15 Fixes For File Explorer Dark Theme Not Working

The dark theme that seems to be accessible on most modern operating systems and applications on our devices and computers is popular with most people. The new versions of the Windows 10 operating systems have a dark style in File Explorer. However, some users have reported that the File Explorer Dark Theme does not work on their machines.

How to enable the dark theme?

With the release of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, all Windows 10 users now have a convenient option for changing the color scheme to Dark without utilizing registry adjustments.

If you can’t access Settings for any reason or simply want to learn how to put stuff to the Windows registry, the latter option is still accessible to you.

By concealing the passive-interface components (also known as “chrome”), the Dark scheme reduces glare, which causes eye strain during continuous usage. It also enhances contrast for improved content visibility by hiding the passive-interface elements (also known as “chrome”).

Getting to the Personalization Pane

Click Start, Settings, Personalization, and the Colors tab on the left. Scroll all the way down to the “Choose your app mode” option. The radio button is set to “Light” by default. Select “Dark” from the drop-down menu. The modification will take effect immediately.

What is causing the Dark Theme on Windows 10 to stop working or file explorer dark theme not working ?

Make sure it’s set to System default (if the Dark theme is enabled) or Dark. If it doesn’t work, go to the app’s settings, delete the cache, and change the theme again. You will most likely have to wait for the app developer to fix the problem and release a patch.

As it turns out, there are numerous frequent factors known to disrupt the performance of the Dark Theme on Windows 10:

• Outdated Windows version — In most cases, the dark theme will not perform as intended due to several problems and quirks present in the dark theme’s beta release but have since been corrected by Microsoft. If you want a quick remedy, upgrading your Windows build to the most recent version available and installing any pending updates will most likely cure the problem.
• Error with the dark theme – There is one flaw that remains despite Microsoft’s several updates on the subject. If you have the glitch that causes the File Explore menu to only be half black, you may fix it by using the default theme and the standard background picture or by re-applying the theme.

Solutions To Fix File Explorer dark theme is not working

1. Restart Windows Explorer
2. Turn It Off and On Again
3. Login Into Your Account
4. Switch Back to Windows 10 Default Theme
5. Modify Registry Manually
6. Creating a new user account
7. Disable Customization Apps
8. Look for Corrupted Files
9. Run System File Checker
10. SFC and DISM scans should be performed.
11. Restart the Explorer through The Task Manager
12. Update Your Windows 10 to the Latest Version
13. Reapplying the wallpaper
14. Re-applying the Dark Mode
15. Drivers for video and sound cards should be updated.

What can I do if the File Explorer dark theme is not working on my Personal Computer?

Restart Windows Explorer

• Using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard combination, launch Task Manager.
• On the list, look for Windows Explorer. Right-click on the option and choose Restart from the context menu that appears.

After a few seconds, Windows Explorer should restart, and you should be able to change the File Explorer theme to dark.

If the dark theme isn’t working on your PC, File Explorer may have a problem. There may be some issues with your system from time to time.

However, you may easily resolve this issue by restarting File Explorer. Simply follow the instructions outlined above to do this.

Turn It Off and On Again

• Click your profile symbol in the Start menu. Now, from the menu, select the Sign out option.
• After you sign out, return to your user account to log in.

As previously stated, Windows flaws can occasionally cause troubles with a dark theme to occur.

According to users, if you are unable to utilize the dark File Explorer-style on your PC, you may try signing out and back in.

This can sometimes help you with some issues, and you can log out by following the steps outlined above. After that, you should be able to utilize your PC’s dark theme.

Login Into Your Account

If the dark theme in File Explorer stops operating due to a system bug, you can try this workaround.

• Launch the Start menu.
• Right-click the symbol for your profile.
• Choose Sign out.
• Log in again using your credentials.
• Return to Settings and enable dark mode once more.

Switch Back to Windows 10 Default Theme

• Navigate to the Personalization section in the Settings app.
• Select Themes from the left-hand menu. Select Windows from the list of possible themes in the right pane.

