The dark modes are special display modes that make reading easier in some environments; save battery life on mobile or portable devices; and protect users’ eyes in low-light environments and with certain panel technologies such as OLEDs. In short, they provide a different experience compared to standard viewing modes, usually with light tones.
Dark modes are all the rage and have been added as a customization tool to major operating systems and applications. It must be said that not all of them are equally achieved or do not have native modes, obtaining them from the system’s own configuration where they are installed. Although not everyone likes them and they are not suitable for all types of usage environments, they have a legion of followers. If you include yourself in this group or you want to try something different for your computer desktop, we have selected some of the themes that we like with focus on Windows 11. If you use other systems, at the end we will comment the way to activate them.
Dark mode in Windows 11
Windows 11 has one of the best native implementations for this display mode and obviously, it’s the first one you should try to see if you like it. Its activation is very simple:
- Press the “Windows + I” hotkeys to access the general System Configuration tool.
- In the left menu select Customization > Colors.
- Open the drop-down menu and select Dark Mode.
- Select Custom if you want this mode to apply only to system items or also to applications.
- You can also check the transparency effects to make windows and surfaces appear translucent and the general emphasis colors or those to be seen in the start menu, taskbar, title bars and screen borders.
The truth is that it is very well achieved and is quite customizable compared to other sections of the Windows interface. If you want to reinforce even more the dark mode, you can manage the section of the Accessibilitywhich, although dedicated especially to people with visual impairments or light sensitivity, also allows you to change the color of a larger number of interface elements. You can manage it in Settings > Accessibility > Contrast Themes and even further customize the theme with the edit button.
Dark Themes for Windows 11
Microsoft includes in the default installation of the system a few themes and some of them directly enable dark mode. The management of the themes, whether the installed ones or the third-party ones that we will select below, are managed in the same way:
- Press the “Windows + I” hotkeys to access the Configuration tool.
- Select Personalization > Themes.
- Choose the one you like the most.
- On the same page you have links to additionally configure the desktop icons and contrast themes that we saw earlier in the accessibility section.
If you select a dark mode ready theme like the one we have selected for the example you can already enjoy it, although in all cases you can access the Colors section for further customization. Remember that they are different things and the Themes combine wallpapers, sounds and colors, specially designed.
Third party themes
There are quite a few places to get third-party themes and the main one is the Microsoft Store itself where you have a lot available, most of them free and others downloadable at very low prices. In the GitHub repositories you can find some and in specialized web portals like Windows Themes you have all you want.
All are managed just like the official ones included in the system. You download and select them from the Configuration tool > Themes. It must be said that the ones you download from the Microsoft Store will be automatically added to the system Themes. For the rest, double-click on the downloaded file with .theme extension. We leave you with a selection of makeuseofalthough there are thousands available to choose from.
Dark Space
If you like everything related to the Cosmos, you’re going to love this Theme. It includes 18 wallpapers with 4K ultra HD resolution and features scenes like the glow of stars in the dark immensity or the beauty of planets surrounded by clouds of dust and gas to illuminate your desktop from the deep universe.
Free download from Windows Themes
GreyEveTheme
A simple and minimalistic theme that turns your desktop into a deep, dark black space. It adds a dark gray tone to Windows applications with white borders all around. The effects apply to settings, start menu, calendar panel, notification panel, file explorer and other system application windows. Applies Windows High Contrast feature so it saves managing anything in Accessibility.
Free download on GitHub
Dark Abstract
Abstract creations are another of the designs that abound when we talk about dark modes. This one is one of the most successful in a fusion of dark colors and innovative shapes. It includes 17 wallpapers with a creative combination of different shapes, colors and textures.
Free download from Windows Themes
The Northern Lights
The northern lights have fascinated scientists and skywatchers for millennia. These natural displays of light that occur when the Earth’s magnetic field redirects energized particles from the Sun toward the North Pole are a grandiose spectacle of light and color and this theme captures them in all their splendor. It includes 15 high-definition themes with photographs taken from Norway or Iceland.
Free download from Microsoft Store
Earth From Above Premium
Back to the sky, but looking down. If you’ve been wondering what the Earth looks like from above, this theme offers fascinating images of our planet, its continents, weather and a global silhouette. Includes 14 backgrounds at 4K resolution.
Free download from Microsoft Store
Dark Fantasy Landscape
Mysterious landscapes, strange creatures and deep shadows for your desktop in this dark fantasy theme we’ve seen in games and videos. Scary and gloomy, many of us love these imaginary worlds that look here with 16 different landscapes in colors and shapes.
Free download from Windows Themes
Forest Camo Special Edition
As the name suggests, this theme displays a camouflage design in deep, dark and green tones, showing the beauty of plants, trees, lakes and mountains. It includes 9 different backgrounds for those who like the natural world. If green is not your desktop color of choice, there is a blue version from the same designer with the same approach.
Free download from Microsoft Store
Dark Cars
If you like -like us- the world of motors and speed, here is a theme dedicated to it, with 17 wallpapers including cars from Lamborghini, Audi, Aston Martin, Maserati and others. Of course in elegant dark colors and great customization as in the other themes.
Free download from Windows Themes
Dark Amoled
Horror, mystery, fantasy… That’s the world this theme is about, showing scenes from zombie-inspired movies, horror tales and dark fantasy. It features 16 premium HD wallpapers of evil beings, ghostly creatures, haunted towns and dark forests.
Free download from Windows Themes
Dark Skies
We end this selection, of course, with a look at the skies. A gothic and mysterious world where black and blue colors abound, based on high-resolution images captured by photographer Tracy Hymas.
Free download from Microsoft Store
Dark themes in other systems and applications
As we said above this special display mode is present in major operating systems, applications and services. Its activation is similar to that of Windows 11.
Windows 10
Close to the implementation of Windows 11, it looks very good in dark environments and also in others with more light, although it does not reach equally to the entire interface nor is equally achieved in all components. It is activated in the Settings > Personalization > Colors page and you can customize the default mode of Windows and applications. In contrast to the dark mode and for users who prefer the exact opposite, Microsoft has also implemented a “light mode” that is enabled in the same tool. To say that virtually all the themes selected above for Windows 11 also work on Windows 10.
macOS
Like Windows, macOS also has a system-wide dark mode setting. You can find it by opening Apple > System Preferences > General, selecting under Appearance the options Dark, Light or Automatic. If you select the latter, the overall theme will change according to the time of day in your time zone. Applications that support dark and light modes, including all Apple applications, will also automatically change according to the time.
Android
The way to enable dark mode on Google’s system will vary slightly depending on the manufacturer of the terminal and the custom interface that you have enabled. For example, on Android 13 on a Galaxy S, you can manage it in a general way in the menu Settings > Display > Dark mode or activate it directly from the quick menu. Any app that supports this mode, whether internal like the calendar or photo gallery, or external like Gmail, will automatically enable this mode. It has quite a bit of added customization and looks great on a phone like this with OLED screen.
iOS and iPadOS
It was one of the novelties of iOS 13 and is a mode fully adapted to the system and apps, which allows to take advantage of the OLED screens of the most current iPhone and improve autonomy as these panels turn off the pixels to represent the black color. It is enabled in Settings > Display and brightness and as in macOS offers the three modes, light, dark and automatic. It can also be enabled in the specialized operating system for tablets, iPadOS.
Linux
The vast majority of GNU/Linux distributions and major desktop environments such as KDE and Gnome have options to achieve this type of display mode and in addition, third-party software allow a great deal of customization. An example of a native solution is Ubuntu, with a selector located in the System Settings > Appearance that -although not called as such- allows you to opt for a dark, light or standard mode.
