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How to Get Windows 10’s Dark Taskbar and Start Menu Back
Benj Edwards is a former Associate Editor for How-To Geek. Now, he is an AI and Machine Learning Reporter for Ars Technica. For over 15 years, he has written about technology and tech history for sites such as The Atlantic, Fast Company, PCMag, PCWorld, Macworld, Ars Technica, and Wired. In 2005, he created Vintage Computing and Gaming, a blog devoted to tech history. He also created The Culture of Tech podcast and regularly contributes to the Retronauts retrogaming podcast. Read more...
Prior to the May 2019 Update , Windows 10 utilized a dark Start menu, toolbar, context menus, and action center with light-colored apps. Now it defaults to a light theme by default—and if you enable dark mode, all your apps turn dark. Here’s how to get a dark OS interface with light apps again.
First, run Windows Settings by opening the “Start” menu and clicking the gear icon. Or you can press Windows+I on your keyboard.
When “Settings opens, select “Personalization.”
In the “Personalization” sidebar, select “Colors.”
In Colors settings, locate the “Choose your color” drop-down menu. If you click it, you see three choices:
- Light: This keeps Windows in its default light theme, which includes light-colored application windows and a light taskbar, Start menu, and action center.
- Dark: This choice turns on the Dark theme in Windows, which makes both the app windows and the Start menu, taskbar, and action center dark.
- Custom: This setting allows you to choose a combination of dark and light theme settings, including a dark taskbar theme with a light application theme, which is equivalent to the old Windows 10 theme. So that’s what we’ll be choosing here.
Click the “Choose your color” drop-down menu. In the menu that appears, select “Custom.”
When you select “Custom” from the color menu, two new options will appear just below the “Choose your color” menu.
For “Choose your default Windows mode,” select “Dark.” For “Choose your default app mode,” pick “Light.”
Immediately, you’ll notice that the taskbar is now dark, while application windows are light—just how Windows 10 used to look.
After that, you’re free to close “Settings.” Enjoy reliving the wild dark/light glory days of Windows 10!
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How to Change the Taskbar Color in Windows 10
Windows gives you plenty of appearance options.
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- Shoreline Community College
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- Wichita Technical Institute
What to Know
- Click Start > Settings > Personalization > Colors , and select a custom color.
- Check the Start , taskbar , and action center checkbox in the color settings, and the taskbar will change to your custom color.
- If the default Windows mode is on Light , you can’t choose a custom color.
This article explains how to change the color of the taskbar in Windows 10.
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Windows 10 gives you the ability to choose the color of your taskbar. If you don’t want fine control over the color, simply switching between light and dark mode will change the color of your taskbar. You can also access Windows settings via the Start Menu for some color personalization options, including the ability to change the taskbar color to whatever you like.
Here’s how to change the taskbar color in Windows 10:
Click Start > Settings .
Click Personalization .
Click Colors .
Click the Choose your color drop down, and select Custom .
Switching from Light to Dark or the other way around will immediately change your taskbar color.
Under Choose your default Windows mode , click Dark .
Click Custom color .
Use the color picker to choose your custom color, and click Done .
Check Start, taskbar, and action center .
Your taskbar will now reflect the custom color you chose.
Why Can’t I Change the Color of My Taskbar?
If you can’t change the taskbar color in Windows 10, first make sure you have fully updated Windows. To change the taskbar color, you need to have the Windows 10 1903 feature update or newer. If you’re fully up to date, you need to make sure you set Choose Your Color to Custom and set Windows Mode to Dark .
You can set App Mode to either Light or Dark, but you won’t be able to change the color of the taskbar if you've set Windows Mode to Light. If the Start, taskbar, and action center box in your color settings are grayed out, it’s usually because Windows Mode is on the Light setting.
Why Has My Taskbar Changed Color in Windows 10?
If you’ve noticed your taskbar color changed in Windows 10, you probably switched from dark mode to light mode. When you change between those two modes, the taskbar will automatically change colors. When the 1903 feature update arrived, introducing the ability to customize your taskbar color, it may have altered automatically at that time as well.
When you navigate to Settings > Personalization > Color , you can choose your accent color or allow Windows 10 to select an accent color from your background. If you have that box checked, then the taskbar may change color automatically from time to time. It will also change color whenever you switch to a new background image, especially if the color it was using before is no longer present in the current background.
If you want to go back to the old taskbar color, you can choose the custom color option from the colors menu and manually set the old color. When you set the color manually, the taskbar color will stay that color until you choose to change it or until another feature update alters Windows settings.
To change the taskbar color in Windows 7, click Start > Control Panel , then select Change the Theme . Select Windows Color , then choose a color from the Window Color and Appearance box. To make your taskbar color solid, uncheck Enable Transparency .
