Change your Outlook theme in three steps

Outlook lets you switch between light, dark, and custom color themes directly from the settings menu. The exact steps depend on whether you use Outlook on the web, Outlook desktop for Windows, or Outlook for Mac — but all three reach the theme settings within the first few clicks. You do not need to restart Outlook or sign out to see the change take effect.

Your theme choice is saved to your account, so if you use Outlook on multiple devices, you can set a different theme on each one. The theme you pick affects only how Outlook looks to you — it does not change how your emails appear to people who receive them.

Key Takeaways

  • Outlook on the web, Windows desktop, and Mac all have theme settings, but they are located in different menus.
  • Light theme is easiest on the eyes in bright rooms, while dark theme reduces glare in dim lighting and uses less battery on some devices.
  • You can set Outlook to match your device's system theme, so it switches automatically when you change your computer or phone settings.
  • Theme changes take effect immediately without requiring you to close and reopen Outlook.

Change theme in Outlook on the web

Open Outlook in your web browser and look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. Click it and select View all Outlook settings from the dropdown menu. This opens the settings panel on the right side of your screen.

In the settings panel, click General in the left column, then scroll down until you see the Theme section. You will see three options: Light, Dark, and Use system setting. Click the one you want. The change happens immediately, and you can close the settings panel by clicking the X button.

Change theme in Outlook for Windows

Open Outlook on your Windows computer and click File in the top left corner. From the menu that opens, select Options at the bottom of the list. This opens the Outlook Options window.

In the left column of the Options window, click General. Look for the Personalization section, which contains a dropdown menu labeled Office Theme. Click the dropdown and choose from Colorful, Dark Gray, Black, or Use system setting. Click OK at the bottom of the window to save your choice. Outlook will apply the theme immediately.

Change theme in Outlook for Mac

Open Outlook on your Mac and click Outlook in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Preferences from the dropdown menu. The Preferences window opens.

In the Preferences window, click the General icon (it looks like a gear). Scroll down to find the Appearance section. You will see a dropdown menu with options including Light, Dark, and Use system setting. Select the theme you want and close the Preferences window. The change takes effect right away.

Understanding the three theme options

Light theme displays a white or light gray background with dark text. It is easier to read in bright rooms and matches the default appearance of most websites. Light theme uses slightly more battery power on devices with traditional screens, but the difference is small.

Dark theme shows a dark background with light text. It reduces glare if you work in a dim room or at night, and it uses noticeably less battery on phones and tablets with OLED screens (which turn off pixels to display black). Dark theme can be harder to read for people with certain vision conditions, so Outlook lets you switch back anytime.

Use system setting tells Outlook to match whatever theme your device is currently set to. If you change your Windows, Mac, or phone theme, Outlook will switch automatically. This is useful if you like your entire device to have a consistent look.

What to do if your theme is not changing

If you change the theme but Outlook still looks the same, try closing and reopening Outlook completely. On Windows, click the X button to close the window, wait a few seconds, then open Outlook again. On Mac, click Outlook in the menu bar and select Quit Outlook, then reopen it from your Applications folder.

If the theme still has not changed after reopening, check that you saved your settings correctly. Go back to the theme menu and confirm that your choice is selected — sometimes the setting does not save if you close the settings window too quickly. If you are using Outlook on the web and the theme is not changing, try clearing your browser's cache. In most browsers, you can do this by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac), then selecting the option to clear cached images and files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my theme affect how my emails look to other people?

No. The theme you choose only changes how Outlook looks on your device. When you send an email, the person who receives it sees it in whatever theme they have set on their own device. Your choice does not affect the email's content, formatting, or appearance to anyone else.

Can I set different themes on different devices?

Yes. Each device you use Outlook on can have its own theme. If you use Outlook on your work computer and your phone, you can set dark theme on one and light theme on the other. Your email and contacts stay the same across all devices — only the appearance changes.

What does "Use system setting" mean?

It means Outlook will automatically match whatever theme your device is set to. If your Windows computer is in dark mode, Outlook will be dark. If you switch your device to light mode, Outlook switches too. This keeps everything consistent without you having to change Outlook's settings separately.

Does dark theme really save battery?

On phones and tablets with OLED screens, dark theme uses less battery because OLED pixels turn completely off to display black, while light pixels stay on. On regular LCD screens and computer monitors, the difference is too small to notice. If you have an older phone or tablet, dark theme may save a small amount of battery.

Can I create a custom theme with my own colors?

Outlook does not let you build a completely custom theme with your choice of colors. You can only pick from the themes Outlook provides: light, dark, and system setting. However, you can change the color of individual elements like your calendar or folder list through other settings menus.