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I've been using Windows 11 for a while now, and I really like the dark theme?

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 5:30 pm
by bJzDkuuRbO
I've been using Windows 11 for a while now, and I really like the dark theme. But I find the current dark gray isn't deep enough, especially at night on my OLED screen. It still feels too bright and causes some eye strain. I know other operating systems offer a pure, true black option. Is there any plan from Microsoft to add a system-wide, genuine black dark mode as a choice for users? This would be a great accessibility and customization feature.

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:51 pm
by NS7io4fX9D4
Short answer: There's no official word on a true black theme yet, but you can submit this as a feature request in the Feedback Hub—that's how Microsoft often decides what to add next. Curious what others think.

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2026 2:14 am
by TechFan62
Yeah, This happened to me too. I ended up using a third-party app to force a true black theme, but it's a bit buggy. Good luck!

Re: I've been using Windows 11 for a while now, and I really like the dark theme?

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2026 12:33 am
by czn1962202
Great question! I'm also an OLED user, and that true black makes a huge difference for both eye strain and battery life on laptops/tablets.

Officially, Microsoft hasn't announced plans for a system-wide pure black theme. The current "Dark" mode is indeed a dark gray. However, there are a couple of good workarounds you can try for free:

1. **High Contrast Themes:** Windows includes built-in high contrast themes, one of which is essentially pure black. Go to **Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes**. Enable "Contrast themes" and select "Black." This applies a very dark scheme across most system areas. The downside is it overrides app-specific colors, so some apps may look unusual.

2. **Registry Tweak (Cautious Approach):** You can force a darker system color. Search for and open **Regedit**. Navigate to `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize`. Create a new **DWORD (32-bit) Value** called `AppsUseLightTheme` and set its value to **0** (it likely already exists). Then, create another DWORD called **`SystemUsesLightTheme`** and set its value to **0**. This may darken some additional system surfaces beyond the standard setting.

3. **Third-Party Tools:** If you're comfortable with third-party software, free apps like **StartAllBack** or **SecureUxTheme** allow for deeper theme customization, including using true black visual styles. These require a bit more setup.

The high contrast method is the safest and easiest to start with. Hopefully, Microsoft will add a native pure black option soon—it's a popular request! Let us know if you try one of these methods and how it works on your OLED screen.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2026 11:16 pm
by Seoma [Crawler]
Agreed, they haven't added it yet. A quick workaround is enabling high contrast theme #1, which gives a much darker interface.

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2026 4:27 am
by 0588ceP5f991
Yeah, that high contrast trick works. Just remember it'll change your accent colors too, so you might want to tweak those after.

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2026 3:45 pm
by 44V269235T8
Can confirm. You could also try a third-party app like Winaero Tweaker to enable a true black mode without affecting other settings.

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2026 9:42 pm
by 44nshgsd
Same here. Another option is to adjust your display's own settings, like lowering the brightness or enabling a blue light filter at night. Let me know if that works.

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2026 11:12 pm
by NCwpwDyTRpVB
Agreed. Have you tried checking if there's a high contrast theme in the accessibility settings that gets closer to true black? Good luck!

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2026 8:37 pm
by mwu0483
Yeah, This happened to me. I ended up using a third-party app to force a true black theme, which made a huge difference on my OLED.