The benefits of dark screens are easy to understand—less eyestrain, easier-to-read text, and well, they just look cool, don’t they?
After a couple of years of waiting, Windows 10 now offers a native dark theme mode. You’ll also find plenty of third-party dark themes out there, more than enough to suit every taste and style.
Here are some of the best Windows 10 dark themes you can get right now.
How to Change the Windows 10 Theme
Windows personalization options allow you to change the background, lock screen, color, sounds, and cursor’s appearance. You can change it from the desktop or dig into the Windows 10 settings.
First, either right-click on your desktop and select Personalize > Themes or head to Start > Settings > Personalization > Themes.
You can choose from one of Windows’ built-in themes or click on Get more themes in Microsoft Store to see more.
1. Windows 10 Dark Theme
With the 2017 Anniversary Update, Microsoft introduced a system-wide Windows 10 dark theme, which previously was only available via a registry hack.
If you’re running the most recent version of Windows 10, head to Settings (Windows key + I) > Personalization > Colors, scroll down and set the default app mode to Dark.
The theme will change the Windows system apps and Microsoft’s store apps. You will still need to change other third-party apps on a case-by-case basis.
2. GreyEve
The GreyEve theme is our second recommendation for the best dark themes on Windows. The theme is available for download from DeviantArt. It is one of the best free Windows 10 themes worth trying.
Unlike some other themes on this list, it can be installed without using any third-party tools or editing any system files—thus making it great for users who want a hassle-free option.
The developer warns that he was forced to make it a high-contrast theme due to Microsoft’s limited dark theme options. You’ll have to check whether it suits your needs.
To start using it, download the file and place it in [USERNAME]AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes.
Download: GreyEve (Free)
3. Penumbra 10
Before proceeding, be aware that this is a Windows 10-only theme. If you’re reading this article trying to find dark themes for Windows 7 or 8, this won’t work for you.
It’s been designed to use neutral dark colors, so there won’t be any jarring contrasts or unpleasant colors anywhere on your screen.
The installation process is more complicated than the previous options. Before installing anything, make sure you’ve downloaded these three essential tools:
- UltraUXThemePatcher
- OldNewExplorer to remove the window’s ribbon.
- The theme itself
To get the theme up and running, firstly install the Open Sans font (included in the theme download). Then install UXThemePatcher, and finally, OldNewExplorer.
Next, move the contents of the theme’s Visual Style folder to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes. Now is a good time to reboot your computer.
Lastly, select the theme in the Settings app as described earlier.
You can further customize this theme by changing the Taskbar’s color and opacity. The tool is available for download on the theme’s DeviantArt page.
Download: Penumbra 10 (Free)
4. Nocturnal W10
Once again, this is a Windows 10-only theme. Despite sharing the same name as its Windows 8 counterpart, it will not work on older versions of the operating system.
This is arguably the most complex to install. You will need three third-party apps before installing the main theme. They are:
- OldNewExplorer
- Classic Shell
- UXThemePatcher
To use the dark theme, install Blank.TFF, then run Blank.REG.
Next, copy the theme folder straight to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes. When ready, patch your system using UXThemePatcher.
Finally, navigate back to Settings > Personalization > Themes and choose the theme from the list.
Download: Nocturnal 10 ($1.88)
5. Ades Theme
Rather than going for total darkness, Ades Theme uses various tones of gray and introduces some color.
While you’ll still need a third-party tool to run this dark Windows theme, it’s easier than both Nocturnal and Penumbra to install. You need UXThemePatcher, but can otherwise download the file and put it straight into C:\Windows\Resources\Themes.
Download: Ades Theme (Free)
6. Hover Dark Aero
Hover Dark Aero uses translucent blacks and grays to create a sleek and visually impressive user interface. If you want to recreate the look you see in the image above, you will also need to download the creator’s associated theme pack. The icon pack is included in the theme’s download files.
There are six different versions of the theme to choose from—each has a slightly different feel.
To make the theme work, you will need to make sure you have installed the aforementioned UXThemePatcher.
Download: Hover Dark Aero (Free)
7. Nost Metro
Nost Metro is another Windows 10 dark theme that we really like.
