I've been using the dark theme in Windows 11, but it's still a very dark grey?

[SRdUs]

I've been using the dark theme in Windows 11, but it's still a very dark grey. On my OLED screen, a pure black theme would be much better for battery life and my eyes at night. Is there any setting or official plan to add a genuine, system-wide #000000 black mode? The current one just doesn't go dark enough for my display.

[883uad]

So basically, Yeah, tbh there's no official pure black theme yet. Some people use third-party apps or registry tweaks, but it's a bit of a workaround.

[lx066582183]

Yeah, I had the same problem. I ended up using a high contrast theme from the accessibility settings to get closer to true black.

[vas69KR16bym]

Great question! Many OLED users feel the same way. Currently, Windows 11 doesn't have a built-in, system-wide pure black (#000000) theme. The "dark mode" is indeed a dark grey to maintain readability and visual hierarchy.

However, you can force a much darker look with a few free tweaks:

1. **High Contrast Theme:** Go to **Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes**. Try the "Black" high contrast theme. This gets much closer to true black for many elements, but it will change all your accent colors to a limited palette. It's the most system-wide option available natively.

2. **App-Specific Settings:** Some built-in apps like **Microsoft Edge** and the **New Outlook** have their own "dark mode" settings that can be set to a darker shade than the system. Check the appearance settings within those specific apps.

3. **Registry Hack (Advanced):** You can manually edit the dark mode grey values via the Registry Editor to make it significantly darker. A quick web search for "Windows 11 dark mode registry darker grey" will provide guides. **Always back up your registry before making changes.**

There's no official word on a pure black mode, but user feedback in the **Windows Feedback Hub** (search for it in the Start Menu) is the best way to let Microsoft know this is a wanted feature. Adding your voice there helps!

It's a bit frustrating that such a great OLED benefit isn't fully supported yet. Hopefully these workarounds help a little until Microsoft adds a native option. Let us know if you try the high contrast theme and how it looks on your screen

[47nnptui]

Yeah, I had the same problem. I ended up using a third-party app to force true black, but it's a bit clunky and I really wish Microsoft would just add it officially.

[ys8423703103]

Same here. This happened to me too. I found a registry tweak that forces darker elements, but it's definitely not a perfect or user-friendly solution.

[i52e9bwxx0q]

Yeah, that registry tweak is a bit clunky—have you tried adjusting the contrast themes in the accessibility settings to see if that gets you closer to true black?

[114en]

Yeah, that's a solid suggestion. Also, if you use certain apps like File Explorer in dark mode, double-check their individual settings as some have their own dark theme intensity. Hope that helps.

[PMVvbHVvs]

Agreed. You might also try the high contrast themes under Accessibility settings—some get closer to true black. Hope that helps.

[ShpOLTF]

Yeah, that's a solid suggestion. Also, if you're comfortable with it, third-party apps like StartAllBack can sometimes force a deeper black.