- To enable dark mode on Outlook for Windows 11, open Outlook > Settings > General > Appearance, and under the “Dark mode” section, select the “Dark” option. The “Use system settings” option changes the color scheme depending on the system color.
- These instructions apply to Windows 11 and 10, the desktop app, and the online experience.
UPDATE 10/30/2024: On Windows 11 (and 10), the new Outlook app includes an option to switch from light to dark color mode, and this guide outlines the steps to complete this task.
The new Outlook app is a new experience that replaces the Mail and Calendar apps and the classic Office version of Outlook with a unified design based on the service’s web experience. The default configuration changes the color scheme depending on Windows 11’s color mode, but you can manually change the color mode to dark from the Outlook settings.
Since the Outlook experience is now the same on Windows 10, 11, and on the web, these instructions will apply to surfaces where the email service is available.
In this guide, I will teach you the steps to change the color mode from light to dark in the new Outlook app for Windows 11.
Enable dark mode on Outlook app
To change the Outlook app to the dark mode, use these steps:
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Open the Outlook app on Windows 11.
Quick note: If you are using the online experience, then open the site, log in with your credentials, and continue with the steps below. -
Click on Settings (gear button from top-right).
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Click on General.
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Click the Appearance tab.
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Under the “Dark mode” section, choose the Dark option.
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(Optional) Choose the “Use system settings” option to switch color mode when you change the Windows color mode.
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Click the Save button.
Once you complete the steps, the Outlook app will switch to the dark color scheme, including for the Calendar and People tabs.
If you are getting started with this new version of Outlook, you can use these instructions to add multiple accounts.
Update October 30, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].