How to Turn On Dark Mode in OneNote (2026)
OneNote’s dark mode flips the app chrome — and the note canvas — to dark, easier on the eyes at night. You can turn it on per platform, and there’s a setting to keep your page background light even while the rest of the app is dark.
1. Dark Mode on Windows
- File > Options.
- Select General.
- Under OneNote Theme (or Office Theme), choose Dark or Black.
- Click OK.
To keep page backgrounds white while the app is dark, in Options > General look for Disable dark mode on the page surface and turn it on.
2. Dark Mode on Mac
- OneNote follows the macOS system appearance. Set System Settings > Appearance to Dark, and OneNote switches automatically.
- To override, open OneNote > Preferences > General and pick a theme if the option is shown.
3. Dark Mode on the Web
At onenote.com/notebooks:
- Click Settings (gear) in the top-right.
- Choose Dark mode under appearance options.
4. Dark Mode on Mobile
On iOS and Android, OneNote follows the device theme. Set your phone to Dark in system settings, or open OneNote’s in-app Settings > Appearance and choose Dark.
5. Troubleshooting
My notes are hard to read in dark mode
Dark mode inverts page colors, which can clash with colored text. Turn on Disable dark mode on the page surface so pages stay light.
There’s no theme option on Mac
Mac OneNote inherits the system appearance. Change it in System Settings > Appearance.
Dark mode didn’t stick after restart
Make sure you’re signed in — theme preferences are tied to your account and roam when synced.
Related OneNote guides: How to change the default font · How to use templates · How to use tags · How to sync OneNote · How to insert a table
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