How to Enable Dark Mode on Windows

Enable dark mode on Windows 10 and 11 to reduce eye strain and save battery. Complete guide with steps for system settings and app themes.

1. Open Windows Settings. Press Windows key + I to open Settings directly. Alternatively, click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon from the left sidebar.
2. Navigate to Personalization settings. Click on Personalization in the main Settings window. This section controls visual customization options including themes, colors, and appearance modes.
3. Select Colors from the sidebar. In the left sidebar of Personalization settings, click Colors. This opens the color and theme configuration panel where dark mode options are located.
4. Choose your color mode. Under 'Choose your mode' section, select Dark from the dropdown menu. This immediately applies dark mode to Windows system elements including the taskbar, Start menu, and Settings app.
5. Configure app-specific dark mode. If you selected Custom in the previous step, choose your preferred mode for 'Choose your default Windows mode' and 'Choose your default app mode' separately. Windows mode affects system UI, while app mode affects supported applications.
6. Verify dark mode activation. Check that dark mode is working by opening File Explorer, the Start menu, or any Windows 10/11 built-in app. The interface should display dark backgrounds with light text.