The theme itself is two-in-one. There is both a dark theme and a Windows 10 light theme in the same download package, and you can choose which one you want to run on your system.
You will also get a theme for Firefox (which helps add consistency across the apps you use) and two icon packs (one dark and one light).
As with many other downloads on this list, you will need to run UXThemePatcher before the theme will work on Windows.
Download: Nost Metro (Free)
8. Hastpy
The next Windows 10 dark theme style we’re going to recommend is Hastpy.
The developer behind the theme is Cleodesktop, the same person responsible for Hover Dark Aero, and the similarities are obvious; both use the same icon packs.
Unlike Hover Dark Aero, Hastpy doesn’t have a translucent ribbon. Instead, it deploys a contrasting light grey color. Once again, six different versions of the theme are available.
To install Hastpy on your system, you need to be running UXThemePatcher. Move all the files in the theme download file %windir%/Resources/Themes folder to get up and running.
Download: Hastpy (Free)
9. Ubuntu Dark Theme
If you are a Linux user who wants to bring some Ubuntu flair to Windows, check out the Ubuntu Dark Theme option.
It uses the popular Linux distro as its inspiration, with orangy hues and plenty of flat iconography. The theme is completely ad-free.
The theme is entirely customizable, so you can tweak it to fit your needs. Just make sure you are running UxThemePatcher before you begin the installation process.
Download: Ubuntu Dark Theme (Free)
10. After Dark Cyan
The final Windows dark theme we will recommend is After Dark Cyan.
Unlike some other «dark» themes in our list, this one really is completely dark—there are no accent colors or shades of grey; the theme is as black as night.
All parts of the Windows 10 system get the dark treatment, so you will not encounter any light screens that can sting your eyes unexpectedly.
Download: After Dark Cyan (Free)
A Word of Warning Before Applying Dark Themes on Windows PC
Some of these themes make significant changes to your system files. As such, make sure you always create a system restore point and back up your work before attempting to install them. This ensures you can always restore your files back in case something goes south during your installation.
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All of us make our decisions based on the current trends that are being followed by everyone all around the world. And thanks to technology being the ultimate need these days, every one of trends becomes talk to the town quite easily. One of those trends is the Windows 10 Dark Themes that’s been grabbing the attention of millions of users from all over the world. Yeah!! The most used operating system (Windows 10) in the world is again gaining all the popularity & this time, it’s for the Windows 10 Dark Themes. Also, different service providers are trying their best to give users the best from their end (with continuous updates & customizations, obviously). However the big question, is there any need for the Dark Themes? What benefit will users get out of this Windows 10 Dark Themes feature?
Do We Really Need Windows 10 Dark Themes?
On the top of my head, whenever I hear about Dark Themes, all I can think about is giving a bit of relief to my eyes. For example, many people from all over the world work on their PCs or laptops for the most of the day & this results in spending hours & hours looking at the screen. In these cases, Dark Themes on Windows 10 can be extremely helpful when the outside factors aren’t working out in your favor. Such as if there is no proper light or you are sitting in front of the system screen for quite some time, Windows 10 Dark Themes will help you relax your eyes which is very necessary.
Also Read: Best Windows 10 Themes (Free & Paid)
Here Are The Best Windows 10 Dark Themes in 2025
The Windows operating system is the most popular & accessed one in the whole world & billions of users use it on a daily basis. From an individual to the corporate sector, all of us spend much of our time on the PC and I believe keeping this in mind, the service provider came up with an official dark theme on Windows 10 PC. However, it’s a fact that every user will have different expectations & will start looking for other dark themes as well. It’s as simple as changing your cell phone’s themes which not every user will be okay with. Different users will look for different sections of the overall theme and will try other themes as well. This is why, we are explaining here the best Windows 10 Dark Themes that can give users enough options to choose from:
1. Windows 10 Dark Themes (Official One)
Since we are talking about Windows 10 Dark Themes, I believe the very first needs to be the in-built one that’s been developed by Microsoft only. Also, there are many of us who directly start looking for the dark themes for Windows 10 on the internet. Little do we know that the service provider gave us the option to use the official Windows 10 Dark Theme on the system itself?
