Dark mode completely? Even win32 parts? How?

6200rpm · Nov 30, 2023

Hello guys, I have a very frustrating issue regarding the legacy parts of W11 that refuse to go in dark mode.

I am a designer and sometimes I work with some custom, in-house utilities that use the win32 parts of the win11 - you know, those still white. And its very very frustrating to have them kill my eyes while everything else is nicely dark. Now, my question is - how may I skin those in dark mode too? I see that some 3rd party skins are doing that, but I don't want to install another skin, I just want to modify the files responsible for those parts of windows. Can anyone help me with that? Im not a programmer but I know my way around resourcehacker and I can also learn to use other utilities if needed. Thank you very much.

PS: Of course, I will release the mod for free, as long as someone help me do it.

Edwin · Nov 30, 2023

For the most part, StartAllBack does it for me.

6200rpm · Nov 30, 2023

Unfortunately doesn't work in my app - Reaper. Still all-white windows, even with StartAllBack installed

.

dacrone · Dec 1, 2023

if you figure it out, let me know lol. Regedit, Task Scheduler, Device Manager, etc are always white mode. You can use something like

Dark Mode Any App – Enable Dark Mode On Any Windows Application or

Easy Window Invert

www.wintools.info

to apply high contrast to an individual app, if that helps you at all... but probably not

6200rpm · Dec 1, 2023

dacrone said:
if you figure it out, let me know lol. Regedit, Task Scheduler, Device Manager, etc are always white mode. You can use something like

Dark Mode Any App – Enable Dark Mode On Any Windows Application or

Easy Window Invert

www.wintools.info

to apply high contrast to an individual app, if that helps you at all... but probably not

Thanks, but no, not really helping. I tried dark mode any app and it just applies a black overlay to the window which is quite slow and also clipping when moving the window. I know however know for a fact that I must modify some sort of DLL or something like that to achieve the desired effect, many theme designers are doing it, but seems like none wants to give that secret away. One theme in particular that I was using on win10 was doing it - penumbra theme. But I cannot install it anymore since I moved to W11.

dacrone · Dec 1, 2023

try this one:

GreyEveTheme - Windows 10 / 11 High Contrast Theme by eversins on DeviantArt

www.deviantart.com

6200rpm · Dec 1, 2023

dacrone said:
try this one:

GreyEveTheme - Windows 10 / 11 High Contrast Theme by eversins on DeviantArt

www.deviantart.com

Thanks, but its still based on the high contrast theme. which messes up other parts of the OS.

On a positive note I think the files to be modified are shellstyle.dll and/or shellstyle.dll.mui, but not sure, I hope someone more experienced will confirm this. Thanks.

Edwin · Dec 1, 2023

@6200rpm
I thought Reaper had a dark UI by default!?

6200rpm · Dec 1, 2023

Edwin said:
@6200rpm
I thought Reaper had a dark UI by default!?

Its not skinnable 100%. Only the MCP & TCP (mixer/track control panel). Any other parts use win32 default UI, which is white even on w11 pro dark.

Edwin · Dec 1, 2023

6200rpm said:
Its not skinnable 100%. Only the MCP & TCP (mixer/track control panel). Any other parts use win32 default UI, which is white even on w11 pro dark.

Ah! Got ya!

6200rpm · Dec 2, 2023

Seems that there is a patch called rectify11 that does exactly what I need. The problem is I don't know what are the files affected and how can I do it myself once the windows will update.

JIGSAW · Jan 7, 2025

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but has someone found a way yet (besides Startallback) ?

I want it to look like post #2 but by changing a setting within windows, either Registry or GroupPolicy

Thanks & Sorry
J

ceo54 · Jan 25, 2025

JIGSAW said:
Sorry to resurrect this thread, but has someone found a way yet (besides Startallback) ?

I want it to look like post #2 but by changing a setting within windows, either Registry or GroupPolicy

Thanks & Sorry
J

I'm planning to do this, but I'm still occupied with imaging and customization. Once done, I'll attempt it but then, it will only have the dark mode because I will also change everything light into dark because lots of 3rd part programs will read from windows and render colors accordingly.

dacrone · Jan 25, 2025

ceo54 said:
I'm planning to do this, but I'm still occupied with imaging and customization. Once done, I'll attempt it but then, it will only have the dark mode because I will also change everything light into dark because lots of 3rd part programs will read from windows and render colors accordingly.

Rectify11

Haven't ever made custom ISOs so I can't help you with that. I can upload the custom msstyles if you want them. Once v3 (soon-ish) is out it will be a simple installer where you just click next-next-next and you're done. Yes. thank you very much I will try them on virtual machine.

www.elevenforum.com

use windhawk to apply rectify11 dark mode. windhawk can be used as portable and doesnt modify any system resources, thus no patching

JIGSAW · Mar 5, 2025

ceo54 said:
I'm planning to do this, but I'm still occupied with imaging and customization. Once done, I'll attempt it but then, it will only have the dark mode because I will also change everything light into dark because lots of 3rd part programs will read from windows and render colors accordingly.

Nothing yet ?

Dark mode completely? Even win32 parts? How?

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