After that, you’ll be returned to the normal theme, and the dark theme should begin to operate in File Explorer. Windows 10 offers a wide range of customization options, including swapping between several themes.

These themes often have their color palette, and although they allow you to tailor your Windows experience, they can also occasionally cause bugs.

Unless you’re using the default theme, the dark theme for File Explorer isn’t available.

Modify Registry Manually

If you’re still having trouble configuring Dark mode in File Explorer, you may try using the Windows Registry Editor. It should be mentioned that altering Windows Registry entries is dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing since any mistakes might harm your computer. As a result, proceed with caution and strictly adhere to the instructions.

• To enter the Run dialogue box, press the Windows+R keys simultaneously.
• To open the Registry Editor, type Regedit and press OK.
• Then, on the Registry Editor’s left side, browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes.
• Once you’ve arrived at the Themes key, right-click it, pick New, and then Key.
• Personalize the new key’s name.
• Then, right-click on the new Personalize key, choose New, and then DWORD (32 bit) Value.
• AppsUseLightTheme should be the name of the registry DWORD (REG DWORD).
• Set its Data to 0. By right-clicking AppsUseLightTheme and selecting Modify, you can see if the Data value is 0.
• By default, value data should be set to 0. If not, enter 0 as the Value data and press OK.
• Go to HKEY CURRENT USER by right-clicking the Personalize registry key.
• The identical DWORD (REG DWORD) titled AppsUseLightTheme can be found here. Modify the AppsUseLightTheme registry DWORD by right-clicking it.
• Set its Value data to 0.
• Close Registry Editor and start using Windows 10 in Dark Mode.

Creating a new user account

• Navigate to the Accounts section on your Settings page.
• Choose Family & Other People from the left-hand menu.
• Choose the Add someone else to this PC option from the right pane.
• I was hoping you could select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information and then Add a user who does not have a Microsoft account.
• Click Next after entering the desired username for the new account.

This can happen for a variety of reasons, but you can easily resolve the issue by creating a new user account.

Because there is no simple solution to repair a damaged user account, your best choice is to create a new user account. As you can see above, this is a really straightforward process.

After that, you should have a new account set up and ready to go. Switch to the new account and enable the dark theme to see whether the problem has been rectified.

Disable Customization Apps

Several third-party programs are available to apply themes to Windows 10 or modify the color of folder icons. While these programs assist you in customizing your user interface, they may prevent File Explorer from correctly rendering dark mode.

If you have installed customized applications, deactivate or uninstall them to avoid future issues. You may have installed a customizing software a long time ago and forgotten about it, and it has now resurfaced to present a problem.

You may view the full list of applications loaded on your smartphone and begin determining what is causing the problem. Search for applications & features in the Start menu search box and pick the Best Match. Check for and delete any previous customization tools.

Look for Corrupted Files

Because of a corrupt file, File Explorer dark mode may fail to load or display. If this is the case, you should conduct a scan using a System File Checker. The scan will take no more than 20 minutes and is a straightforward procedure.

• Look for the command prompt in the Start menu search bar.
• Select Run as administrator from the Best Match menu.
• Enter sfc /scannow into the Command Prompt window.
• Enter your password.

The system file checker command searches for and replaces corrupt files. The scan was successful if you got the Windows Resource Protection identified damaged files, and successfully fixed them a message.

Close the Command Prompt window and restart your device. If the issue was a corrupt file, File Explorer dark mode should be functional.

Run System File Checker

The troubleshooting steps given above should work unless you haven’t previously gotten the Windows 10 October 2018 Update on your PC. However, suppose dark mode continues to fail to load or display properly.

In that case, it’s time to examine and repair your PC for corrupted system files that may be preventing the operating system from functioning smoothly. Fortunately, you can simply do this with the System File Checker.

Begin by launching a Command Prompt terminal with elevated privileges (type cmd into the Start menu, and then select Run as Administrator). Enter the following command into the Command Prompt console, followed by the Enter key: sfc /scannow

The Command Prompt interface should take some time to scan and correct problems on your computer. If problems were discovered and resolved, you should see the message ‘Windows Resource Protection discovered corrupt files and successfully corrected them’ appear on the screen.

