Dark Mode is everywhere! From your Cell Phones to laptops, you will find Dark Mode in the display settings. Some may find it cool, but others may find it trash!
Consequently, the topic between Dark and Light Mode becomes a debate.
Let’s just say you are working on Word files outside with Dark Mode turned on. It will be hard for you to work in the sunlight when Word UI is black.
The Black document canvas is unappealing for those who used to work in MS Word with the traditional white UI. If you are one of those and want to turn off the black theme, this article is for you.
Bringing back the traditional White Mode in the Word is just a minute away; just read this article till the end.
Let there be light in the darkness!
Why Do You Need to Change Microsoft Word to Light Mode?
You may want to change MS Word’s black theme to white when you find it hard to work outside. Specifically, visibility will be low in the bright outdoor conditions because the UI is total black. Dark Mode with white text may not look as alluring as White Mode with black text to others.
The dark theme is cool but not the ultimate one that makes you stick to this theme all the time. If you do not like white text on dark canvas, changing the dark theme becomes the obvious reason.
Contrast is high when using Dark Mode with white text, and the readability becomes low. So, reasons like visibility issues in bright light conditions and readability problems for high contrasted text are enough to change Microsoft Word from Dark to Light Mode.
How to Change Microsoft Word from Dark to Light Mode
You can change Microsoft Word from Dark to Light Mode by following several methods. I will show you the quickest methods. So, let’s jump into the ways to switch from Dark to Light Mode in MS Word.
Here are the methods to enable White Mode in Microsoft Word:
1. Use MS Word Account Settings
The Word theme must have changed to Black. You can change that without any difficulty. If you want the Whole Word UI theme to be white, follow the below steps.
Here are the steps to change the MS Word to White:
- Click on the File tab from the upper Ribbon.
- Click on Account from the lower side of the listed options.
- Choose the White theme by clicking on the Office Theme’s drop-down icon.
Selecting the White theme from the Office Theme will change the MS Word UI interface to white. Now you have successfully returned to the usual Word interface color.
Check out our separate post on how to Fix: Microsoft Word Table Of Contents Not Updating.
2. Use MS Word Options
You can also change the theme from black to white from the Word’s Options screen. Enabling the White theme from the Word Options is another method, and this one is easy too.
Here are the steps to change the theme from MS Word Options Screen:
- Select the File tab from the MS Word Ribbon.
- Go to More > Options.
- Click on the General tab, which is the first option.
- Click on the Office theme’s drop-down arrow icon and select White.
This is the same as the previous method. But instead of going to the Account, you will need to change the theme from the Word Options.
Read more on how to Unlock Selection in Word.
3. Keep the Dark Theme and Change Document Canvas to White
For those who want to keep the black user interface but change the document canvas color to white — this method is for them. Some might love the black theme but want the traditional white canvas with the black text color.
Here are the steps to keep the black theme but change the document canvas color to white:
- Click on the File tab from the Word’s Ribbon.
- Move to More > Options > General.
- Look for Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office section.
- Check the box for Never change the document page color. Keep the Black theme selected.
Applying the above steps will let you keep the black theme but change the document canvas color to white and text to black.
Also, check out our separate post on how to Flip Quotation Marks in Word.
4. Set Contrast Theme to None from Windows Settings
If switching the theme from the Account and Options didn’t change the black UI theme, follow this method. In case you have set contrast themes such as Aquatic, Desert, or Dusk you might see the dark color is still not changed.
Here are the steps to set the contrast theme to none from Windows Settings:
- Press Windows key + I to go into the Windows Settings.
- Click Accessibility from the side pan options.
- Select Contrast themes from listed menus.
- Click on the drop-down icon of the Contrast theme and choose None.
Changing the contrast theme to None will change the dark UI in Word.
Also read how to Fix Export to PDF Error in Word.
5. Turn off Hardware Graphics Acceleration from MS Word Options
If you are still facing issues after disabling the Dark Mode or turning off the Contrast theme, apply this method. Hardware graphics acceleration not only fixes the Dark Mod problem but also fixes problems such as Office components crashing or not working correctly.
Here are the steps to turn off Hardware Graphics Acceleration from MS Word Options:
- Open MS Word and click on the File tab from the upper Ribbon.
- Navigate to More > Options > Advanced.
- Look for the Display section while scrolling down.
- Check the box labeled as Disable hardware graphics acceleration.
- Click on the OK button.
After that, close the Word app and relaunch it. Check whether the black screen of MS Word changed to white or not.
You may also like to read, how to Fix: Find and Replace Not Working On Microsoft Word.
How to Change MS Word from Black to White Mode on Mac
If you are using Word on a Mac laptop and facing the black screen, you can change the dark screen in the Word app from your Mac. Just follow the below steps.
Here are the steps to turn on Dark Mode in Word from macOS:
- Move your cursor to the upper left corner and select the Word tab.
- Select Preferences from the context menu.
- Click on the General from the options.
- Click the radio button for the Turn off Dark Mode option.
If you want to keep the Dark Mode and change the document canvas color to white, click on the radio button labeled as Dark mode has white page color.
Go for both options and only select which one is perfect for you. I hope you have successfully changed MS Word from black to White UI.
FAQs
How do I get Microsoft Word out of Dark Mode?
To get MS Word out of Dark Mode, click on the File tab and select Account. Click on the drop-down button and select White from Office themes.
How to change Windows OS Dark Mode?
You can change Windows OS Dark Mode by pressing Windows key + I to go to Settings. Navigate to Personalization > Colors > Choose your mode. Click on the drop-down icon and select Light mode.
How to change the MS Word theme color to Dark Gray?
To Change the MS Word color to Dark Gray, click on the File tab from the upper Ribbon. Select Account, click the drop-down button and choose Dark Gray from Office themes.
Wrapping Up
A black or dark-colored theme is only for those who want to avoid eye strain. Moreover, the dark theme can reduce the battery drain.
But despite all these, Dark Mode is not fully optimized yet. Not all the apps are optimized for this black theme. A black office theme is not for Word users who are fond of the conventional look. Additionally, visibility is a matter of concern when working outside.
I hope you have read the entire article and applied all the required processes. In addition, you can also turn off the Dark Mode from the Windows or Mac OS system settings.
Do you need any further assistance? Let me know in the comment section.
