Why Does the Properties Window Still Display in Light Theme Under Windows 10 Dark Mode?

Windows 10's dark mode is designed to change the appearance of system apps, menus, and some interface elements. However, certain legacy dialogs, such as the Properties window, have limited support for dark themes and continue to display in light mode.

Windows 10's dark mode primarily affects system UI elements like File Explorer, Settings, and menus. However, some legacy or system dialogs, such as the properties window, often continue to use the light theme by default. This inconsistency is due to how Windows handles specific system components and their theming.

The system theme is set to dark mode, but the right-click properties window for files or folders continues to display in light theme, which is inconsistent with other dark interfaces in the system. It is unclear whether this behavior is intended by Windows 10 design, a known bug, or something that can be adjusted through settings. Seeking a specific explanation and possible fixes or methods to unify the appearance.

This is normal in Windows 10 — the Properties window is an old system dialog that Microsoft never updated to support dark mode, so it stays light by design. There’s no real setting to fix it; only risky third-party themes can change it, or you just live with it (Windows 11 handles this a bit better).