To change the taskbar color in Windows 8, press Windows key + C to bring up the Charms menu , then select Settings > Personalization . Under Change the color of your window borders, Start Menu, and taskbar , click the color tile of your choosing. Use the intensity slider to customize the color, or click Show Color Mixer to mix your own color.
To move the taskbar in Windows 10 , right-click any blank space on your taskbar and select Taskbar Settings . Under Taskbar location on screen , select Left , Right , Top , or Bottom .
To make the taskbar smaller in Windows 10 , first right-click the taskbar and make sure Lock the taskbar isn't checked. Click and hold the top of the taskbar until you see an arrow, then drag downward to make the taskbar smaller. To make it even smaller, right-click a blank space on the taskbar, select Taskbar Settings , and toggle on Use small taskbar buttons .
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Change colors in Windows
You can personalize the color or accent color for window title bars and borders, the Start button, or the taskbar.
The Dark mode has colors that are designed to work well in a low-lit environment. This option is for the Start menu, taskbar, and action center.
The Light mode is designed to work well during daylight hours. If you choose this option, you’ll be able to show an accent color for window title bars and borders .
Note: The Light mode doesn't personalize the color of the Start menu, taskbar, and action center (that option is only available for Dark and Custom modes).
The Custom mode gives you options between Light and Dark . You can choose an accent color, or have Windows select one (the accent color will provide a contrast with, or match, your wallpaper and Windows color). This option is for the Start menu, taskbar, and action center. You can also show an accent color for window title bars (the horizontal bar at the top of a window) and borders. You can play around with the colors and modes to see which ones work best for you.
Change colors in Light mode
Select Start > Settings .
Select Personalization > Colors. Open Colors setting
In the list for Choose your mode , select Light .
Expand the Accent color section, then:
To have Windows automatically pick an accent color, select Automatic .
To manually select an accent color, select one under Recent colors or Windows colors , or select View colors (next to Custom colors) for an even more detailed option.
Change colors in Dark mode
Select Personalization > Colors . Open Colors setting
In the list for Choose your mode , select Dark .
To manually select an accent color, select Manual , then select the list to the right and select a color under Recent colors or Windows colors , or select View colors (next to Custom colors) for an even more detailed option.
Scroll down and select the toggle for Show accent color on Start and taskbar and Show accent colors on tile bars and windows borders to turn them on or off, as desired.
Change colors in Custom mode
Select Personalization > Colors . Open Colors setting
In the list for Choose your mode , select Custom .
In the list for Choose your default Windows mode , select Light or Dark .
In the list for Choose your default app mode , select Light or Dark .
The Light mode is designed to work well during daylight hours. If you choose this option, you’ll be able to show an accent color for window title bars and borders.
The Custom mode gives you options between Light and Dark. You can choose an accent color, or have Windows select one (the accent color will provide a contrast with, or match, your wallpaper and Windows color). This option is for the Start menu, taskbar, and action center. You can also show an accent color for window title bars (the horizontal bar at the top of a window) and borders. You can play around with the colors and modes to see which ones work best for you.
Select Start > Settings .
Under Choose your color , select Light .
To manually select an accent color, choose one under Recent colors or Windows colors , or select Custom color for an even more detailed option. Or select the Automatically pick an accent color from my background box to have Windows select the color. The accent color you choose will help offset and complement the Light mode.
Select Start > Settings .
Select Personalization > Colors . Open Colors setting
Under Choose your color , select Dark .
To manually select an accent color, choose one under Recent colors or Windows colors , or select Custom color for an even more detailed option. Or select the Automatically pick an accent color from my background box to have Windows select the color. The accent color will help offset and complement the Dark mode.
Select Start > Settings .
Under Choose your color , select Custom .
Under Choose your default Windows mode , select Dark .
Under Choose your default app mode , select Light or Dark .
To manually select an accent color, choose one under Recent colors or Windows colors , or select Custom color for an even more detailed option. Or select the Automatically pick an accent color from my background box to have Windows select the color. The accent color will help offset and complement the Custom mode.
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In Settings, click “Personalization” in the sidebar, then select “Colors.” Under “Colors,” locate the option labeled “Choose Your Mode” and select “Custom” from the drop-down list. Below that, use the drop-down menu beside “Choose your default Windows mode” to select “Dark.”
For “Choose your default Windows mode,” select “Dark.” For “Choose your default app mode,” pick “Light.” Immediately, you’ll notice that the taskbar is now dark, while application windows are light—just how Windows 10 used to look. After that, you’re free to close “Settings.” Enjoy reliving the wild dark/light glory days of Windows 10! READ NEXT
What to Know Click Start > Settings > Personalization > Colors, and select a custom color. Check the Start, taskbar, and action center checkbox in the color settings, and the taskbar will change to your custom color. If the default Windows mode is on Light, you can’t choose a custom color.