How to Enable Dark Mode in Windows 11

Staring at a bright white computer screen for eight hours a day can cause severe eye strain and fatigue, especially if you work in a dimly lit room. To combat this, Microsoft introduced a system-wide Dark Mode in Windows 11.

Enabling Dark Mode instantly transforms the glaring white backgrounds of File Explorer, the Settings app, and supported third-party applications into a sleek, eye-friendly charcoal grey. Here is how to turn it on and customize your theme.

Step 1: Open the Personalization Settings

The Dark Mode toggle is located in the Personalization section of the Windows Settings app.

1. Right-click anywhere on an empty space on your desktop wallpaper.
2. From the context menu, select Personalize. (Alternatively, you can open the Start menu, click the gear icon to open Settings, and then click Personalization in the left sidebar).
3. In the right-hand pane, click on the Colors menu.

Step 2: Choose Your Color Mode

At the very top of the Colors menu, you will see a setting labeled Choose your mode.

1. Click the drop-down menu next to “Choose your mode.”
2. You will be presented with three options: Light, Dark, and Custom.
3. Select Dark.
4. The screen will freeze for about one second, and then the entire interface will instantly switch to Dark Mode.

This setting is system-wide. It will immediately apply the dark theme to your taskbar, Start menu, File Explorer, and any web browsers (like Chrome or Edge) that are configured to respect the operating system’s color preferences.

Step 3: The Custom Mode Option

If you find that the pure Dark Mode makes it difficult to read certain text, or if you prefer a mix-and-match aesthetic, you can choose the Custom option from the drop-down menu.

Selecting Custom reveals two new, separate toggles:

• Choose your default Windows mode: This controls the color of the Start menu and the taskbar at the bottom of your screen.
• Choose your default app mode: This controls the color of actual application windows, like File Explorer and Settings.

A very popular configuration is to set the Windows mode to Dark (giving you a sleek, black taskbar) while setting the App mode to Light (keeping your documents and folders white and easy to read).

Step 4: Change the Accent Color

When you switch to Dark Mode, the default Windows 11 “blue” accent color can sometimes look overly vibrant against the dark grey background. You can change this to a more subtle color.

1. Scroll down on the same Colors settings page until you see the Accent color section.
2. You can choose Automatic to let Windows pick a color that matches your current desktop wallpaper.
3. Alternatively, choose Manual and select a specific color from the grid. Grey, dark red, or forest green are excellent choices that complement the Dark Mode aesthetic without straining your eyes.