How to Fix Windows 11 Stuck in Dark Mode

Is Windows 11 stuck in dark mode on your computer?

In 2016, Microsoft added dark mode on Windows 10. This is a system-wide feature that turns white backgrounds to black, reducing eye strain.

Dark mode is available on Windows 11 out of the box. Now, you’d think that it is implemented better compared to previous versions. Sadly, this is not the case. 

In this guide, we’re going to show you some tips on how to fix Windows 11 if it’s stuck in dark mode. 

Let’s begin!

1. Check Your Settings. 

Before anything, check if you’ve actually disabled dark mode on your computer. It’s possible that the feature is still enabled on your system. 

Here’s how you can check your settings: 

1. Press Windows + I on your keyboard to open Windows Settings. 
2. Now, go to the Personalization tab in the left-hand menu. 
3. Look for the Colors tab and open it. 
4. Click on Choose Your Mode and select Light. 

Your window tabs should automatically switch from a black to white background.

2. Restart Windows Explorer.

Windows Explorer is the graphical user interface of Windows 11. Without it, you’ll need to use the command line to open applications, manage files, and more. 

If your computer is stuck in dark mode, restart Windows Explorer. This should refresh the user interface and apply the changes you’ve made with color mode. 

See the steps below to restart Windows Explorer: 

1. On your keyboard, press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC to open Task Manager. 
2. Now, go to the Processes tab. 
3. Find Windows Explorer from the list and select it. 
4. Click Restart. Your user interface should disappear for a few seconds and come back. 

Access Windows Settings to check if your system is now in light mode. 

3. Restart Windows. 

If restarting Windows Explorer doesn’t work, try restarting your entire system. This should apply recent changes to your configurations, including your color mode settings.

Here’s how you can restart Windows: 

1. Click on the Windows icon in the Taskbar to open the Start Menu. 
2. Now, access the Power Options tab. 
3. Choose Restart from the pop-up menu. 

Check if your Windows 11 computer is still stuck in dark mode after the restart.

Related: How to Fix No Power Options Available Error on Windows 11

4. Check Third-Party Apps. 

There are third-party tools, like Auto Dark Mode, that automatically enable dark mode. With these tools, you don’t have to worry about switching dark mode on and off. 

However, you’ll find some instances where you want to disable dark mode at night. 

If you have an auto dark mode tool, it can prevent you from manually changing your color mode on Windows. 

In this case, you’ll need to disable any tool that controls dark mode first. Now, you can head to Windows Settings to manually disable dark mode.

5. Disable High Contrast Mode. 

High contrast mode is a feature that applies a limited color palette to your user interface. This is what we call ‘dark mode’ way back in Windows XP days. 

Now, this feature is called contrast themes and it’s available in the accessibility option.

This overrules your current color mode. If the feature is enabled, you won’t notice any changes when switching between light and dark mode. 

Follow the steps below to disable high contrast mode: 

1. Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I on your keyboard. 
2. Now, click on Accessibility > Contrast Themes. 
3. Click on the drop down list and choose None. 

Upon selecting ‘none’, you should immediately notice a change on Windows Settings background. 

6. Update Windows. 

The version of Windows you’re using might have a bug or error that is related to dark mode. To rule this out, check for software updates to patch potential issues with your system. 

Here’s how you can check for Windows updates: 

1. First, press Windows + I on your keyboard to access Windows Settings. 
2. Open the Windows Update tab from the side menu.
3. Click on Check for Updates. 
4. If there’s an available update, click Download and Install. 

After installing the software update, see if your interface is still stuck in dark mode. 

Related: How to Fix Install Error 0x80070103 Update on Windows 11

7. Run SFC. 

There might be a problem with your system files related to the user interface.  This can cause various issues , like Windows 11 getting stuck in dark mode.

Luckily, Windows has a tool that automatically scans for file errors and repairs them. 

See the steps below to repair your system files: 

1. Go to the Start Menu and look for Command Prompt. 
2. Click on Run as Administrator. 
3. Inside CMD, type ‘sfc /scannow’ and hit Enter to run the command. After running the scan, you’ll see a message indicating if the tool found any problems. 

4. Run the Deployment Image Servicing tool afterward to repair corrupted and missing files. 
5. Inside CMD, run the following commands one by one. 

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart your system afterward to check if the problem is solved. 

8. Contact Microsoft. 

If none of the solutions above worked, the last thing you can do is ask for assistance from the experts. 

Visit Microsoft’s support page and look up the issue you’re experiencing. The site should recommend troubleshooting tips that you can try to solve the problem. 

If the suggested solutions did not work here’s what you need to do: 

1. Click on the Contact Support button. 

2. On the next page, choose Windows under Products and Services. 
3. Now, click on Category and choose Technical Support. 
4. Click on Confirm to continue. 

5. Wait for the support options to load and choose Chat with a Support Agent.

Once you’re connected to an agent, explain in detail the issue you’re experiencing. Mention the troubleshooting steps you’ve performed so they have an idea of where to start. 

That is everything you need to know on how to fix Windows 11 if it’s stuck in dark mode. For your questions and other concerns, drop a comment below, and we’ll do our best to respond. 

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