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Is there any official method to use Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Studio with Dark Mode?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(246.4, 36%, 33%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ETM%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I found https://www.sqlshades.com/ on a reddit thread. Downloaded it, restarted SSMS, and now dark mode is enabled by default.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(297.6, 95%, 38%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EPV%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Still to adapt to https://www.sqlshades.com/, but works!
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![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(96, 26%, 19%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EYK%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hi @Kıvanç ÖZDEMİR,
You can try a solution that outlined here: https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/7218/dark-mode-ssms-configuration/
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(115.19999999999999, 17%, 21%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EJD%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
does not work for 19
It works perfectly well with both SSMS 19 and SSMS 20.
The difference is a location on the file system:
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(163.2, 24%, 25%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ETK%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
@Yitzhak Khabinsky It only changes the Ribbon and the Query Window. The Object Explorer and Results Grid aren't changed, so pretty much useless.
Please try SQL Shades: https://www.sqlshades.com/
It is free of charge, and much more complete solution.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(41.6, 90%, 14%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EHS%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Does work partially, by this I mean only the text Editor window appears in dark mode, everything else is same.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(48, 36%, 14%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EAF%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
You might want to give SQL Shades a try - I've been using it a short time and its better than the old hacky solutions. https://www.sqlshades.com/
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(307.2, 59%, 39%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EYL%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Run this Python code as Administator.
SSMS 19 added, modify the path to your SSMS installation folder if need.
import pathlib
import re
def modify_file(source_path, target_path, pattern, replacement):
"""
Reads the content of source_path, replaces occurrences of pattern with replacement,
and writes the results back to target_path.
"""
# Ensure the source file exists before trying to read it
if source_path.exists():
content = source_path.read_text()
modified_content = re.sub(pattern, replacement, content)
target_path.write_text(modified_content)
print(f"Updated file: {target_path}")
else:
print(f"File not found: {source_path}")
# Define paths and pattern for replacement
paths_versions = {
16: ("C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server\\130\\Tools\\Binn\\ManagementStudio\\ssms.pkgundef",
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server\\140\\Tools\\Binn\\ManagementStudio\\ssms.pkgundef"),
17: ("C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server\\140\\Tools\\Binn\\ManagementStudio\\ssms.pkgundef",
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server\\140\\Tools\\Binn\\ManagementStudio\\ssms.pkgundef"),
18: ("C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 18\\Common7\\IDE\\ssms.pkgundef",
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 18\\Common7\\IDE\\ssms.pkgundef"),
19: ("C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 19\\Common7\\IDE\\ssms.pkgundef",
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 19\\Common7\\IDE\\ssms.pkgundef")
}
pattern = r'''\[\`\$RootKey\`\$\\Themes\\{1ded0138-47ce-435e-84ef-9ec1f439b749}\]'''
replacement = r'''//[`$RootKey`$\\Themes\{1ded0138-47ce-435e-84ef-9ec1f439b749}]'''
# Process each version
for version, (source, target) in paths_versions.items():
source_path = pathlib.Path(source)
target_path = pathlib.Path(target)
modify_file(source_path, target_path, pattern, replacement)