Dark Mode has become an essential feature for Windows users who want a modern look, reduced eye strain, and improved focus at night. While Windows 10 and Windows 11 include built-in options to switch between light and dark themes, they are hidden deep in the Settings app.
What if you could instantly enable or disable dark mode, toggle app/system themes separately, and even control whether your accent color appears on the taskbar, Start menu, and Action Center — all from one simple tool?
That’s exactly what our Dark Mode Switcher does. It’s a lightweight, portable, and free CMD-based utility designed to give you full control over Windows theming with an interactive menu.
Features
- Enable or disable Dark Mode across Windows in one click.
- Switch Apps theme and System theme independently.
- Toggle Accent Color Prevalence — decide if your accent color should apply to Taskbar, Start Menu, and Action Center.
- Instantly apply changes by restarting Explorer (no reboot required).
- View the current theme status directly from the tool.
- Portable — no installation needed.
Download Dark Mode Switcher
You can download the tool for free here:
👉 Download DarkModeSwitcher_Final.zip
After extracting, run dark-mode-switcher.cmd as Administrator for the best experience.
How It Works
The tool modifies Windows personalization registry values under:
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize
Specifically:
AppsUseLightTheme→ Controls app appearance (0 = Dark, 1 = Light).SystemUsesLightTheme→ Controls taskbar/system UI (0 = Dark, 1 = Light).ColorPrevalence→ Applies accent color to Taskbar, Start, Action Center, etc. (0 = Off, 1 = On).
To ensure changes take effect instantly, the tool can restart Windows Explorer for you.
System Requirements
- Windows 10 or Windows 11
- Administrative privileges (for restarting Explorer automatically)
- No installation required — portable CMD script
Works Fully On
- Windows 10
- Windows 11
Note: Not supported on older Windows versions (7/8.1/Vista/XP).
Common Uses
- Enable Dark Mode at night, switch to Light Mode during the day.
- Keep apps dark while keeping the system (taskbar/start) light, or vice versa.
- Apply or remove your accent color from Taskbar, Start, and Action Center with a single menu option.
- Force Windows to repaint UI immediately by restarting Explorer.
Related Tools
If you like this tool, check these other useful GUW utilities:
- Screen Rotation Tool – Enable or disable auto-rotation on touchscreen laptops.
- Battery Report Analyzer – Generate and analyze detailed battery health reports for your laptop.
- Installed Programs List Generator – Quickly export a list of all installed software on your PC.
- Product Key Finder Tool – Recover Windows and Microsoft Office product keys with one click.
FAQs
Q: Does this tool affect all users?
No. It changes settings per user (HKCU), so each Windows account can have its own preferences.
Q: Will it break my system?
No. It only changes personalization registry values and restarts Explorer. It’s safe and fully reversible.
Q: Can I use it without Administrator rights?
Yes, most functions work without admin privileges. But restarting Explorer from the tool requires admin rights.
Q: Does it support auto-scheduling (e.g., dark mode at sunset)?
No, this tool is manual. For scheduling, you can use Task Scheduler to run the script at specific times.
Final Thoughts
The Dark Mode Switcher puts Windows theming back under your control. Instead of digging through Settings, you get a clean, interactive menu that toggles app and system themes, controls accent prevalence, and applies changes immediately. Perfect for power users and anyone who switches modes frequently.