The Problem: You have Windows 11 set to Dark Mode. You open LibreOffice, and it’s a blinding mix of dark menus and a bright white page, or worse—dark grey text on a black background that is impossible to read. LibreOffice’s dark mode integration on Windows is notoriously finicky. Here is how to force it to work correctly.
The 3-Step “Force Dark” Method Don’t rely on “System” settings alone. You must manually align the App Mode and the Icon Theme.
1. Force Application Colors
- Open LibreOffice and go to Tools > Options.
- Select LibreOffice > Application Colors.
- In the “Scheme” dropdown at the top, select LibreOffice Dark.
- Crucial Check: Look at the “Document Background” setting in this list. If you want the page itself to be dark (to save your eyes), ensure it is set to Automatic or a dark grey. If you want to type on a white page while keeping menus dark, manually set “Document Background” to White.
2. Switch the Icon Theme (Don’t Skip This) Standard icons (Breeze or Colibre) are often designed for light backgrounds. Using them in dark mode makes them disappear.
- Go to View (under the same Options menu).
- Change Icon Theme to Breeze (Dark) or Sifr (Dark). These are white/monochrome icons designed specifically for dark backgrounds.
3. The “Black Text” Bug Fix If you type and the text is invisible (black text on dark background):
- The Fix: Highlight your text and check the font color. If it is hard-coded to “Black,” it will stay black even in dark mode. Change the font color to Automatic. “Automatic” is a smart variable that flips to White when the background is Dark.
Windows 11 High Contrast Warning: If the steps above fail, check your Windows settings: Settings > Accessibility > Contrast Themes. If a High Contrast theme is active, it overrides all LibreOffice settings. Turn it to “None.”