How to enable dark mode in v4.6.0 UI Theme Configuration?

[CarFMI]

The most recent update v4.6.0 (Oct 22th 2023) now has something called the "UI Theme Configuration", allowing the customisation of the default theme: Options → Behaviour → Interface → Customize UI Theme...

The customisation panel presents a list of colours and icons for both a "Dark Mode" and a "Light Mode".

However, where exactly does one enable the "Dark Mode"?

UI Theme Configuration.png (10.39 KiB) Viewed 43261 times

[CarFMI]

Do the developers involved with the project read this forum?

Should I post the question elsewhere so that it would be appropriately addressed?

[PriitUring]

Where exactly does one enable the "Dark Mode"?

In your Windows Settings you have to enable it first.

There's no dark mode button in qBit v4.6.0, even current latest v5.0.0alpha1 experimental development build doesn't have such button and qBit relies on dependency Qt6 library to get and use more native OS theme automatically and immediately without requiring to restart qBit to see some changes to qBit interface. Otherwise too much unnecessary code to test and maintain if have to bundle extra theme files or to try to use workarounds instead of allowing Qt to be responsible for qBit theme changes.

The customisation panel presents a list of colours and icons for both a "Dark Mode" and a "Light Mode".

You can currently only specify icons and text colors in v4.6.0, even latest v5.0.0alpha1 doesn't allow specifying background color without modifying code or without using any custom theme file.

Do the developers involved with the project read this forum?

Better to use GitHub, although various help is asked and discussions happen more often in reddit, but GitHub is more organized and is a lot better if you really want feature requests, bug issue reports or qBit related Q&A on GitHub Discussion page to be read by developers and contributors.

Many users don't know how or not interested to give enough basic info in GitHub, so I'm not surprised if many prefer using other websites.

It's unfortunately very hard to keep track on unresolved and fixed things elsewhere other than in GitHub, seems as if it's not easy to even add tags or labels elsewhere and development is still done in GitHub, that it's probably too inconvenient to constantly read unorganized things elsewhere.

Forum is good if someone has a new tool, script or guide, then there's a chance it gets pinned on top for new users to notice them, unfortunately less things ever get pinned elsewhere.

This misunderstanding or hope to see somekind Dark Mode button was also recently mentioned in GitHub:
https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/19754

So if you don't want to use experimental v5.0.0alpha1 or not interested to create your own fork in GitHub to get qBit v4.6 to use Qt Fusion Style by default, then you can use qBit v4.6.0 and try this:

This is how I got qBit v4.6 Dark Mode in Win11:
1. Enable dark theme in Windows OS settings.
2. Make sure you disable custom theme in qBit.
3. Exit qBittorrent and make sure it's fully closed.
4. Now try running qBit with one of these:

Right-click on your Windows Start Menu icon, then select RUN, then copy and paste the default qBit location with the extra command and press OK:
"C:\Program Files\qBittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Alternatively, you can modify qBit shortcuts:

Open Start Menu, right-click on the qBit shortcut, select to open its location, now right-click on the shortcut file, right-click on it, click properties, and then change Target field to: "C:\Program Files\qBittorrent\qbittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Or on desktop, copy your qBit shortcut, rename it as qBit Dark Mode, then right-click on it, select properties, and then change the Target field to: "C:\Program Files\qBittorrent\qbittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

[CarFMI]

Thank you very much for the detailed answer.

As for your various steps ...

1. Yes, I already had Windows in dark mode.
2. Yes, I had already disabled the theme I was using before, because it does not work on v4.6.
3. Done.
4. Update the shortcut with the extra command line parameter, as per your instructions.

It is now working splendidly in "Dark Mode". Thank you!

qbt.V4.6.0.darkmode.png (34.14 KiB) Viewed 42952 times

[jmcc84]

I have the same problem. Obviously my Windows is already in dark mode. Why I have to add a command line for it to work?

[Peter]

I have the same problem. Obviously my Windows is already in dark mode. Why I have to add a command line for it to work?

Because of how Qt works. I'm fairly sure this behavior will be corrected.
You can follow the ticket here: https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/19754

[DanaLuke]

Where exactly does one enable the "Dark Mode"?

In your Windows Settings you have to enable it first.

There's no dark mode button in qBit v4.6.0, even current latest v5.0.0alpha1 experimental development build doesn't have such button and qBit relies on dependency Qt6 library to get and use more native OS theme automatically and immediately without requiring to restart qBit to see some changes to qBit interface. Otherwise too much unnecessary code to test and maintain if have to bundle extra theme files or to try to use workarounds instead of allowing Qt to be responsible for qBit theme changes.