SFC and DISM scans should be performed

If the dark theme isn’t working in File Explorer, your installation may be damaged. This can happen for various causes, and it is recommended that an SFC scan be performed to resolve the issue.

• Open Command Prompt as administrator by typing cmd into the Windows search box and selecting Run as administrator. If you like, you may also utilize PowerShell (Admin).
• Type sfc /scannow into the Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute it.
• The scan will now begin. This scan might take up to 10-15 minutes, so don’t interrupt it in any way.

The technique is fairly straightforward, and you may complete it by following the preceding instructions.

• Launch Command Prompt as an administrator and type the following command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /restore health

• This scan can take up to 20 minutes and occasionally longer, so don’t interrupt it.

Check to see whether the problem persists after the scan has been finished. If you were unable to execute an SFC scan previously, try executing it after the DISM scan to see if it helps.

Restart the Explorer through The Task Manager

Small system flaws may cause the Windows 10 dark theme to fail. If this is the case, here’s what you can do:

• Pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys on your keyboard will launch the Task Manager.
• Choose Windows Explorer.
• Click the Restart button.
• Reactivate dark mode after restarting Windows Explorer.

Update Your Windows 10 to the Latest Version

If you’re experiencing this problem, one of the first things you should do is update your Windows 10 build to the most recent version. Remember that the Dark theme was published as a beta version for several Windows 10 releases.

It was known to have several problems and malfunctions that made the experience less than enjoyable.

However, the theme has grown and is now nearly bug-free. However, to acquire the most recent version, you must ensure that your Windows 10 operating system is updated. Here’s a little tutorial on how to accomplish it:

• To launch the Run dialogue box, press Windows key + R. Then, in the Settings app, type “ms-settings: windows update” and hit Enter to open the Windows Update screen.
• Click Check for Updates under the Windows Update tab, then follow the on-screen prompts to install every pending update until none remain.
• Click Check for Updates under the Windows Update tab, then follow the on-screen prompts to install every pending update until none remain.

Reapplying the wallpaper

Some customers who were experiencing a strange issue in which only half of the File Explorer was truly dark were able to repair the issue by visiting the current theme settings and reapplying the wallpaper. This may appear to be a random step, but several customers have stated that they were able to address the issue indefinitely by doing so.

If this scenario applies to you, here’s what you need to do to solve it:

• To launch the Run dialogue box, press Windows key + R. Then, type “ms-settings: themes” and click Enter to access the Settings app’s Themes tab.
• Select the Windows theme (NOT the Windows 10 theme), then click on Background and choose one of the theme’s preset backgrounds.
• You should be able to use the Dark theme again as soon as you reapply the wallpaper.

Re-applying the Dark Mode

If you’ve gotten this far with no results, the problem is probably caused by a well-known bug that prevents the Dark theme from appearing in File Explorer. Several users who were experiencing the same experience were able to remedy the issue by re-enabling dark mode (once or twice).

Here’s an easy approach to re-enabling Dark Mode in Windows 10 to remedy the dark theme issue:

• To launch the Run dialogue box, press Windows key + R. Then, in the Personalization Settings menu, type “ms-settings: colors” and press Enter to access the Colors tab.
• Scroll down to the More settings area inside the Colors page and adjust the Default app mode back to Light before restarting your computer.
• Return to the Colors menu and adjust the Default app mode back to Dark after the next computer restart.
• Check File Explorer to determine whether the problem has been repaired.

Drivers for video and sound cards should be updated

When you upgrade your operating system, all device drivers are generally updated. If that isn’t the case for your PC, you may attempt manually upgrading the video and sound card drivers or utilizing specific tools to do so.

Conclusion

Keeping your Windows system up to date is one of the most important components of having a dark theme and other features and upgrades functioning properly on your PC. This includes upgrading your drivers on a regular basis, which may be a daunting task when done manually.