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Microsoft is finally giving Excel for Windows a proper dark mode. With a new update that’s now rolling out to testers on the Beta Channel, the spreadsheet app now displays dark sheets and cells.
As of today, Excel for Windows in dark mode still shows white cells while the rest of the UI is dark. “Dark Mode has been a highly-requested feature in our Feedback portal and we’re happy to deliver,” wrote Sharon Mehta, a Product Manager on the Excel team.
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Besides alleviating eye strain, the enhanced dark mode can also help lower energy usage on PCs equipped with OLED displays. Microsoft mentioned that Beta Channel Insiders must have version 2502 (Build 18508.20000) of the app installed; however, this update has not yet been rolled out to me at the time of this writing.
Today, the Microsoft 365 Insider team announced on X that the Excel web app will soon support dark mode. While the Word web app already features dark mode, similar to its desktop counterpart, both Excel and PowerPoint have yet to implement this feature.
Hello Michael! We recognize how crucial this feature is and are currently making efforts to implement it in Excel Online as well. Keep an eye out for updates!
— Microsoft 365 Insider (@Msft365Insider) January 14, 2025
If you frequently use Windows 11 and Windows 10, you might have noticed that the overall dark mode still retains a number of legacy elements in white. It may take years for Windows 11 to achieve a comprehensive dark mode, if it ever does.
