In the age of digital technology, our screen time has considerably increased. This excessive exposure to bright screens, especially during the night, can strain the eyes. One solution to this problem is using dark mode in apps. Dark mode not only reduces eye strain but also saves battery life and can even increase focus and productivity. One app that supports this feature is Microsoft Word.
In this blog post, we will provide a simple guide on how to force dark mode in Microsoft Word on Windows and Mac. Whether you’re working late or just prefer a darker screen, this guide will help you transform your Word interface to dark mode.
Understanding Dark Mode
Dark mode is a software setting that switches the color theme of an app or the entire operating system to a darker color scheme. In Microsoft Word, enabling dark mode changes the background color to black, the text color to white, and the color of other user interface elements like toolbars and menus to darker shades.
This setting is especially beneficial for reducing eye strain in low-light conditions, for people who find it easier to read white text on a black background, and those who simply find dark mode more aesthetically pleasing.
Forcing Dark Mode in Microsoft Word
We will cover the steps for enabling dark mode in Microsoft Word on both Windows and Mac systems.
Forcing Dark Mode on Windows
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Personalization > Colors.
- Under “Choose your default app mode”, select Dark.
- Open Microsoft Word.
The document will now be in dark mode.
Forcing Dark Mode on Mac
- Open the System Preferences app.
- Go to General > Appearance.
- Under Appearance, select Dark.
- Open Microsoft Word.
The document will now be in dark mode.
Note: If you have already set your system theme to dark mode, you can skip steps 1-3.
Additional Tips and Tricks
If you’re looking to expand your dark mode expertise, we’ve got some additional tips and tricks for you.
Changing the Office Theme
In Microsoft Word, you can change the Office Theme to Black, which is another way to enable dark mode. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open Microsoft Word.
- Go to File > Account.
- Under Office Theme, select Black.
Using a Registry Hack on Windows
For Windows users, there’s another method to force dark mode in Microsoft Word using a registry hack:
- Open the Registry Editor.
- Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options
- Create a new DWORD value named DarkMode and set its value to 1.
After you’ve done this, restart Microsoft Word, and it should be in dark mode.
Conclusion
This comprehensive guide on forcing dark mode in Microsoft Word on Windows and Mac should help you work more comfortably, reduce eye strain, and potentially increase productivity. Just remember that if you ever want to switch back to light mode, follow the same steps and choose Light instead of Dark.
