Windows changes to a dark color theme after every reboot.

Mark Green 41 Reputation points
2026-08-07T01:14:18.44+00:00

I have a new Windows 11 computer. It defaulted to a dark theme meaning the background color for each window opened is black. I set the theme to Windows light and the color mode to light. However, after reboot, the background color of Windows Explorer, the Start Menu, Settings, Notepad, etc. is black.

I have tried many suggestions that I found online. Here are just a few:

  1. Checked that I have no third-party themes apps that could change the theme. My Lenovo laptop has X-Rite Color Assistant but my understanding is that cannot change themes or color modes.
  2. There are no startup apps that can change themes (as far as I can tell).
  3. Force-saved my Light theme by selecting it then changing the background color to make a change. Online info says to click Save to overwrite the current theme but there is no Save button. Settings seems to automatically save each change as you make it.
  4. Turned off syncing by toggling "Remember my preferences" to OFF.
  5. Disabled contrast themes by setting them to None. Online info says to click Apply but there is no Apply button. Settings seems to automatically save each change as you make it.
  6. Checked the wallpaper registry path. It was correctly set to TranscodedWallpaper.
  7. Cleared and reset the cached wallpaper files deleting the TranscodedWallpaper file in the Themes folder. There was no CachedFiles folder to delete any images inside.
  8. Checked my Theme file permissions. Unchecked the read-only box for the %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\ folder. Windows immediately sets it back to read-only.
  9. Checked that the registry Shell value is set to explorer.exe.
  10. Fixed folder permissions via command prompt clearing all restrictive file attributes and resetting full ownership of the Themes folder back to my user account.
  11. Checked that controlled folder access in Windows Security (Defender) is OFF.
  12. I booted in SAFE mode but the problem remained.

It is a real pain to have the background of all windows turn black every time I boot, restart, or log back in.
Isn't there some way to fix this problem so that the theme stays light (background color stays white)?
Thank you!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Themes
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4 answers

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  1. Manoel Barros 21,735 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-10T15:52:24.56+00:00

    Thanks!

    Check if the problem occurs in Safe Mode. This helps determine whether the issue is caused by a specific app or the system itself.

    1. Press the CTRL + R shortcut > Type ''msconfig'' (without quotes) > Click on the ''System Boot'' tab > Check the ''Safe Boot'' option > Click ''OK''.
    2. Restart the computer.

    To exit Safe Mode, access msconfig again (Step 01) > In “General”, check the “Normal Startup” option > Apply > Restart the PC.

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  2. Manoel Barros 21,735 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-08T01:15:13.4166667+00:00

    This X-Rite Color Assistant error is related to your use of Display 2; it might be causing interference. You can try temporarily uninstalling it to see if the issue persists.

    • Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for X-Rite Color Assistant, and temporarily uninstall it.
    • It is also recommended to temporarily disable the secondary monitor to check if the issue is related to it.

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  3. Manoel Barros 21,735 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-07T02:02:02.52+00:00

    Hi!

    You've tried quite a few solutions. Have you tested whether the problem persists with another user account? The current user profile might be corrupted.

    Give that a try and let me know the result. Theme settings are specific to each user.

    1. Go to System Settings (CTRL + I) > Select ''Accounts'' > 'Family and other users'' > ''Add another person to this PC'.
    2. On the Accounts screen, choose the option ''I don’t have that person’s login information' > Then select ''Add a user without a Microsoft account''.
    3. Click on the newly created user > Click "Change account type" > Under Account Type, change the option "Default User" to "Administrator" > Click "OK".
    4. Enter the username, and password (optional, leave blank if you do not want to put password) > Click ''Next'.
    5. Press the shortcut CTRL + ALT + DEL (DELETE) > Select ''Exit'' option > On the Login screen, choose the new user created.
    6. See if the problem will occur with this new user.

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  4. AI answer

    2026-08-07T01:14:39.4233333+00:00

    The most likely cause is an automatic theme switch overriding the manual Windows light setting after sign-in or restart. The documented checks and fixes supported here are:

    1. Verify the Windows color mode again:
      • Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Colors.
      • Under Choose your mode, select Light.
      • If needed, select Custom, then set:
        • Choose your default Windows mode = Light
        • Choose your default app mode = Light
    2. Check accessibility settings that can make the interface appear dark:
      • Open Start > Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes.
      • Set Contrast themes to None.
      • Windows may briefly show a Please wait screen while colors change.
      • Also open Accessibility > Color filters and make sure color filters are not enabled.
    3. Restore the default Windows theme:
      • Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Themes.
      • Select the default Windows theme.
      • If a saved custom theme exists, it can be deleted from Personalization > Themes by right-clicking it and selecting Delete. Default Windows themes cannot be deleted.
    4. Check for automatic theme switching utilities:
      • A known cause is PowerToys Light Switch, which can automatically change between light and dark themes.
      • If PowerToys is installed, open PowerToys Settings > System Tools > Light Switch and turn off Enable Light Switch.
    5. If the setting still reverts after restart, run system repair and update checks:
      • Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
      • Run the System File Checker utility scan.
      • Restart the PC.
      • Then go to Start > Settings > Windows Update and install all available updates.
    6. If only some apps remain dark, check whether they follow app-specific theme settings rather than the Windows theme. Windows and apps can use different modes.

    The key paths involved are:

    • Settings > Personalization > Colors for Windows/app light mode
    • Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes for high-contrast appearance
    • Settings > Accessibility > Color filters for inverted or altered colors
    • Settings > Personalization > Themes for restoring the default theme
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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