All you need to do is, just navigate yourself to the section & enable the Windows 10 Dark Theme. As simple as that!! The path to reach to the Windows 10 official dark theme is, Settings > Personalization > Colors. Here, under Colors, you need to look for the “Choose your default app mode” & change the current option to Dark.
Doing so will bring the Dark mode to every one of those apps that’s running on your Windows 10 PC. Obviously, after using this mode for a while, you yourself will know the difference between both the Light as well as Dark app mode.
There are chances that after following the above method, the dark theme isn’t working on your apps. So don’t worry & follow the below steps to apply Windows dark theme on your PC easily:
1. Give your system command (Windows + R key) & type in RegEdit.
2. Run the command & follow the process by navigating yourself to the below path (in the just now popped-up window)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Themes > Personalize
3. Here you need to create a new DWORD & rename this key to AppsUseLightTheme, keeping the value 0.
4. Reboot the PC after saving these changes & once your system starts, you will have yourself the new Windows 10 dark theme (official) in no time.
However, there will be cases where many users wouldn’t be satisfied with the in-built Windows 10 Dark Themes. They always look for more & for those users, below are the other Windows Dark Themes they can explore easily.
2. Ades Dark Theme for Windows 10
Now that we have come out of the comfort zone of in-built Windows Dark Themes, it’s time to check out other interesting & excellent dark themes like the Ades Dark theme for Windows 10 PC. Yeah!! With an easy-to-be-installed feature, Ades doesn’t bring strain to your eyes. A perfect mixture of grey & other soft colors, Ades brings a soft color combination to different sections on your Windows 10 PC screen. Also, you wouldn’t feel that the constant working on the system is hurting your eyes, thanks to the overall experience you will have with the Ades Dark Theme on Windows PC.
Get It Here
Since the Windows operating system has many editions that are currently running successfully, there are a few features from Ades that won’t work on older Windows versions. However on the updated Windows versions, everything will be smooth & flawless with the Ades Windows Dark Theme. Also, please know that getting this theme wouldn’t take much of your time as all you need to do is, visit the official website of Ades Dark Theme & download the same.
3. Hover Dark Aero
Just like many other Windows 10 dark themes, the Hover Dark Aero is also one of those Windows 10 dark themes that requires other prerequisites to download & then start using this theme. Hover Dark Aero has been designed with the ultimate purpose of giving users something unique & exciting at the same time. Obviously the theme user interface would be simple to navigate as well as modern so that users can relate to the same easily.
Get It Here
Using this Windows 10 Dark Theme on your PC is a bit complicated so you need to give a bit of time to get this modernized dark theme. You need to start accessing the PatchUxtheme & then download the dark theme on your PC. Once the theme files have been downloaded successfully, shift all of them to the Drive C > Windows > Resources > Themes.
After putting all those files to the above path, navigate yourself to the system Themes section & you will find the Hover Dark Aero dark theme in the list. GO ahead with applying the same on your Windows 10 PC.
4. Hastpy
Another powerful, simple, & effective Windows 10 Dark Theme is Hastpy that’s been killing it from the time of its inception. There are so many things you would love to explore from this amazingly beautiful dark theme on Windows 10 PC. The user interface, uniqueness, & different customizations you can make are worth your time. On every step or click onto the Windows 10 PC screen, the experience will be different for the user & that’s just amazing to explore.
Get It Here
Whenever there are many options to choose from, we get a bit confused & it bothers us. However, with the Hastpy the experience will be different because it’s totally compatible as well as customizable for the user’s needs. The dark theme on your device is all about helping you from straining your eyes so this theme is one of the best ones you are looking for.
5. Nost Metro
Another eye-catching & interesting theme Windows PC can get is the Nost Metro that’s been gaining popularity due to its uniqueness. Specifically designed for Windows 10 updates (Anniversary Update 1607, Creators Update 1703, Fall Creators Update 170), Nost Metro gives your device a whole new look. Nost Metro works in a way where you can choose between the whole white background or the black background.
Get It Here
Using Nost Metro dark theme on Windows 10 PC doesn’t bring strain to your eyes, thanks to it’s deadly color combination. On the Customization panel, you can choose between White & Black color theme from the dark theme. Nost Metro is one of those dark themes that has become the perfect combination of color, simplicity, & effectiveness.
