How to Enable Microsoft Teams Dark Mode

To enable Microsoft Teams dark mode on a computer, open Settings and more (...) next to your profile picture, select Settings > Appearance, and choose Dark under Theme. On an iPhone or Android phone, open your profile picture, then Settings > Appearance > Dark, and restart Teams if prompted.

Dark mode changes the Teams interface to darker backgrounds. You can select it directly or let Teams follow your device’s appearance. The illustrations below highlight the relevant controls; their layout may differ from your app.

Enable dark mode in Teams on Windows, Mac, or the web

Use the controls inside Teams, rather than your browser’s toolbar or your computer’s display settings.

1. Open Teams and select Settings and more (...) near your profile picture, then Settings.
2. Open Appearance and find Theme. Some versions group these controls under Appearance and accessibility.
3. Select Dark, then return to a chat or channel to check the result.

The desktop theme changes when you select it; you do not normally need to restart. In Teams on the web, look for the same Theme control in Teams’ own settings. Changing your browser’s overall appearance is a separate setting.

Turn on dark mode on iPhone or Android

1. Open the Teams mobile app, tap your profile picture, and go to Settings > Appearance.
2. Choose Dark. If Teams displays a restart prompt, select Restart and reopen the app if necessary.

Microsoft’s appearance guide for Teams personal accounts documents the restart step on mobile. Do not look specifically for the old Close app button: follow the prompt your installed version displays. If your work or school app shows different controls, check for an update before troubleshooting further.

Make Teams follow your device’s theme

Choose Follow operating system theme on desktop, or System Default on mobile, when you want Teams to match your device. Choose Dark instead when you want a consistently dark Teams interface even while the device uses a light appearance.

To switch back manually, return to the same menu and select Light. If Teams changes appearance unexpectedly, check whether it is following the system before assuming the setting failed.

Keep calls and meetings dark while chats stay light

On supported desktop versions, open Settings > Appearance, leave the main theme on Light or the system-following option, and enable Always use dark theme for calls and meetings. Some versions reverse “calls” and “meetings” in the label.

Microsoft’s Teams settings guide confirms this option for enterprise and consumer Teams. In enterprise Teams, it is not supported with the Classic theme; select another theme first.

What if dark mode is missing or will not apply?

• Check the settings category. Use Appearance, or search settings for “theme,” instead of following an older guide that sends you to General.
• Check for updates. If an update appears at the top of the desktop app, select Update > Update and restart Teams. The web app is kept updated automatically.
• Update mobile Teams. Find Teams in the App Store or Google Play Store and install any available update.
• Try another theme first. For Teams personal accounts, Microsoft documents a Classic-theme limitation: switch to System Default or another theme before selecting Dark if Dark is unavailable.

Use Microsoft’s update instructions for the desktop process. You can also check your Teams version under Settings > About Teams on desktop, or Settings > About on mobile, when reporting a persistent problem.

Why are some files or apps still bright?

A dark Teams window does not guarantee that every document page, image, shared screen, or embedded app becomes dark. Those items have their own content and display behavior. Avoid changing a document’s actual background or formatting just to match your Teams theme.

Embedded apps must respond to theme changes, as explained in Microsoft’s guidance for Teams app developers. If one tab stays bright while Teams menus are dark, check that app’s own appearance controls.

Is high contrast the same as dark mode?

No. High contrast is a separate theme intended to make interface elements easier to distinguish. Where available, select it from Settings > Appearance > Theme if ordinary dark mode does not provide enough visual contrast.

See Microsoft’s color and contrast guidance for related accessibility options. Choose the theme that makes text and controls easiest for you to read.