How to turn on dark mode in Windows 11

Last updated: · By the DeskHowTo editorial team
Quick answer

Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors, set Choose your mode to Dark. You can also use Custom to make Windows dark and apps light (or the reverse).

Some apps (Chrome, Office) have their own theme settings that override Windows.

On this page

Windows 11 22H2 and later share the same Colors page path.

Enable dark mode

  1. Open Settings (Windows key + I).
  2. Personalization > Colors.
  3. Under Choose your mode, select Dark.
  4. Optional: Choose your accent color and Show accent color on title bars.

Custom mode

Choose Custom, then set Windows mode and App mode independently.

App-level themes

  • Microsoft Office: File > Options > General > Office Theme.
  • Google Chrome: chrome://settings/appearance.
  • Many UWP apps follow Windows mode automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Night light vs dark mode?

Night light reduces blue light; dark mode changes UI colors. You can use both.

Dark mode for File Explorer?

It follows Windows mode in modern Windows 11 builds.

High contrast?

Separate accessibility themes under Accessibility > Contrast themes.

Sources checked: Microsoft Windows support. Verified October 2026.