Windows 11 PCs can swap between dark and light themes easily but doing so at scheduled times requires a third-party app. Auto Dark Mode is one of my favorite Windows apps and one of the best apps to customize Windows 11. A recent update to the app makes Auto Dark Mode run on ARM devices natively. The change should reduce battery drain when using the app on the best Windows on ARM laptops.
The update also brings some other noteworthy changes and fixes that are outlined on GitHub, but the biggest addition is native ARM support.
Auto Dark Mode has a range of customization options. You can set custom hours for theme switching, create exceptions to prevent the app from switching your Windows theme during certain tasks, or have the app enable dark mode whenever your device is unplugged. The app also supports hotkeys for switching to themes and preventing themes from switching.
Many Windows apps support switching themes when you adjust the theme of Windows 11. That's a nice feature but not always wanted, since some apps look better in either light or dark mode. Auto Dark Mode supports having apps act differently than your system or having apps always stick to a certain theme. You can also swap your wallpaper based on your current theme.
Auto Dark Mode is a great example of an app with functionality that should be built into Windows 11. But the app standing on its own means the developers of the app can spend more time focused on themes and related settings. It's unlikely that Microsoft would commit the time to integrate all the features of Auto Dark Mode into Windows 11.
While some of the features of Auto Dark Mode are available within Windows 11, having a dedicated app focused on theme switching makes it easier to control how your PC sets its theme by bringing all options into one place.
Auto Dark Mode (version 10.4.2.29)
New Features
- Auto Dark Mode now runs natively on ARM based devices! With all the advantages that come with it, like less battery consumption in the background, which makes your devices last longer. In addition, the app opens faster, and the user interface is much more responsive than before.
- New tray menu option called Try to fix the theme. If you encounter any random theme switch bugs, like a wrong colored taskbar, you can use the option that hopefully fixes this issue. Press & pray.
Improvements
- If using slideshows in shuffle mode, Auto Dark Mode will now forward the first image, to ensure always a random picture will appear as desktop background. No more boredom caused by the same old image! #247
- ADM will now always apply the theme when it starts up, even when the system idle check module is enabled #905
- Added support for more picture file types, ensuring you can make full use of your full wallpaper collection. #872
- Improved handling of the grayscale color filter, or as @Spiritreader stated in his commit "colorus filterus fixus". In this case, fewer bugs lead into fewer colors.
- The DLL files of Auto Dark Mode are now also signed. This is handy for the users of Windows Smart App Control. #871
- Upgraded to .NET 8.