The customisation panel presents a list of colours and icons for both a "Dark Mode" and a "Light Mode".

You can currently only specify icons and text colors in v4.6.0, even latest v5.0.0alpha1 doesn't allow specifying background color without modifying code or without using any custom theme file.

Do the developers involved with the project read this forum?

Better to use GitHub, although various help is asked and discussions happen more often in reddit, but GitHub is more organized and is a lot better if you really want feature requests, bug issue reports or qBit related Q&A on GitHub Discussion page to be read by developers and contributors.

Many users don't know how or not interested to give enough basic info in GitHub, so I'm not surprised if many prefer using other websites.

It's unfortunately very hard to keep track on unresolved and fixed things elsewhere other than in GitHub, seems as if it's not easy to even add tags or labels elsewhere and development is still done in GitHub, that it's probably too inconvenient to constantly read unorganized things elsewhere.

Forum is good if someone has a new tool, script or guide, then there's a chance it gets pinned on top for new users to notice them, unfortunately less things ever get pinned elsewhere.

This misunderstanding or hope to see somekind Dark Mode button was also recently mentioned in GitHub:
https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/19754

So if you don't want to use experimental v5.0.0alpha1 or not interested to create your own fork in GitHub to get qBit v4.6 to use Qt Fusion Style by default, then you can use qBit v4.6.0 and try this:

This is how I got qBit v4.6 Dark Mode in Win11:
1. Enable dark theme in Windows OS settings.
2. Make sure you disable custom theme in qBit.
3. Exit qBittorrent and make sure it's fully closed.
4. Now try running qBit with one of these:

Right-click on your Windows Start Menu icon, then select RUN, then copy and paste the default qBit location with the extra command and press OK:
"C:\Program Files\qBittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Alternatively, you can modify qBit shortcuts:

Open Start Menu, right-click on the qBit shortcut, select to open its location, now right-click on the shortcut file, right-click on it, click properties, and then change Target field to: "C:\Program Files\qBittorrent\qbittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Or on desktop, copy your qBit shortcut, rename it as qBit Dark Mode, then right-click on it, select properties, and then change the Target field to: "C:\Program Files\qBittorrent\qbittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Thanks, I will try it and if I face any issue, I will update by starting my own thread.

[SinShadowFox]

Where exactly does one enable the "Dark Mode"?

In your Windows Settings you have to enable it first.

There's no dark mode button in qBit v4.6.0, even current latest v5.0.0alpha1 experimental development build doesn't have such button and qBit relies on dependency Qt6 library to get and use more native OS theme automatically and immediately without requiring to restart qBit to see some changes to qBit interface. Otherwise too much unnecessary code to test and maintain if have to bundle extra theme files or to try to use workarounds instead of allowing Qt to be responsible for qBit theme changes.

The customisation panel presents a list of colours and icons for both a "Dark Mode" and a "Light Mode".

You can currently only specify icons and text colors in v4.6.0, even latest v5.0.0alpha1 doesn't allow specifying background color without modifying code or without using any custom theme file.

Do the developers involved with the project read this forum?

Better to use GitHub, although various help is asked and discussions happen more often in reddit, but GitHub is more organized and is a lot better if you really want feature requests, bug issue reports or qBit related Q&A on GitHub Discussion page to be read by developers and contributors.

Many users don't know how or not interested to give enough basic info in GitHub, so I'm not surprised if many prefer using other websites.

It's unfortunately very hard to keep track on unresolved and fixed things elsewhere other than in GitHub, seems as if it's not easy to even add tags or labels elsewhere and development is still done in GitHub, that it's probably too inconvenient to constantly read unorganized things elsewhere.

Forum is good if someone has a new tool, script or guide, then there's a chance it gets pinned on top for new users to notice them, unfortunately less things ever get pinned elsewhere.

