Enabling Hidden Dark Theme in Windows 10 Apps by Editing the Registry
Windows 10’s interface is pretty nice, but if you’re not a fan of the vibrant colors on your screen, it can be a little tricky on the eyes. You can switch to a darker theme for many system apps with a little tweak.
As explained in the video above from YouTuber BTNHD, a simple registry edit can enable dark mode for Windows 10 system apps and other UI elements (which you can’t customize yet). To enable it, follow these steps:
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box, type “regedit” and press Enter.
- Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Themes > Personalize - If there is no Personalization folder, right-click Themes and choose New> Key. Call it Personalization.
- Right-click Personalization and select New> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it AppsUseLightTheme and set it to 0.
- Follow steps 3 and 4 again in the following location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER> SOFTWARE> Microsoft> Windows> CurrentVersion> Themes> Personalize.
- Sign out of your account and sign in again.
This feature will eventually arrive in Windows 10 with the upcoming Anniversary Update if you don’t want to mess with the registry. However, if you want to get started, or want to wait for an update when it arrives, this is a handy shortcut.
How to Unlock Dark Themes in Windows 10 Apps | MakeUseOf