6. After Dark Cyan
After Dark Cyan is one of those dark themes that will catch your attention at the first time you see it. A complete dark themed selection which allows the users to customize almost everything on the theme user interface. The After Dark Cyan dark theme has been developed by the same developer who worked on Nost Metro so users can expect the same kind of effectiveness & color combination.
Get It Here
To a shocking revelation, the After Dark Cyan dark theme is an absolutely free tool that is also without any ads. The dark theme is fully compatible with your Windows 10 PC & will let you explore all the features without any hassle.
7. GreyEve
In case you are looking for a simple yet effective interface on your Windows 10 PC, start exploring the GreyEve dark theme. Thanks to this Windows 10 dark theme, users won’t require any third party software or prerequisites to install the same on the PC. All you need to do is, just download the magnificent dark theme on Windows PC & apply the same as soon as possible.
Get It Here
After successfully downloading of the GreyEve dark theme, make your way & put the downloaded file to the below path:
Username > AppData > Local > Microsoft > Windows > Themes
Once found on the list, tap on the GreyEve dark theme & start experiencing the amazing features, thanks to the developers. One thing is for sure that you wouldn’t feel dissatisfied at all & your whole time will be worth every minute.
8. Ubuntu Dark Theme
Ubuntu Dark Theme is a quite well-known name when it comes to exploring the best Windows 10 dark themes. A one-of-a-kind dark theme selection, the Ubuntu Dark Theme comes with the whole Ubuntu operating system. So if you are familiar or want to explore the Ubuntu OS, go for the Ubuntu Dark Theme without thinking twice. With enough room for customization, the Ubuntu Dark Theme doesn’t come with any annoying ads which is cool.
Get It Here
One of the limitations you might experience while exploring the Ubuntu Dark Theme is that it isn’t an entirely dark colored theme. However, the curiosity of finding & knowing what this powerful tool is all about, it’s great that you visit the dark theme website & get the best out of it.
9. Penumbra 10 Dark Theme
Something powerful enough to give your whole Windows system a total makeover, Penumbra 10 one of the best alternatives you can get your hands on. A complete pitch black theme that will make you feel out of the world where it only uses neutral dark colors (no color blending). Though it brings you an out of the world experience for the user, installing the same can be a bit complicated.
Get It Here
Before installing the Penumbra 10 Windows 10 dark theme, you need to start with installing the Open Sans font on the PC. After doing so, you need to download a third party software (UXStyle Patch) & install the same on your Windows PC. You need to make a few tweaks here by copying the Visual Style folder from the downloaded location to the further mentioned path, (Drive C > Windows > Resources > Themes).
Now you need to make your way to the Theme section through Personalization & select the Penumbra 10 to start exploring this one of the best Windows 10 Dark Themes.
10. Dark Grey Theme
One of those dark themes on the Windows 10 PC that’s been gaining popularity because of its no-prerequisites-required concept. Yeah!! An absolutely dark theme, the Dark Grey is an absolutely free dark theme you must explore. Just imagine that you are working on a window where everything is in a dark & grey combination. Exactly. Anyone would fall for it, without second thoughts.
Get It Here
Everything from the menu to different sub-windows will become eye-catching to your view & the whole experience cannot be described in words. Moreover, what takes the cake is the installation process which is quite simple to follow. All you need to do is, download the theme files & put them into the below mentioned location:
User Profile > AppData > Local > Microsoft > Windows > Themes
And after putting in the files in the above location, you need to navigate your way to the Themes section (on Windows 10 PC). Here you will find your dark theme in the list so go ahead with applying the same & start experiencing an amazing dark look.
Wrapping Up
Themes are one of those segments that can give your device a total makeover & that too without spending a single penny. From your cell phone devices to personal computers, every one of those devices can have a new look, thanks to those hundreds of themes. That is why we are talking about the best Windows 10 dark themes in 2025 that will be eye-friendly as well as a new look to your system interface. So start exploring these powerful, efficient, colored, & rich-featured dark themes on your PC & get the best out of them.
