Outlook Dark Mode: How to Turn It On or Off, and Why Some Emails Stay White
Outlook is too bright, or it went dark and you want it back. The switch is in a different place in each Outlook, and in some of them the email you are reading has a switch of its own. That second switch is one reason a message can stay white after everything else turned dark.
In short: in new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web (Outlook.com), select Settings (the gear) > General > Appearance and pick Dark, Light or Use system settings. In classic Outlook, go to File > Office Account and set Office Theme to Black (or White, Colorful or Use system setting to turn it off). On a Mac, use Appearance under General in Outlook’s settings, or let it follow macOS. On iPhone, use Settings > Appearance in the app; on Android, Dark Theme under Preferences. If one email stays white, it was probably switched to light with Turn on the lights (new Outlook, web) or the sun button (classic), or the email sets its own colors; see below for the other causes.
Where the Dark Mode Setting Is in Each Outlook
| Outlook | Where to turn dark mode on or off | Follows your device | One email in light |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Outlook for Windows | Settings > General > Appearance | Use system settings | Turn on the lights |
| Classic Outlook for Windows | File > Office Account > Office Theme | Use system setting | Sun button on the message |
| Outlook on the web and Outlook.com | Settings > General > Appearance | Use system settings | Turn on the lights |
| Outlook for Mac | Outlook > Settings (or Preferences) > General > Appearance | System (on by default) | Not described by Microsoft |
| Outlook for iPhone | Settings > Appearance in the app | System Default (on by default) | Not described by Microsoft |
| Outlook for Android | Settings > Preferences > Dark Theme | Not described by Microsoft | Not described by Microsoft |
Not sure which Windows Outlook you have? See new Outlook vs classic Outlook.
How to Turn On Dark Mode in New Outlook for Windows
These steps come from Microsoft’s Dark Mode in Outlook article.
- At the top of the window, select Settings (the gear), then General > Appearance.
- Under Dark mode (the page may now read Choose your mode), select Dark.
- Select Save if the page shows the button.
To turn it off, go back to the same page and select Light or Use system settings. A second Microsoft article, Turn dark mode on or off in Outlook, reaches the same page another way: View > View settings > General, then the Appearance tab. If you have a File tab with Office Account, you are on classic Outlook; see the next section.
How to Turn On Dark Mode in Classic Outlook
Classic Outlook’s dark mode comes with the Office theme, which also changes Word, Excel and the other Microsoft 365 desktop apps.
- Select File > Office Account.
- Under Office Theme, choose Black.
- Select the back arrow at the top to return to your mail.
To turn it off, choose White, Colorful or Use system setting in the same list. The theme is also under File > Options > General, in Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office.
Microsoft’s look and feel article also lists Dark Gray. Its dark mode article says dark mode comes with the Black theme, so pick Black if you want the message itself dark, not only the ribbon and folder list.
The separate switch for the message background
With the Black theme, Outlook also darkens the background of the email you are reading. That part has its own setting:
- Go to File > Options.
- On the General page, find Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office.
- Keep Office Theme on Black and tick Never change the message background color.
- Select OK.
Outlook stays dark, every message shows on white, and the sun and moon buttons stop working. Clear the box to get dark messages back.
How to Turn On Dark Mode in Outlook on the Web and Outlook.com
The steps are the same as in new Outlook, according to Microsoft’s dark mode article. Its web article gives the same path.
- At the top of the page, select Settings (the gear).
- Select General > Appearance.
- Under Choose your mode (Microsoft’s help calls it Dark mode), select Dark. The change applies straight away, with no Save button.
Checked on a personal Outlook.com account in November 2026; a work or school account may still show the older layout, with a Save button. To turn dark mode off, select Light or Use system settings.
How to Turn On Dark Mode in Outlook for Mac
By default, Microsoft 365 apps on a Mac match the Light or Dark appearance of the Mac. You can change it in two places.
- Only Outlook: choose Outlook > Settings (Preferences in older versions) > General and pick Light, Dark or System under Appearance.
