Due to PowerToys, Home windows 11 darkish mode is lastly usable

After teasing the feature again in September, Microsoft has finally rolled out its anticipated Mild Swap device for Windows 11. Bundled in with the newly-released model 0.95.0 of PowerToys, which is a free obtain over on the Microsoft Retailer, Mild Swap brings with it the flexibility to mechanically change between gentle and darkish themes on the fly.

The release of Light Switch is notable because it marks the primary time a first-party auto-theme switcher has been constructed for the Windows platform — till now, third-party apps like AutoDarkMode had been required to unlock this (admittedly long-overdue) performance. Now, with Mild Swap in tow, PC customers can effortlessly swap between gentle and darkish UI states by way of a sizzling key, or, alternatively, have the system maintain the method fully behind the scenes.

I welcome Mild Swap for Home windows 11 with open arms

Though Mild Swap is not constructed instantly into Home windows 11, it is nonetheless a useful first-party device to have on the disposal

I have been utilizing Mild Swap for the higher a part of a day now, and, for probably the most half, I am proud of the way it features. The device is simple to configure, with sufficient choices to fulfill my basic itch for customization. From throughout the app’s settings web page, there are alternatives to set darkish and lightweight mode switching on a manually-defined time foundation, or to have the utility change themes mechanically based mostly on the time of day.

The latter configuration, often known as Sundown to dawn, requires you to provide PowerToys location entry. As soon as this permission is granted, it will fetch coordinates that assist it decide the perfect time to modify themes based mostly in your present geolocation.

Different configurable choices embody the flexibility to pick out whether or not dark mode applies universally throughout the system, or solely to both shell interface components or to appropriate purposes. You too can offset the theme switching set off on a minute-by-minute foundation, which could turn out to be useful relying on particular person use case.

Lastly, the Shortcuts part makes it straightforward to modify between gentle and darkish modes by way of a keyboard hotkey. By default, the shortcut is about to Home windows key + Ctrl + Shift + D, however I promptly switched it to Home windows key + Spacebar to streamline accessibility.

Mild Swap is not fairly as feature-packed as some third-party options, however I am nonetheless comfortable to see a first-party theme switcher lastly make its solution to Home windows in any case these years. Certain, it requires the set up of a separate app versus being constructed instantly into the OS, however it does comply with Windows 11 design principles, and it does work reliably. Microsoft tends to make use of its PowerToys suite to check out options earlier than they hit the mainstream, and so it is fully doable that Mild Swap will finally be ported over to Home windows 11 correct.

Learn how to arrange auto theme switching on Home windows 11 utilizing Mild Swap

The Mild Swap device is offered inside Microsoft’s PowerToys software

To get began with computerized gentle and darkish mode switching in your Home windows 11 PC, comply with these steps:

1. Obtain and set up the PowerToys software from the Microsoft Store, if you have not already carried out so.
2. Launch PowerToys.
3. Navigate to System Instruments > Mild Swap.
4. Swap the Allow Mild Swap toggle to the on place.

From inside this identical settings web page, it’s also possible to modify the theme toggle shortcut to whichever mixture you discover most handy. Moreover, you possibly can swap between computerized daylight-based and manually-defined theme change cadences, in addition to modify which components of the working system darkish mode is utilized to when triggered.

Microsoft is lastly taking darkish mode significantly

The corporate is working to carry darkish theming to extra legacy Home windows interface components

Different working methods, together with macOS, iPadOS, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS have included the flexibility to mechanically change the system between gentle and darkish mode states for a few years now. With Mild Swap for PowerToys, Home windows is actually taking part in catch-up on this division.

General, switching between gentle and darkish modes inside Home windows 11 feels a bit sluggish when in comparison with the competitors, doubtless owing to the abundance of legacy desktop code layered beneath newer PC code. Maybe this unoptimized darkish mode toggling is the rationale Microsoft has been hesitant to carry auto-switching to the Home windows platform till now.

The opposite ache level right here is to do with consistency: regardless of Windows transport with a darkish mode for the higher a part of a decade now, many UI components proceed to stick solely to gentle mode, making for a disjointed end-user expertise that feels fully unpolished.

Fortunately, this seems to be altering, and I could not be happier. In a recent Windows Insider blog post, Microsoft formally showcased new darkish mode dialogues for legacy interface components just like the Run immediate, file switch progress, file deletion, and several other error home windows. I sincerely hope to see this effort to darken Home windows’ darkish mode be accelerated, as there are nonetheless many screens throughout the OS that do not adhere to the theming, even in 2025.

In the meanwhile, Mild Swap is a stable addition to Home windows 11, and it will possibly solely get higher if Microsoft improves the visible consistency and efficiency of theme switching at a platform stage within the coming months. I do have one further request for Microsoft: please add a theme switching fast setting tile to Home windows’ Quick Settings pane, for additional comfort on prime of shortcut keys.