How to change dark mode on Windows 11 without activation

• PowerShell can change Windows 11’s dark and light color preferences when the usual Settings controls are unavailable.
• Set AppsUseLightTheme and SystemUsesLightTheme to 0 for dark mode or 1 for light mode.
• Restart Windows Explorer to refresh the desktop shell, or sign out and back in if the changes don’t appear.

Windows 11 restricts some personalization settings when the operating system isn’t activated, including options for changing the desktop background, themes, and colors. However, if you’re installing Windows 11 for testing, troubleshooting, or temporary use, you can still switch between dark and light modes using PowerShell.

The workaround involves changing two Registry values that control Windows and app color preferences. You can run a PowerShell command to enable dark mode or light mode without using the Settings app.

The only caveat is that after changing the Registry values, you’d have to restart the Windows Explorer process to refresh the desktop and apply the new color preferences.

In this guide, I’ll outline the steps to switch to dark mode on Windows 11 installations that haven’t been activated yet.

• Change to dark mode using PowerShell
• Change to light mode using PowerShell

Change to dark mode using PowerShell

To enable dark mode on Windows 11 without activation, follow these steps.

1. Open Start on Windows 11.

2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and choose the Run as administrator option.

3. Copy and paste the following command to enable dark mode and press Enter:

   Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize" -Name "AppsUseLightTheme" -Value 0; Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize" -Name "SystemUsesLightTheme" -Value 0

   

4. Copy and paste the following command to restart Windows Explorer and press Enter:

   Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force; Start-Process explorer.exe

After you complete the steps, Windows Explorer will restart, refresh the desktop shell, and apply the new color preferences. The Taskbar, Start menu, and other Explorer components may disappear briefly during this process.

Change to light mode using PowerShell

To enable light mode without activation, follow these steps.

1. Open Start on Windows 11.

2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and choose the Run as administrator option.

3. Copy and paste the following command to enable light mode and press Enter:

   Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize" -Name "AppsUseLightTheme" -Value 1; Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize" -Name "SystemUsesLightTheme" -Value 1

   

4. Copy and paste the following command to restart Windows Explorer and press Enter:

   Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force; Start-Process explorer.exe

Once you complete the steps, the system will switch to the light color mode.

What you need to know

These commands change the current user’s color preferences through the Windows registry. The AppsUseLightTheme value controls the color mode used by supported applications, while SystemUsesLightTheme controls the color preference for the Windows 11 interface.

Setting both values to 0 requests dark mode, while setting them to 1 requests light mode.

While writing this guide, I have noticed that this method only works on systems without activation. However, I have also tried these commands on devices with Windows 11 activated, but it didn’t work.

The changes don’t affect Windows activation or unlock other personalization settings. Some apps may also use their own appearance preferences, which can override the system’s color mode.

This workaround helps you change the appearance of a temporary Windows 11 installation without activating the operating system just to switch between dark and light modes.