Notepad dark mode: dark themes for late-night writing
A plain-text notepad with a proper dark mode, several dark themes and an Auto setting that follows your device.
The classic Windows Notepad has long been a bright white rectangle. Classic Notepad keeps the familiar layout but lets you switch the whole window to a dark theme, so a quick note at night does not feel like staring into a lamp. It runs in your browser, so dark mode works on any device without installing a thing.
The dark themes
Open View › Theme and pick one of the options. Light themes are there too. Five of them are dark:
- Dark, a neutral dark version of the standard look.
- Monokai, the olive-black palette made famous by Sublime Text.
- Dracula, a high-contrast dark theme with purple accents.
- Solarized Dark, a low-contrast, carefully calibrated palette.
- Nord, a cool, muted blue-grey dark palette.
Auto: follow your system
The first choice in the theme picker is Auto. It follows your operating system or browser setting, so the notepad turns dark when your device does and light again in the morning, with no clicking. Pick a specific theme instead if you want it to stay the same regardless of the time of day.
Your choice is remembered. The theme is stored in your browser along with your notes, so it is applied the next time you open the page on the same device.
Why use a dark notepad
Many people find a dark background easier on the eyes in a dim room, and on
OLED screens it also reduces glare. It is a comfort preference rather than a
medical fix, so choose whichever theme lets you read comfortably. Because
Classic Notepad is plain text, the dark theme changes only the colours: your
text, saved notes and .txt files are untouched.
Frequently asked questions
Does Notepad have a dark mode?
Classic Notepad does. Open View › Theme and choose Dark, Monokai, Dracula, Nord or Solarized Dark.
How do I turn on dark mode?
Choose View › Theme and click a dark theme. To switch automatically with your device, choose Auto.
Can it follow my system dark mode setting?
Yes. The Auto option follows your operating system or browser appearance setting.
Is the theme remembered?
Yes. It is saved in your browser, so it is applied the next time you open the notepad on the same device.
Does dark mode cost anything?
No. Every theme is free, with no account, no signup and no ads.