Windows 10: Activate dark theme

If you want to make Windows 10 more individual, you can activate the new dark theme. We'll show you how to do it step by step.

Update: Activate Dark Theme in Windows 10

You can activate the dark mode with just a few clicks. This not only darkens the "Settings" app but also the Explorer.

1. Go to your desktop and right-click an empty area.
2. Now the context menu opens. Select the "Customize" option here.
3. Scroll down a little, you will see the item "Select standard app mode".
4. If you select the "Dark" instead of "Light" option, the dark theme will be activated in Windows 10.
5. If necessary, you can switch back to the bright standard mode at any time.

In the past, you had to do this: Activate the dark theme in Windows using software

Note: At the beginning of Windows 10, the dark mode could only be reached via detours. In the meantime, Microsoft has officially made the function available. The following instructions are therefore no longer necessary.

• To activate the dark theme in Windows, you actually have to change a value in your registry. It is easier with a tool written by our CHIP developer Scott Finlay.
• This allows you to unlock the secret Windows design quickly and easily. You can find the download here: Windows 10 Dark Theme Activator

Activate the dark theme in the registry

To activate the dark theme in the registry, you have to do the following:

1. In Windows 10, press the [Windows] and [R] keys simultaneously so that the "Run" command opens.
2. Enter the command "regedit" and confirm with "OK". Then the registry editor starts.
3. There, go to the following path on the left: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Themes \ Personalize
4. Right-click on a free area and select "DWORD value (32-bit)" under "New".
5. Name this "AppsUseLightTheme" and then open it with a double click.
6. Check whether the value is "0". If this is not the case, change it to this value.
7. Then repeat the process for the path "HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Themes \ Personalize" and then close the window.
8. Note: You cannot currently use Dark Mode in all applications.

Dark high contrast theme

Instead of darkening the entire system, you can only change the color in the start menu.