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Having an all dark interface has become a trend. There is a large number of people who prefer to go all dark in the aesthetics of their PC user interface. Aside from having a certain beauty, dark themes help reduce the torturing white light our device emits, thus helping us work in the dark environments. It also improves the PC’s performance as well as prolong the on-battery time.
The windows 10 operating system has a theme engine support, which allows users to download and apply third party dark themes on their Windows 10 machine. In this article, we’ll explore a comprehensive list of the best dark themes for Windows 10. These themes are listed below for your use and learning:
1. Default Windows 10 Dark Theme
The Windows 10 dark theme comes preinstalled Windows 10 operating system. It changes most of the White in the user interface and system apps to black., leaving the third party apps untouched. Applying this pre-installed windows 10 theme is as easy as navigating through Settings > Personalization > Colors, and then setting the default app mode to dark. However, Windows 10 users with early editions of the Windows 10 operating system will have to mess around with some registry tweaks. The steps to complete the registry tweaks are listed below:
- Open Run: To open the Run system, Press Windows key + R
- Type RegEdit in the space provided and press Enter.
- Navigate through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize.
- Create a new DWORD value the name AppsUseLightTheme with a value of 0.
- Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize.
- create another new DWORD value called AppsUseLightTheme with a value of 0.
- Reboot your computer
Note: If you desire to re-instate the default light theme on your old windows 10 edition, delete the new registry entries or simply change their values to 1.
2. Grey Eve
The Grey eve theme eliminates the white sites in your Windows 10 interface. It helps protect your eyes from the stress of having to stare at white light in the dark.
The Grey Eve theme is one of those themes that do not require a third-party app for installation. Once the theme is downloaded, you are required to place the theme in [USERNAME] AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes directory.
3. Penumbra 10
The Penumbra 10 theme, is a Windows 10 dark theme that provides users with the ability to tweak color schemes. The Penumbra 10 makes sure you don’t have to bear the bright white light from UI elements on the Windows 10 operating system. The Penumbra 10 theme comes packed with neutral dark colors. However, installing this theme on your Windows 10 machine requires some third-party apps. The steps to installing the Penumbra 10 theme are listed below:
- Download UXThemePatcher
- Download OldNewExplorer
- Download the Penumbra 10 Theme
- Open Sans font included in the theme
- Install UXThemePatcher
- Install OldNewExplorer
- move the contents in the theme’s Visual Style folder to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes.
- Reboot your Windows 10 machine
- Open the Windows 10 setting app
- Select and apply the Penumbra 10 theme.
4. Nocturnal W10
Drawing from its literary meaning, the Nocturnal W10 theme is a Windows 10 theme designed for users who are always active at night.
It helps to relax the nerves in the eye, preventing you from having to strain your eyes when gazing at the white elements in the user interface of the Windows 10 operating system. The steps to install the Nocturnal W10 theme are outlined below.
- Download and Install OldNewExplorer, Classic Shell, and UXThemePatcher
- install Blank.TFF
- Run Blank.REG
- Copy the theme folder to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes
- Patch your system using UXThemePatcher app
- Navigate through Settings > Personalization > Themes
- Select the Nocturnal W10 theme and apply
5. Ades Theme
The Ades Theme takes a different approach to eliminate the white elements in the Windows 10 interface. Instead of using replacing the white elements with black, the Ades theme uses grey and some other colors that don’t stress the eyes.
The Ades Theme has one of the easiest applications. To use the Ades theme on your Windows 10 machine, download the theme file and place it into C:\Windows\Resources\Themes, After which you can head over to settings > Personalization > Themes, to apply the theme.
6. Hover Dark Aero
The Hover Dark Aero theme provides gives the Windows 10 interface a color scheme comprising of translucent blacks and grey, a combo that is suiting for the eyes. Please note that the Hover dark Aero theme has three different color schemes. The steps to using the Haver Dark theme is outlined below:
- Download the theme file
- Place it into C:\Windows\Resources\Themes,
- Navigate through settings > Personalization > Themes,
- Apply the theme.
7. Hastpy
Hastpy is another theme from the makers of the Hover Dark Aero theme. It has color schemes similar to that of those mentioned above. Please note before you can run the Hastpy theme, you must have download and installed UXThemePatcher.
