top bar and edges of windows.
- Turn Transparency effects on or off. This setting makes some window backgrounds and surfaces look slightly see-through with a blur.
Microsoft notes that Light mode does not personalize the Start menu, taskbar and action center, and that Show accent color on Start and taskbar needs Dark or Custom mode. Turning on dark mode is therefore the first step if you want a colored taskbar. For the full walkthrough, see how to change the taskbar color in Windows 11.
Switch with a theme instead
A Windows theme is a bundle of a desktop background, window colors, sounds and other elements. Applying a dark theme changes the color mode and the wallpaper together, which is quicker when you want the whole desktop to match.
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Themes.
- Select one of the dark themes shown on the page to apply it. To get more, select Browse themes, which opens the theme collection in the Microsoft Store.
- After changing the background or colors to suit you, select Save on the Themes page and give your theme a name so you can return to it later.
Use the Colors method above instead if you want to keep your current wallpaper, because a theme replaces it. You can also keep dark mode and change the wallpaper in Windows 11 separately. Microsoft’s Personalize Windows with themes article lists everything a theme can store.
Switch between light and dark on a schedule
The Colors page offers Light, Dark and Custom, but no schedule. Microsoft’s PowerToys utilities include a tool called Light Switch that changes between light and dark mode automatically based on the time of day.
- Install PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or from Microsoft’s PowerToys page on GitHub. It runs on Windows 11 and needs a 64-bit processor (x64 or ARM64).
- Open PowerToys Settings and, in the Light Switch section, turn on Enable Light Switch.
- Under Schedule Mode, choose Sunset to Sunrise, Fixed hours or Follow Night Light. With Fixed hours, set the Turn on dark mode and Turn on light mode times.
- Under Apply dark mode to, choose System, Apps or both.
Sunset to Sunrise needs location services turned on, or you can enter your location by hand. Light Switch also has a Theme toggle shortcut setting, which lets you assign a keyboard shortcut that flips between light and dark. Setting Schedule Mode to Off keeps the shortcut working without any timed switching. Details are in Microsoft’s PowerToys Light Switch documentation.
Related settings that make the screen easier on the eyes
Night light
Night light shows warmer colors to cut down on blue light in the evening. It works alongside dark mode. If the warm tint stays on when you do not want it, see how to fix a yellow screen on Windows 11.
- Select Start > Settings > System > Display.
- Turn on Night light.
- Select Night light to open its options. Move the Strength slider to adjust the effect, or turn on Schedule night light and choose Sunset to sunrise or Set hours.
You can also turn it on from quick settings: select the Network or Speakers icon at the right end of the taskbar and select Night light. If the screen is still too bright in a dark room, turn down the brightness in Windows 11 as well.
Contrast themes
Contrast themes are meant for people who need stronger separation between text and background. They use their own distinct color combinations, so the result looks different from ordinary dark mode.
- Select Start > Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes.
- Choose a theme from the Contrast themes drop-down menu.
- Select Apply. Select Edit if you want to change individual colors such as the background and text.
To go back, choose None in the same menu and select Apply.
Dark mode in apps that have their own setting
Many apps follow the Windows app mode automatically. Others have a theme setting of their own, and that setting wins over Windows.
Google Chrome is a common example. Open a new tab, select Customize Chrome at the bottom right, and under Appearance choose Dark to keep Chrome dark all the time, or Device to make Chrome follow the Windows setting. Google documents this in its Chrome dark mode help page.
For other apps, look in the app’s own settings for an option named Theme or Appearance. If the app offers a choice that follows the system or device, pick it and the app will change whenever you change Windows.
Confirm it worked, or turn dark mode off
Open the Start menu and the Settings app. With Dark selected, both have a dark background with light text. If only Start and the taskbar are dark, Choose your mode is set to Custom with apps left on light.
To turn dark mode off, go back to Settings > Personalization > Colors and set Choose your mode to Light. If you switched by applying a theme, you can also return to Personalization > Themes and select a light theme, which brings back a light wallpaper too.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| One app stays light | The app may not support dark mode, or it has its own theme setting. Check the app’s settings, as described above for Chrome. |
| The taskbar is dark but app windows are light (or the reverse) | Choose your mode is set to Custom. Change it to Dark, or change the app choice under Custom. |
| Show accent color on Start and taskbar cannot be turned on | This setting needs Dark or Custom mode. In Light mode Windows does not personalize Start, the taskbar and the action center. |
| Colors suddenly look stark and unfamiliar | A contrast theme is on. Pressing left Alt + left Shift + Print screen turns high contrast on or off, so it is easy to trigger by accident. Press the same keys again, or choose None under Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes and select Apply. |
| Windows changes between light and dark by itself | If PowerToys is installed, open PowerToys Settings > Light Switch and set Schedule Mode to Off, or turn off Enable Light Switch. |
| The wallpaper changed when you went dark | You applied a theme, and a theme includes a background. Change the wallpaper back using the guide linked in the themes section; the color mode stays as it is. |
| The screen looks orange rather than dark | That is Night light, not dark mode. Turn it off under Settings > System > Display. |
| Night light is greyed out | Microsoft says Night light is not available with certain display drivers, such as DisplayLink or Basic Display, and that updating the display driver may help. |
| The Colors page cannot be changed on a work or school PC | Your organization may manage personalization settings. Ask your IT administrator. |
Frequently asked questions
Is there a keyboard shortcut for dark mode in Windows 11?
Microsoft’s Colors documentation does not list one. The shortcut left Alt + left Shift + Print screen switches high contrast, which is a different feature. To get a light and dark toggle, install PowerToys and assign a key combination under Light Switch > Theme toggle shortcut.
Can Windows 11 turn on dark mode automatically at night?
The Colors page has no schedule option, but PowerToys Light Switch does this. Set its Schedule Mode to Sunset to Sunrise or Fixed hours.
Does dark mode make websites dark?
It changes the browser’s own frame when the browser follows the Windows setting, but the pages themselves decide their colors. Many sites offer their own dark setting.
Why is one app still light?
Either the app has no dark design, or it has a theme setting of its own that is set to light. Look for Theme or Appearance in that app’s settings.
Can I use dark mode and keep my wallpaper?
Yes. Changing Choose your mode on the Colors page leaves the desktop background alone. Only applying a theme replaces it.
Is dark mode the same as Night light?
No. Dark mode changes interface colors from light to dark. Night light keeps the same interface but shifts the whole display toward warmer colors, and it can run on a schedule.
How is this different on Windows 10?
Windows 10 has its own steps. Follow the separate guide on how to turn on dark mode in Windows 10.
Once dark mode is on, pick an accent color and a wallpaper that suit it, and consider Night light for evening use.
Related: make iTunes dark mode on Windows 11.
Related: how to make Word dark mode on Mac.
Related: how to change the screen from black to white in Windows 10.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.