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If you want to have the ability to change the dark and light themes automatically on Windows, do not miss this article.

One of Windows’ most significant flaws since Windows 10, which Microsoft still ignores, is the timing of dark mode: it can be set to a desired schedule or to each region’s sunset and sunrise times.

This feature is available in almost all desktop and mobile operating systems, yet it remains unresolved in the most popular desktop operating system. It has prompted protests and user requests to add this feature to Microsoft, but the company has taken no action. It has not been done.

The dark theme, or dark mode, was introduced in the first annual update of Windows 10, version 1607. After almost seven years, this feature has undergone a prolonged development process and is now available in Windows 11.

However, it has seen many visual improvements. When the dark theme is enabled, inconsistencies persist in many parts of the operating system, and occasional synchronization issues occur.

Various operating system components, including the task manager and, recently, Microsoft Paint, support a dark theme, and there are rumors that this feature will become more complete.

Therefore, the possibility of automatically scheduling the dark theme will be added to this operating system sooner or later, but until then, it is not clear when it will come; we are going to use a method to activate this possibility in Windows 11 so that you no longer have to change it every time.

Activate the bright theme during the day and resume it when it gets dark; this will be done automatically.

Automatic dark mode schedule in Windows 11 with Auto Dark Mode software

There are several ways to schedule automatic changes between dark and light themes in Windows, such as running a command-line script via Task Scheduler or modifying the Windows registry. This can be done, but these methods may remain unresponsive, and sometimes the commands are not executed.

Many users are accustomed to switching between dark and light themes in sync with Sunset and Sunrise, but since no Windows service can adapt between these modes, using the methods mentioned is not very desirable.

To solve this problem, a developer with the nickname Spiritreader has developed Auto Dark Mode for Windows 10 and 11. It automatically activates dark mode and can be configured to adjust hours or sunrise/sunset times.

The program also provides options to personalize the theme and wallpaper, with some exceptions, and to assign shortcuts. The following explains how to install and use this tool.

First, download the Auto Dark Mode program from one of the following links

It will be installed and run automatically if you download it from the Microsoft Store. However, if you have downloaded the executable, you must run it and choose whether to install it for the current user or all users. Then select the language and proceed with the installation process as with any other program.

After installation, start the program, and you will see the following window. You can configure dark mode on or off by selecting any of the following options:

• Disable: Disable the service

• Set Custom hours: Set custom start and end times to switch between a dark and light theme

• From Sunset to sunrise: activate the dark theme at dusk and return to the light music at dawn based on automatic positioning.

• From Sunset to sunrise (geographic coordinates): activation of the dark theme at dusk and return to light music at dawn based on manual input of geographic coordinates

• Follow Windows Night Light: enable the dark theme according to the Night Light schedule settings, or reduce blue light in Windows.

If you select the From Sunset to Sunrise option, the program will automatically position and display your current location in the Location data section. These settings will be updated if you move to another location.

In the Offset section, you can also create a time interval for activating the dark or light theme earlier or later, and in the Postpone control section, you can postpone switching between different modes.

However, you need to go to the Personalization tab to adjust how the Windows theme settings behave when you switch between dark and light modes. There are two options to choose from:

• Pick a wallpaper

• Pick a theme

By selecting the first option, you will enter a page like the image below, and by activating the Enable wallpaper switch option, you can set which wallpaper is selected for each of the dark and light modes of Windows.

To do this, select the desired mode from the Mode section, then choose the image by selecting the Pick file option (e.g., a bright-color wallpaper for Light Theme mode and a dark-color wallpaper for Dark Theme mode).

But by choosing the second option, you enter a section where you can set the Windows theme to change entirely at the specified hours. Windows themes include customizations such as wallpaper, colors, Windows sounds, mouse cursor, and more.

You can use the dark themes in the Windows Dark Theme section when dark mode is enabled.

There are two sections in the Switch Modes tab.

In the Conditions section, you can make exceptions for special occasions. For example, do not change the theme while playing to avoid affecting system performance, or change the music only when the system is idle. If you have a laptop, it will go dark only when you turn it off.

In the Hotkeys section, you can define shortcuts to switch between dark and light themes. Changing the music from the settings doesn’t require much effort.

 For example, if you use a light or dark theme, you can define a shortcut to switch to the opposite theme in the Toggle theme hotkey section by pressing the keyboard keys. At the end, enable the “Enable system-wide hotkeys” option to trigger the shortcut. You can also change the Windows theme in any program.

For similar cases, such as forcing the light and dark themes to activate and preventing or triggering the automatic change of the article, there is also the ability to define a shortcut.

Finally, in the Apps tab, you can specify whether third-party applications follow system theme changes or remain dark or light, depending on the user’s preference.

There is a similar option for the system-wide theme and file explorer, and you can also customize how the indicator color is applied to the toolbar and taskbar. It is also possible to configure different settings for individual Office applications.

In the settings tab, you can configure the clock format, hide taskbar icons, set the program language, update settings, and enable automatic execution at Windows startup.

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