- The whole Mac: go to the Apple menu > System Settings > Appearance and choose Light or Dark. On older macOS, it is in System Preferences > General.
How to Turn On Dark Mode in the Outlook App (iPhone and Android)
iPhone (Outlook 4.5.0 or later on iOS 13 or later), from Microsoft’s iOS article:
- Open the app’s Settings and tap Appearance.
- Select Light or Dark to choose for Outlook only.
- Select System Default to follow the iPhone’s own Dark Mode again. That is the default.
Android, from Microsoft’s Android article:
- Open the app’s Settings and find Preferences.
- Tap Dark Theme.
- Choose Dark Theme to keep it on until you turn it off, or Set by Battery Saver to go dark when the phone is in Battery Saver mode.
If the setting is missing on either phone, Microsoft says to close the app from the multitasking screen and open it again. On iPhone, Microsoft says some screens stay light by design, such as account sign-in, editing contacts, Help and Intune or other company-managed screens.
Why One Email Stays White in Outlook Dark Mode
When Outlook is dark but a message is white, or looks wrong, one of these is usually the reason.
- Someone switched the message to light. In new Outlook and on the web, Turn on the lights at the top of the reading pane makes the message bright. In classic Outlook, the sun button does the same. In classic Outlook, the moon button makes it black again.
- Classic Outlook is set never to change it. If Never change the message background color is ticked, every message stays white and the sun and moon buttons are disabled. Clear the box in File > Options > General.
- Classic Outlook is not on Black. Microsoft says the dark message window comes with the Black theme, so White and Colorful leave it white. Set Office Theme to Black, or Use system setting with Windows in dark mode, which picks Black for you.
- New Outlook has Light Reading Pane on. On the View tab, Light Reading Pane keeps the reading pane and the compose window light while the rest stays dark.
- The email carries its own colors. In dark mode Outlook changes the message’s colors, so an email that sets its own colors may not look the way the sender designed it. In new Outlook and on the web, Turn on the lights shows the original message formatting. In classic Outlook, the sun button gives that message a white background.
- Images are not converted. In the phone apps, Microsoft says pictures in an email are not turned dark, so a logo or chart on white stays white.
- The compose window is separate. When writing, use the buttons on the Message toolbar: Toggle light background and Toggle dark background in new Outlook, and the dark mode button in classic Outlook.
How to Keep Outlook Dark but Read One Email in Light
- New Outlook and the web: open the email and select Turn on the lights at the top of the reading pane. If you don’t see it, select More first.
- Classic Outlook: select the sun button at the top of the message to make its background white. The moon button turns it black again.
- Every email light, Outlook still dark: in new Outlook, select Light Reading Pane on the View tab. In classic Outlook, tick Never change the message background color.
For more settings worth changing, see these Outlook tips and tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off dark mode in Outlook?
In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, go to Settings > General > Appearance and select Light. In classic Outlook, go to File > Office Account and set Office Theme to White or Colorful. On a Mac, pick Light under Appearance in Outlook’s General settings. On iPhone, select Light in the app’s Settings > Appearance.
Why does Outlook keep switching between light and dark?
It is probably set to follow your device: Use system settings (new Outlook, web), Use system setting (classic), System (Mac) and System Default (iPhone) switch with your computer’s or phone’s light or dark mode. Choose Light or Dark instead to fix it.
Why is my Outlook reading pane white in dark mode?
In new Outlook, Light Reading Pane may be on in the View tab, or Turn on the lights was selected for that email. In classic Outlook, check that Office Theme is Black and that Never change the message background color is not ticked in File > Options > General.
Does dark mode in classic Outlook change Word and Excel too?
Yes. Classic Outlook uses the Office theme, and Microsoft says the theme you choose applies to all Microsoft 365 desktop apps.
Why do some emails look strange in Outlook dark mode?
Outlook changes the message’s colors in dark mode, which can clash with emails that set their own colors, and the phone apps do not convert images. In new Outlook and on the web, Turn on the lights shows the original formatting. In classic Outlook, the sun button makes that message white.