How to fix
Microsoft Edge: how to disable or enable Dark Mode
on Windows

I started using MS Edge as my main browser recently, and I am quite happy with it. I saw some screenshots on the internet of the browser using Dark Mode - I want to enable it as well. The problem is, I don't quite know how. Any advice you can give, please?

We have seen Microsoft leading the browser market up until the mid-2000s with Internet Explorer. Of course, this was then cut short after Google Chrome and other browsers' imminent rise within the industry, soon after people were suggested more choice and realized how immensely flawed and slow Internet Explorer actually is.

With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft wanted to get back into the market with the release of MS Edge, and while it was initially received relatively well, it did not reach the heights the tech giant has expected. So it mainly laid doormat up until the release of Chromium-based Edge in January 2020.

Even though the new browser did not surpass Chrome, it definitely built its reputation as a secure, fast, and reliable browser that can easily replace it, and many people were ready for that change. As a result, the market share went up from 5% in early 2019 to 12% two years later - it more than doubled.[ref en-4]

Speaking of the MS Edge browser itself, it turned out to be much safer and faster and also incorporates a much smoother User Interface (UI). At the same time, some people had trouble with configuring based on their own preferences, as its settings menu is rather large and confusing.

For example, users did not like that Bing is set as a default homepage and new tab URL, as everybody is used to Google so much by now. Also, some people complained that push notifications were not working properly.[ref en-3]

In any case, the recent trends showed tech companies that people like dark mode when it comes to application design. It might relieve the stress on the eyes compared to the light mode and is genuinely considered more appealing. Of course, MS Edge Dark Mode also exists, although some people might struggle to find it across a large menu.

By default, MS Edge is set to match your current Windows theme color. However, this is rather flimsy, as the theme of the browser remains light. Below you will find a step-by-step guide to show you how to enable or disable Dark Mode as required.

1. Use browser settings

• Click on Settings and more/three horizontal dots at the top-right corner or the browser
• Select Settings

  

• On the left panel, select Appearance
• On the right side of the window, under Overall appearance, you will see several options available to you - it should be set to System default. If you want to swap to Dark Mode, select Dark. Likewise, you can select Light option to switch to Light Mode.

  

Note: If you turn on a Dark Theme, the bits around the web page will remain dark, even if you turn to Light Mode. In order to disable this, pick the Default Theme.

Can't disable Dark Theme on Microsoft Edge? Here's a fix

Some people said that they couldn't disable the Dark Theme once enabling it using the regular method or even altering the Windows registry. This happened because the settings within the registry represent the old Edge, and the Chromium-based Edge is actually installed as a standalone program within the system - it is also not a Windows Store app.

Hence, re-registering the application via PowerShell or modifying the Windows registry would not really do anything to address the problem. In fact, it is important to note that there is a major difference between Dark Theme and Dark mode:

• Dark mode forces all the website content to appear black
• Dark theme colors the URL bar and other bits around the web page black.

In order to remediate the situation, we have several solutions that should work for you.

1. Use Force dark mode settings

• Open the browser and paste the following into the URL bar:

  edge://flags/#enable-force-dark

• Under the Force Dark Mode for Web Contents, click the drop-down menu
• Select Disabled to switch off Dark Theme.

  

2. Reset settings via flags

If the above method did not help, reset the settings of the web browser:

•  In the URL, paste the following:

  edge://flags

• At the top-right corner of the window, click Reset All.

  

3. Repair MS Edge

If your Edge is broken, you can try to repair it. Here's how:

• Right-click on Start and pick Apps and Features
• Scroll down to find Microsoft Edge - click on it
• Select Modify
• If User Account Control shows up, click Yes
• Click Repair and proceed with on-screen instructions.

  

If the above methods did not help you fix problems with the browser or other Windows features, we recommend you try running a scan with [d1] repair tool - it can find underlying issues within the system and replace damaged fines with working ones automatically, consequently fixing BSODs,[ref en-1] malware[ref en-2] damage, and much more.