Question How to make window HEADER dark?

[1111eugene]

Hi, is there a way to make window HEADER dark? (Not the title bar)
the header
where file-edit-view-help etc buttons are.
Thank You

Spoiler: the HEADER

 

[RealBeast]

I assume that you are using the night mode W10 with: Start > Settings > System > Display > Night light settings. Just right click on the header in Firefox, select customize, then themes and then choose dark.

 

[Colif]

what app are you running?

 

[1111eugene]

what app are you running?

I need it to be dark in every system app. in short everywhere. a notepad is a good example.
So the question can be rephrased to "how to make dark header in a notepad window? I have turned on every single dark night mode everywhere, but still a header in some (in every despite explorer) is oldschool white

 

[Colif]

Its possible that not all apps let you change it, Notepad could be one such app as its ancient and been in windows forever. It might just be UWP programs that allow it, and it might be on a program by program basis. I expect any control panel app is the same as well.

Microsoft are supposedly replacing all the old apps with newer versions that might work with light/dark theme like File Explorer does now.

It is difficult to even search for this as its not the title bar

Only way to get dark in Notepad is to use notepad+++ which isn't really an answer.

https://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-10/how-to-enable-dark-mode-everywhere-on-windows-10/

 

[gardenman]

It is difficult to even search for this as its not the title bar

That's called a menu bar and it's usually not customizable unless a program supports themes that allow you to change it.

There's 2 types of menu bars. The normal Windows drawn one, and another type called "owner drawn". The owner drawn menus allow the programmer to draw every piece of the menu bar (including choosing any and all colors).

I recently wrote a program that uses an owner drawn menu myself. I was a bit lazy and only colored the menu items white. I left the rest of the bar gray. Look closely and you'll see the difference.

So what you need to look for is a way to change the default menu bar color in Windows. Of course programmers can over-ride that if they are using owner drawn menus.

Try a Google search for "change default menu bar color" and maybe you'll get somewhere, maybe not. I found one thread and it required the user to create a customized Windows theme using 3rd party software (which is known to cause Windows issues). I recommend avoiding that route, it could end bad. Maybe a custom theme would be OK, but avoid the 3rd party software.

 

[1111eugene]

Thanks a lot!
well maybe you happen to know a good theme with dark menu bar? thank you or where to foind one. yes, I know about google.com , but still it's not so much accurate everybody is talking about night lihgh dark mode whatever but not the menu bars, so does google...

 

[gardenman]

Here is the thread that I was talking about where someone used a custom theme to change it. They had to make the theme themself. They said they were "successful" and it mentions: #1197 for menubar background. It's difficult to tell what all applications this changes it for. You might want to dig down and try to figure out how to create themes and customize them. I can't help you there. I'm guessing it won't affect the newer UWP apps.

I've also read that Windows 7 had the option and it was removed for Windows 10. Apparently you can create a theme in Windows 7 (or 8), customize the menu bar, export that theme and use it in Windows 10.
Source: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...w-colors/f9f5d0b8-5317-427c-91e8-192176712759

I just tried the registry settings here and it only partially worked on the menu items. A log off / log back in is required between edits. The menubar did not work for me (in Notepad). If you are going to try any registry edits be sure to create a registry backup beforehand and know how to restore it if needed. Both are important.

I don't think you'll find the easy solution that you are looking for due the different types of applications and different types of menu bars being used.

 

[1111eugene]

Appreciate it a lot, Thank you!

BUT!
one more thing!!!
that guy shared a zip folder in his post
https://www.tenforums.com/customization/43571-change-color-menubar-list-header.html#post596686
But the registration on the orum is closed OMG
Do you happen to have this zip file? Could you please upload it to somewhere? Thanks a lot milion times
_
I found another one
So I edited a test theme as described by that guy (how ot make a new theme) edited with notepad and renamed copied files, then opened it with windws style builder.. edited every white image in a header section I could find, save the theme, switched to it. And I don't see any differences... maybe because it is not patched or smth? The thme patcher says it need to patch 3 system files (I think it is outdated and will corrupt the OS... maybe, and the UxStyle doesn't start up at all, windows showing a compatibility window and offersto find a newer version on microsoft.com...
So...
how did you get things working for you...? Thank again many times
----
Found a theme.. (no 3rd party apps)

Spoiler: a pic

great but other things not perfect.. but ok...it's time for editing.....

 

[gardenman]

I'm glad you got it figured out. I have REAPER v4.402 installed, I haven't created music since 2014-ish.

I just checked and the link provided on tenforums was to an older version of the Theme Patcher, the one that I recommended that you avoid. It wasn't an actual theme.

If you don't mind, post the name of the theme here (not a link to it) so that others in the future may know what theme you used.

 

[1111eugene]

I used BIB theme
also Afterdark
also don't reme,ber several others
but in the end I didn't like none of them
so I went back to the default
it's perfect
the only thing is that menuBar
still haven't figured it out how to change it properly....

 

[gardenman]

I unselected the answer (trophy award) for this thread for now. You can choose one again later if someone is able to answer this for you.

But like I said, I don't think you'll find an answer due to the complexity of the issue, being that there are multiple types of apps and some apps will control the menubar themselves.

Maybe someone else will come along with a better answer soon.