This misunderstanding or hope to see somekind Dark Mode button was also recently mentioned in GitHub:
https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/19754

So if you don't want to use experimental v5.0.0alpha1 or not interested to create your own fork in GitHub to get qBit v4.6 to use Qt Fusion Style by default, then you can use qBit v4.6.0 and try this:

This is how I got qBit v4.6 Dark Mode in Win11:
1. Enable dark theme in Windows OS settings.
2. Make sure you disable custom theme in qBit.
3. Exit qBittorrent and make sure it's fully closed.
4. Now try running qBit with one of these:

Right-click on your Windows Start Menu icon, then select RUN, then copy and paste the default qBit location with the extra command and press OK:
"C:\Program Files\qBittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Alternatively, you can modify qBit shortcuts:

Open Start Menu, right-click on the qBit shortcut, select to open its location, now right-click on the shortcut file, right-click on it, click properties, and then change Target field to: "C:\Program Files\qBittorrent\qbittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Or on desktop, copy your qBit shortcut, rename it as qBit Dark Mode, then right-click on it, select properties, and then change the Target field to: "C:\Program Files\qBittorrent\qbittorrent.exe" -platform windows:darkmode=2

Where is target field?

[Peter]

...

You get a target field when you make a shortcut to the .exe file. You need to modify the shortcut's properties.

[idimus]

So enabling Dark Windows theme in Windows Setting doesn't affect my qBittorrent color. Although enabling dark mode by launching with command line or editing link works pretty well.
BUT! If I'm opening torrent file, when qBit not launched, it still white. So, I have better solution. You can edit "qt.conf" file instead of modifying link. If's sit beside to qBittorrent.exe ("c:\Program Files\qBittorrent\" for me)
Open qt.conf file for editing (administrative privileges would required).
In the end of file, add following line:

Code: Select all

WindowsArguments = darkmode=2

Save file. After relaunching qBit it would be dark mode enabled. Works even if you launching qBit though opening torrent file.

[SinShadowFox]

...

You get a target field when you make a shortcut to the .exe file. You need to modify the shortcut's properties.

It didn't work.

[SinShadowFox]

So enabling Dark Windows theme in Windows Setting doesn't affect my qBittorrent color. Although enabling dark mode by launching with command line or editing link works pretty well.
BUT! If I'm opening torrent file, when qBit not launched, it still white. So, I have better solution. You can edit "qt.conf" file instead of modifying link. If's sit beside to qBittorrent.exe ("c:\Program Files\qBittorrent\" for me)
Open qt.conf file for editing (administrative privileges would required).
In the end of file, add following line:

Code: Select all

WindowsArguments = darkmode=2

Save file. After relaunching qBit it would be dark mode enabled. Works even if you launching qBit though opening torrent file.

How do you do that? Mine won't let me, even with admin privs

[idimus]

In first place, your windows actually let you to choose the program, by second option:
* Select a program from a list of installed programs.
Then click Ok button, and locate notepad.

There is several ways how to launch notepad with admin privileges.

Launch notepad. Press Ctrl+Shift+"Left mouse click" on Notepad app icon in the taskbar.
It should prompt dialog to run new application instance with administrative privileges.

Or.

Open Windows "Start" menu. Locate notepad. Right mouse click on it, and choose "Run as administrator".

After that you can open qt.conf from "File/Open" dialog (don't' forget to change "Text document (*.txt)" selector to "All files (*.*)")

Open qt.conf file in administrative instance of app. Add the dark mode enabling line to qt.conf and save file.

And last option.

Save following as qt.conf file (not qt.conf.txt one!)

Code: Select all

[Paths]
Translations = translations

[Platforms]
;WindowsArguments = dpiawareness=1
WindowsArguments = darkmode=2

Copy that file, and paste it in qBits folder in Program files using Explorer. Explorer would ask you, about administrative privileges in order to replace original one.

[SinShadowFox]

In first place, your windows actually let you to choose the program, by second option:
* Select a program from a list of installed programs.
Then click Ok button, and locate notepad.

There is several ways how to launch notepad with admin privileges.

Launch notepad. Press Ctrl+Shift+"Left mouse click" on Notepad app icon in the taskbar.
It should prompt dialog to run new application instance with administrative privileges.

Or.

Open Windows "Start" menu. Locate notepad. Right mouse click on it, and choose "Run as administrator".

After that you can open qt.conf from "File/Open" dialog (don't' forget to change "Text document (*.txt)" selector to "All files (*.*)")

Open qt.conf file in administrative instance of app. Add the dark mode enabling line to qt.conf and save file.

And last option.

Save following as qt.conf file (not qt.conf.txt one!)

Code: Select all

[Paths]
Translations = translations

[Platforms]
;WindowsArguments = dpiawareness=1
WindowsArguments = darkmode=2

Copy that file, and paste it in qBits folder in Program files using Explorer. Explorer would ask you, about administrative privileges in order to replace original one.

I tried this, it didn't work.

[idimus]

You have windows 7?