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 Gentle 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, Gentle Swap brings with it the flexibility to routinely swap 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 Gentle Swap in tow, PC customers can effortlessly swap between gentle and darkish UI states through a scorching key, or, alternatively, have the system deal with the method completely behind the scenes.

I welcome Gentle Swap for Home windows 11 with open arms

Despite the fact that Gentle Swap is not constructed instantly into Home windows 11, it is nonetheless a priceless first-party device to have on the disposal

I have been utilizing Gentle Swap for the higher a part of a day now, and, for essentially the most half, I am proud of the way it features. The device is straightforward to configure, with sufficient choices to fulfill my basic itch for customization. From inside 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 swap themes routinely primarily based 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 one of the best time to modify themes primarily based in your present geolocation.

Different configurable choices embrace the flexibility to pick out whether or not dark mode applies universally throughout the system, or solely to both shell interface parts or to suitable purposes. You may as well offset the theme switching set off on a minute-by-minute foundation, which could come in useful relying on particular person use case.

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

Gentle 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 strategy 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, nevertheless it does observe 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 completely attainable that Gentle Swap will finally be ported over to Home windows 11 correct.

How you can arrange auto theme switching on Home windows 11 utilizing Gentle Swap

The Gentle Swap device is out there inside Microsoft’s PowerToys software

To get began with computerized gentle and darkish mode switching in your Home windows 11 PC, observe 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 > Gentle Swap.
4. Swap the Allow Gentle Swap toggle to the on place.

From inside this similar settings web page, you too can regulate the theme toggle shortcut to whichever mixture you discover most handy. Moreover, you’ll be able to swap between computerized daylight-based and manually-defined theme swap cadences, in addition to regulate which elements of the working system darkish mode is utilized to when triggered.

Microsoft is lastly taking darkish mode severely

The corporate is working to convey darkish theming to extra legacy Home windows interface parts

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

Total, 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 explanation Microsoft has been hesitant to convey 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 parts proceed to stick solely to gentle mode, making for a disjointed end-user expertise that feels completely 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 parts 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 inside the OS that do not adhere to the theming, even in 2025.

In the meanwhile, Gentle Swap is a strong addition to Home windows 11, and it may possibly solely get higher if Microsoft improves the visible consistency and efficiency of theme switching at a platform degree 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 high of shortcut keys.