Next, move all theme files to %windir%/Resources/Themes folder. Then apply the theme from Settings > Personalization > Themes
8. After Dark Cyan Theme
Still, on this post on the best dark themes for windows 10, the After Dark Cyan theme is another highly recommended theme. Similar to Hastpy and the Hover dark aero theme, the default color scheme of the After Dark cyan theme is black and cyan. However, users can tweak the theme to suit their tastes. Follow the steps outlined below to apply this theme on your Windows 10 machine:
- Download and Install UXThemePatcher
- Download After Dark Cyan theme from here
- Open theme folder
- Open and read “How To Install Theme – Read Me.txt”
- Copy all file in “Theme” folder to “%windir%/Resources/Themes“
- Navigate through Settings > Personalization > Themes
- Select the After Dark Cyan theme and apply
9. Nost Metro Dark Theme
The Nost Metro Dark theme turns all the white Windows 10 UI elements to dark colors that keep the eye nerves relaxed. Aside from coming with a default dark color scheme, the Nost Metro Dark theme also provides users with the ability to edit the color scheme according to their taste. The steps to applying the Nost Metro Dark theme on your Windows 10 machine are listed below:
- Download and Install UXThemePatcher
- Download Nost Metro Dark theme from here
- Open theme folder
- Open and read “How To Install Theme – Read Me.txt”
- Copy all file in “Theme” folder to “%windir%/Resources/Themes“
- Navigate through Settings > Personalization > Themes
- Select the Nost Metro Dark theme and apply
10. Grey10 Dark Theme
Grey10 Dark theme is yet another dark theme available for Windows 10. On default, it offers a color scheme that features a combo of black and grey. It is a beautiful sight to behold. The steps to install the Grey 10 dark theme is outlined below:
- Download and Install UXThemePatcher
- Download Nost Metro Dark theme
- Open theme folder
- Open and read “How To Install Theme – Read Me.txt”
- Copy all file in “Theme” folder to “%windir%/Resources/Themes“
- Navigate through Settings > Personalization > Themes
- Select the Grey10 theme and apply
11. Ubuntu Dark Theme
The Ubuntu dark theme brings Ubuntu UI elements to your Windows 10 machine, alongside a color scheme that doesn’t take a toll on the eyes. The Ubuntu dark theme offers users the power of customization, users can edit the theme’s color scheme to suit their taste.
The Ubuntu dark theme is also one of those windows 10 themes that don’t have ads, you are assured of not getting strange pop-ups on your machine. However, the Ubuntu dark theme is only supported on the Windows 10 fall creators update 1709.
12. Yosemite
The Yosemite theme keeps all the color elements of the Windows 10 default theme and replaces all the whites with black. The Yosemite theme is a third party theme that shares a lot of features with the default Windows 10 dark theme. The Yosemite dark theme is a free theme and can be installed on your Windows machine, with the steps outlined below:
- Download and run PatchUxtheme on your system.
- Install theme by placing the theme folder into “C:\Windows\Resources\Themes”.
- Activate the theme Choosing this theme from the Desktop Theme option.
13. Void – Windows 10 Dark Theme
The Void theme brings the dark side to your Windows 10 machine. It offers a user interface void of those white UI elements that makes using the operating system a nightmare when the daylight is gone. It makes it easy to use windows 10 in the dark. The steps to install the void theme are outlined below:
- Download the Void theme here
- Follow the instructions provided in the download page
14. Numix Dark Theme
Still, on the topic of best dark themes for Windows 10, The Numix dark theme is yet another highly recommended theme, designed to eliminate the eye stressing white elements in the Windows 10 interface.
The Numix dark theme turns the white in the windows 10 interface to black; you are offered with a user interface that suits the eyes and prevents strain. However, this theme doesn’t come free; it requires your $25. The steps to install the Numix dark theme are outlined below:
- Download and Install UXThemePatcher
- Download the Numix dark theme
- Open the Read Me.txt in the theme folder
- Proceed with the instructions provided
15. Dark Grey
Last but certainly not least, is the dark grey theme. This theme offers a color scheme very similar to that of the Grey even theme. The dark grey theme offers a dark color with white lines.
