SSMS Dark Mode in SQL Server Management Studio

In SQL Server Management Studio you can enable the hidden Dark Mode, by altering one line in one file.

Caveats -- it's not a great dark mode implementation, yet. A few things are not themed, and some menus have black text on gray background.

Despite this I still prefer it, very much. Better for the eyes.

Before applying the change you will only have two color themes (Blue and Light) available under:

Tools -> Options -> General -> Color themes

To fix this:

Find the folder SSMS is running from, e.g.

(Basically got to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\ and find the biggest number, go into it, then look in Tools\Binn\ManagementStudio ... or right click your SSMS to see where it's launched)

As administrator Edit the file ssms.pkgundef

• Look for the line // Remove Dark Theme
• The very next line needs to be commented out! Put // at the start of the line, to comment it out.

Restart SSMS.

Go to:

Tools -> Options -> General -> Color themes

Available theme now includes Blue, DARK and Light.

Source(s)

• How to enable dark theme in SQL Server Management Studio -- this is the one i used

• Setting up the dark theme in SQL Server Management Studio -- this is one i didn't use but it may be useful if/when upgrades break it

See also

• SSMS Dark Mode