windows-automated-light-dark-mode

It's quite convoluted to set a scheduled light/dark mode on Windows, so here's a simple way to manage that:

Search Task Scheduler

Click Task Scheduler Library

Click New Folder... and name it Night Mode (or whatever you like, this is where we store our schedule tasks)

Click your new folder and then click Create Task

Remember, we need two tasks. One to switch to dark mode, and another to switch from dark mode back to light mode. We'll start with the switch to dark mode

Dark Mode Automation

Name the task switchToDarkMode

In General select Run whether user is logged on or not and tick Do not store password

Check the box to Configure for Windows 10 (or whatever OS you're using)

Click Triggers, make sure it's set to On a schedule

Check the box Daily and set your start date and tim

Click Actions and make sure its set to Start a program

In Program/script we need to paste in: %SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

In Add arguments we need to paste in: :New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize -Name SystemUsesLightTheme -Value 0 -Type Dword -Force; New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize -Name AppsUseLightTheme -Value 0 -Type Dword -Force

Click Settings and check Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed and If the task fails, restart. This just solves any sleep mode problems

Light Mode Automation

Name the task switchToLightMode

In General select Run whether user is logged on or not and tick Do not store password

Check the box to Configure for Windows 10 (or whatever OS you're using)

Click Triggers, make sure it's set to On a schedule

Check the box Daily and set your start date and time

Click Actions and make sure its set to Start a program

In Program/script we need to paste in: %SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

In Add arguments we need to paste in: New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize -Name SystemUsesLightTheme -Value 0 -Type Dword -Force; New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize -Name AppsUseLightTheme -Value 1 -Type Dword -Force

Click Settings and check Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed and If the task fails, restart. This just solves any sleep mode problems

NOTE: This light mode automation sets the taskbar to dark mode, which is my preference. Alternatively if you want the taskbar to be light mode too you can paste this in the arguments instead:

New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize -Name SystemUsesLightTheme -Value 1 -Type Dword -Force; New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize -Name AppsUseLightTheme -Value 1 -Type Dword -Force

Extra Options

You might have specifc behaviour you prefer, such as hiding the task bar automatically and other things like that. It's likely that these scripts will overwrite those preferences. As such, I'd recommend asking ChatGPT to add those conditions to the Add arguments script, just be sure use to the exact lettering/wording used in the Windows Settings