To enable dark mode in Word for Windows, select File > Account, open the Office Theme drop-down menu, and choose Black. The ribbon, menus and the document page all turn dark, and you can flip the page back to white at any time with View > Switch Modes.
Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024 and Word 2021 on Windows, with shorter sections for Word for Mac and Word for the web. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.
What dark mode changes in Word
Word has two separate dark settings, and knowing the difference saves a lot of confusion:
- The Office Theme controls the color of the ribbon, menus and the area around the page. The Black theme is the one Microsoft calls Dark Mode.
- The page color is the editing area you type on. With the Black theme, Word shows a dark page with light text, and the Switch Modes button changes just the page between dark and white.
Dark mode is a viewing preference only. Microsoft states that it does not change how the document prints or how it looks to the people you share it with, so nothing is altered in the file itself.
Turn on dark mode in Word for Windows
- Open Word and select the File tab at the left end of the ribbon. The full-screen File menu opens.
- Select Account in the left-hand list. The account page shows your sign-in details and an Office Theme setting.
- Open the Office Theme drop-down menu to see the available themes.
- Select Black. The window changes right away: the ribbon and menus turn dark.
- Go back to your document. The page now has a dark background with light text.
The same Office Theme menu is also available under File > Options > General, in the Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office section. Use whichever route you find first; both change the same setting. Select OK to close the Options window when you use that route.
Which Office Theme should you pick?
Microsoft lists five themes for current versions of Word on Windows:
| Theme | What you get |
|---|---|
| Black | The darkest look. This is dark mode, and Word also darkens the document page. |
| Dark Gray | Softer gray menus and ribbon. A middle option if Black feels too stark. |
| Use system setting | Word switches between White and Black to match the light or dark mode set in Windows. This is the default. |
| White | A bright, light interface. |
| Colorful | Like White, with the top of the ribbon in the app’s own color. |
Pick Black if you want Word dark all the time. Pick Use system setting if you would rather control everything from Windows; Word then goes dark whenever Windows does. If Windows is still in light mode, see our guide on how to turn on dark mode in Windows 10.
The Office Theme is a Microsoft 365 setting, and Microsoft’s instructions say you can change it from any of the apps. Expect Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook to follow the theme you choose in Word.
Make the page dark or white with Switch Modes
Many people like dark menus but prefer to write on a white page, or need to check how a document will really look before printing. You do not have to leave dark mode for that:
- With the Black theme active, select the View tab on the ribbon.
- Select Switch Modes. The page changes from dark to white while the ribbon stays dark.
- Select Switch Modes again to return to the dark page.
To keep the page white every time, even with the Black theme, go to File > Options > General. In the Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office section, next to the Office Theme box, select the checkbox for Never change the document page color, and then select OK.
Dark mode in Word for Mac
Microsoft’s instructions for Word for Mac start with the appearance of macOS itself. On current versions of macOS, open System Settings, select Appearance in the sidebar, and choose Dark. Word then opens in dark mode, and View > Switch Modes changes the page between dark and white, just as on Windows.
If your Mac is dark but you want Word to behave differently, go to Word > Preferences > General > Personalize. Microsoft describes two choices there: Turn off Dark Mode, which keeps Word light, and Dark Mode has a white page color, which keeps dark menus with a white page. Microsoft lists Word for Mac version 16.49 or later as the requirement. We have a separate walkthrough on Word dark mode on a Mac.
Dark mode in Word for the web
In Word for the web, open a document and select View > Dark Mode. Both the ribbon and the page turn dark. The Switch Background button changes the page between dark and white. If your operating system or browser is already set to dark mode, Word for the web uses dark mode by default.
How to turn dark mode off again
Go back to File > Account > Office Theme and choose White or Colorful. If the theme is set to Use system setting, Word stays dark for as long as Windows is in dark mode, so choose White or Colorful to keep Word light regardless of Windows.
Troubleshooting
Word turned dark and I did not change anything
The default theme is Use system setting, so Word goes dark when Windows is switched to dark mode. Choose a specific theme under File > Account > Office Theme to stop Word following Windows.
The menus are dark but the page is still white
Check three things. First, confirm the theme is Black; Dark Gray is a separate theme. Second, select View > Switch Modes, because the page may simply be switched to white. Third, look under File > Options > General and clear Never change the document page color if it is selected.
There is no Switch Modes button
Microsoft’s dark mode instructions cover Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024 and Word 2021. Older versions still have an Office Theme menu, but the theme names and the dark page may not be available. Installing the latest Office updates is the first thing to try on a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Pasted text has a white background
Microsoft lists this as a known issue: text copied from another app can arrive as black text on a white background. Paste it with the Paste Text Only option so it takes on the formatting of your document.
Parts of Word stay light
Also a known issue. Microsoft notes that some side panes and dialog boxes, and some document parts such as charts, text boxes and equations, may not follow dark mode. Ink drawn with a pen changes color only when you lift the pen.
The setting did not follow me to another device
Dark mode does not carry over between Word on Windows, Mac and the web. Turn it on separately in each place. In Word for the web, the choice is saved with browser cookies, so it will not stick if cookies are blocked.
Frequently asked questions
Will my document print with a black page?
No. Dark mode only changes what you see on screen. Microsoft confirms that it does not affect how the document prints. To preview the real page, select View > Switch Modes to show the white page.
Will other people see my document in dark mode?
No. People you share the file with see it according to their own Word settings. Your theme is not saved in the document.
What is the difference between Black and Dark Gray?
Black is the darkest theme and is the one that also darkens the document page. Dark Gray uses softer grays for the ribbon and menus.
Does dark mode in Word change Excel and PowerPoint too?
Expect it to. Microsoft documents the Office Theme as a setting for Microsoft 365 as a whole that can be changed from any of the apps, not as a Word-only option.
Can I have dark menus and a white page?
Yes. Keep the Black theme and select View > Switch Modes, or turn on Never change the document page color in Word Options to make the white page permanent.
For Microsoft’s own reference, see Dark Mode in Word and Change the look and feel of Microsoft 365. Once Word is dark, set the Office Theme to Use system setting if you want it to follow Windows automatically from now on.
Related: how to change the page color in Word.
Related: how to change the theme in Word.
Related: change the automatic font color in Word.
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.