Microsoft’s Windows Dark Mode: A Decade of Incomplete Implementation

Back in the summer of 2016, Microsoft rolled out a significant update to Windows 10, bringing with it the highly anticipated dark theme toggle. This nifty feature allowed users to seamlessly switch their apps between light and dark themes throughout the system. At first, many apps and certain aspects of the interface didn’t immediately accommodate this feature, but over time, the landscape began to change.

Fast forward to today, and you’ll find that most apps on Windows now embrace this light-to-dark theme transition thanks to the built-in Windows toggle. However, the Windows interface itself has lagged behind in keeping up with this trend.

When Windows 10 made its grand entrance in 2015, users were greeted with a jarring mix of light and dark elements within the UI. While features like the Taskbar, Start Menu, and Action Center sported a dark theme, the File Explorer and context menus stood out in stark contrast with their light backgrounds. Microsoft did respond by introducing a dark mode toggle in 2016, which extended this theme to the File Explorer and context menus.

Despite this update, the enhancements were mostly superficial. Yes, dark mode graced the File Explorer and context menus, but plenty of other UI aspects like copy dialogs, file properties, Run commands, the Registry Editor, and Control Panel applets remained in the light.

Fast forward nearly a decade, and these areas are still immune to dark mode. Windows 11 is notorious for hitting users with blinding whites when copying large files or opening property dialogs—hardly a minor annoyance given these are frequently accessed parts of the OS.

Adding to the irritation is the fact that dark mode doesn’t stop at being incomplete—it’s occasionally broken. Check this out:

[Imagine you’re seeing an image of an inconsistent dark mode interface here.]

This interface is right there from the Start menu, even on the latest version of Windows 11. What adds to the frustration is knowing that Microsoft initiated an effort to refine dark mode during Windows 11’s development phase around 2020 and 2021. There were even internal builds showcasing in-progress tweaks to the older interfaces, like file properties and copy dialogs. However, this ongoing work seems to have hit a dead end.

It’s hard not to draw comparisons with other operating systems like macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android, which tend to sport a more uniform and fully integrated dark mode. On those platforms, when you switch on dark mode, it’s rare to find parts of the system that don’t align.

To rub salt in the wound, Microsoft introduced a standalone light theme to Windows 10 in 2018, making it the default just so the shell didn’t feel so unfinished. It’s puzzling why Microsoft hasn’t dedicated more resources to completing dark mode. It’s not just a matter of looks; it seriously affects productivity. Imagine working late at night, only to be jolted by a bright interface invading your screen.

It’s crucial to emphasize that this issue sits solely with Microsoft. Third-party applications like Telegram, Slack, WhatsApp, and Office have seamlessly embraced dark mode. Ironically, it’s just Windows itself that hasn’t fully committed to its dark mode feature, which leaves me, and likely many others, quite exasperated.

With hopes pinned on a leadership change in the Windows division, it seemed plausible that we might witness a renewed focus on refining the Windows interface. However, as it stands, any substantial improvements appear to be a distant hope.