Back in the summer of 2016, Microsoft made waves with the release of its first significant feature update for Windows 10, unveiling a system-wide dark theme toggle. This new feature gave users the power to switch apps between light and dark themes with ease, though initially, not many apps or shell-level interfaces jumped on board to support it right away.
Fast forward a few years, and now you’ll find that the majority of apps on Windows embrace this toggle, letting users switch between light and dark themes seamlessly. But if you’re thinking the same progress has been made for the Windows UI itself, think again. Since that toggle’s debut, we’ve seen minimal advances in integrating dark mode.
When Windows 10 first launched in 2015, it was a bit of a patchwork of light and dark UI elements. While the Taskbar, Start Menu, and Action Center boasted dark themes, the File Explorer and context menus were still sporting lighter shades. Then, in 2016, Microsoft officially rolled out a dark mode toggle, bringing dark themes to the File Explorer and context menus.
However, this addition barely scratched the surface. Despite the improvements to the File Explorer and context menus, plenty of areas within the UI snubbed dark mode. You’d easily stumble upon sections like the copy dialogs, file properties, Run commands, the Registry Editor, and Control Panel applets, all of which remained stubbornly light.
Nearly a decade later, these parts of the Windows OS STILL lack dark mode compatibility. Right now, if you’re using Windows 11, prepare yourself for bright flashes whenever you transfer a large file or open the properties dialog. It’s not like these interface areas are rare; most users bump into them regularly, if not daily!
And the issues don’t stop there. Dark mode isn’t just incomplete in some spots; it’s downright dysfunctional. Case in point: what on earth is this?
This is an interface you can easily access straight from the Start menu on the latest Windows 11 version.
What’s truly aggravating is knowing that Microsoft had started addressing these dark mode gaps during the early development of Windows 11 back in 2020/2021. Internal builds showed progress in making dark mode more all-encompassing, covering older interfaces like file properties and copy dialogs. Yet, this effort stalled for reasons that remain unclear.
Comparing this situation to the likes of macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android reveals a stark difference. These platforms offer a consistent, complete dark mode experience across system-wide UI. You’d rarely find a misfit area that doesn’t adhere to the dark theme. Meanwhile, on Windows 11, encountering bright, untamed interfaces is a daily annoyance, with no apparent concern from Microsoft.
To add to the woes, in 2018, Microsoft introduced a dedicated light theme to Windows 10, making it the default just to patch up the incomplete look of the shell. It’s baffling why Microsoft hasn’t allocated the resources to finalize dark mode. The current state feels unprofessional and is frankly a productivity buzzkill, especially when a sudden burst of light scorches your eyes during those late-night work sprints.
Let’s be clear here—this issue lies solely with Microsoft. Pretty much every third-party app I use on Windows bows to dark mode, from Telegram to Slack, WhatsApp to Office. It’s just Windows that falters in fully backing its own dark mode feature, and the frustration is all-too-real.
I held onto hope that a shift in Windows leadership might bring a renewed focus on refining the Windows interface and completing things like dark mode. But, sadly, it doesn’t look like that’s on the horizon anytime soon.