The white lines are nothing to bother about, as the dark colors overwhelm the white lines. Installing this theme is pretty easy. All you’ll have to do is to copy the theme files to %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes and apply it from the settings.
Wrapping Up:
There you have it – a comprehensive list of the best dark themes for windows 10. If you have any personal favorites or personal recommendations, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.
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As far as we know, Windows 10 dark theme is very much asked feature in Windows 10. When Windows 10 was released globally, the most attractive personalization option was its color perks. At first windows 10 came with two themes, Dark & Light, which caused some of the native apps, such as the Settings App to had black colored UI. Since this far, Microsoft made a lot of UI changes, including Accent colors, though they did not make it up, a total dark UI. In curiosity, Developers made their own Dark themes which transform the whole windows 10 environment into the dark.
Let’s go through those gorgeous Dark themes starting from the Default Windows 10 Dark theme.
Editor’s Note: It is advised to create a restore point before trying the third party themes on your Windows and do it on your own risk.
Windows 10 Default Dark Theme
It is the one that I mentioned in the introduction. After applying this dark theme from Settings app, all native apps will appear in dark theme UI. It is only applied to those apps which support Windows 10 Dark theme by default. All of the factory apps support this dark theme, though this dark theme cannot change your Windows Explorer into the dark. Here is how to apply the default Dark theme on Windows 10 Version 1803.
Open Windows Settings. Click Start. On the left sidebar, click on the spinning gear icon. Now click on Personalization in the next screen. Then in the Color tab, scroll down to see “Choose your default app mode”. Below that you have to choose a choice, whether dark or light. That’s all, you’ve done it.
This Windows 10 theme has some limitations though. No third party apps other than from the Windows Store can’t have this dark theme applied. Even for the apps from the Windows store also needs the Dark theme support to reflect the changes.
Also Read: Schedule Night Light in Windows 10 to Protect your Eyes
Nocturnal W10 Dark Theme
Nocturnal Windows 10 theme is titled as one of the best Windows 10 Dark themes yet. It comes with nice dark UI to feel you much better than the default one. This theme is not compatible with the oldest versions of Windows, Windows 7 or Windows 8 & 8.1. W10 Dark Theme is having full compatibility only with Windows 10. You will not notice any lag using this theme to tweak your UI. It offers you very fast and cleans UI. This theme transforms your Windows’ every UI element to a dark flavored one, from File Explorer to the whole.
It’s not that easy to have the Nocturnal windows 10 dark theme on your PC unless you install some third-party applications. Once you download them all, you can follow the Deviantart’s theme installation guide.
Also Read: How to Get Night Shift Feature for Windows and Mac OS
Also, you have noted that this theme uses Sans Semibold as the basic font. If you don’t install the specified font, you will not be able to feel the most out of your Nocturnal Dark Theme.
Nocturnal Dark Theme Links: Classic Shell | UXStyle | Win Aero | OldNewExplorer
Guide to install: Nocturnal Windows 10
After Dark Cyan Theme
After Dark Cyan is another Dark theme that targets the threshold2 windows 10 release build 10586. This dark theme gives more customization for Windows 10 UI. This theme also covers the whole environment with Dark and Cyan color combinations. It’s free as well as free of ads. Here also we need a tweak tool PatchUXStyle so that you can install or personalize the theme later.
The theme appears just like an all-new-interface with fluid experience as it is optimized best for the Windows 10 November Update. Descriptive installation guide is available at the download website. Please go through the readme file for successive installation of the theme. The freedom of personalizing the theme using PatchUXStyle gives you the best of the experience.
Guide to Install: After Dark Cyan
Penumbra 10 Dark Theme
Penumbra Dark theme is a perfect suit for those who want minimalistic darkness on their Windows environment. This dark theme prefers neutral dark colors to show off the minimalistic dark look in simplicity. Penumbra looks very simple as well as easeful for viewing. It is not that easy to install this theme too.
Here also you will need to install the tweak perks. This theme also suggests its own font for the complete experience, the Open Sans. After performing all these, you can follow the installation guide given on the below link.
Guide to install: Penumbra 10 Dark Theme
GreyEve Theme for Windows 10
First of all, I should tell you, this theme is not completely dark. Also, it doesn’t allow you to customize it for your ease. The theme possesses little grey color with high contrast. If you are familiar with high contrast grey UI, you can go for GreyEve, because some apps may look very different.
Installation of this theme is very simple. Just download the theme zip and double-click the theme file. You are done. Though the Theme developer himself recommends you some fixes for your ease. The download and Installation Link is given below.
Guide to install: GreyEve Dark Theme
Grey10 Dark Theme
Grey10 Dark theme is one of the best looking dark & Grey theme which has a completely gorgeous look if used with correct color combinations. This one also is not a darker theme. Installing this theme is a bit tricky as it uses some third-party apps that you might be familiar with the above themes.
Grey10 also uses UXStyle patcher, OldNewExplorer, etc. to work great. Also, Grey10 tweaks your taskbar using another app, Taskbar Color Effects. Go to the link below for the detailed installation of this theme. All that you’ve done are at your own risk.
Guide to install: Gray10
Ades Dark Theme
Ades Dark Theme is another best-looking theme in Dark themes for Windows 10 category. This windows 10 dark theme is also not a complete dark theme. It has some light dark and greyish attributes to make it attractive. The UI will contain a variety of color combinations such as soft blue, green, grey etc. Installation of this theme looks easy, though you have to take good care about it.
Ades Windows 10 theme is provided for different versions of Windows from threshold2 10586 build to version 1709. It is must to follow the correct folder to copy it to the system unless your system will fail. And it is compatible only with the Windows versions in the above range.
This dark theme also needs you to patch your system with UXStyle, the link is given in the Guide. Also, the developer suggests a fix to overcome a bug, causes the theme to fail to show correct color combinations after a Windows Sleep.
Guide to Install: Ades Dark Theme
Hover Dark Aero Theme
Hover Dark Aero theme is a sleek looking dark theme with much more extensibility. It is very modern and elegant theme, eases out your eyestrain looking onto a dark screen for a long time. It creates an overall distinct experience with its Aero theme. Complete darkness and little translucency make the Hover Dark Theme look delightful. This theme comes with a new title bar and menu bar for Windows 10 in the file explorer.
Hover Dark Theme also has its own icon pack. This one also wants you to install PatchUX Theme app to go with the setup. It has some wide variety looks, such as a bright theme too. Further, this will be on the installation guide awaiting you.
Guide to install: Hover Dark Aero Theme
Nost Metro Dark Theme
Nost Metro Dark theme is only spotted for the three Windows 10 Versions, Anniversary update, Version 1703 & Version 1709. this Windows 10 dark theme is actually a two in one theme, which offers you both dark and light UI tweak.
This Windows 10 Dark theme provides you with an elegant and user-friendly atmosphere with its true black color contrast. It allows you to switch between Dark and Light color themes, on your preferences. This theme also uses the PatchUXStyle app to customize its interface, just like some previous ones. And the installation procedure will be detailed in the theme website given below.
Guide to Install: Nost Metro Theme
Hatspy Windows 10 Dark Edition
Hatspy Dark theme is the last best dark theme for Windows 10. This theme provides you with an elegant dark and light grey colors combined together to have a great feel. Hatspy also comes with an icon pack, as well as different tweaks for the UI components in Windows 10’s Desktop.
Hatspy also offers you to install the PatchUXTheme app, so that the theme can be applied to your System. Installation of this theme is described in the guide below.
Guide to install: Hatspy Dark Edition
Best Dark Themes for Windows 10
We’ve got a couple of best dark themes that suit the ‘Dark’ need of users, in one way or another in Windows 10. It should be noted that these themes are very specifically designed for different versions of Windows 10. That is from Windows 10 Version 1507 to Windows 10 Version 1803, these themes have distinct compatibility.
Even though Windows 10 Theme engine has some limitations to provide a complete dark UI to the users, developers are thriving to mold themes that are changing the experience of using native Windows 10 UI. And that is all about the Best 10 Windows 10 Dark Themes. Hope you all enjoyed the themes. And have fun. Stay tuned.
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