On macOS, FileZilla automatically follows the system theme. On Windows, the application still does not respond to the standard "Dark Mode" setting found in Personalization > Colors . How to Enable Dark Theme Today
For decades, FileZilla has been the go-to FTP client for millions of developers, webmasters, and IT professionals. However, while the software is powerful and reliable, its default bright interface has always been a pain point—especially for those who spend hours staring at a screen.
While this darkens the window borders and some context menus, it often leaves the main file panes white. To fix this, users often turn to High Contrast themes under Accessibility settings, though this can drastically change the look of every other app on your system. Method 2: Using Custom Icon Themes (The "Visual Fix") filezilla dark theme upd
: FileZilla typically inherits the GTK theme of your desktop environment (e.g., GNOME or KDE).
If you don’t see a dark theme here, don't worry. It likely means your version relies on your operating system's settings, or you need to apply one of the third-party tweaks below. On macOS, FileZilla automatically follows the system theme
, bringing a sleek, eye-friendly interface to your FTP workflows. Key updates: Native Dark Theme: Automatically matches your System/OS settings. New Icon Sets:
For users who want a more polished experience, FileZilla Pro updates often include better compatibility with modern OS rendering engines. While the Pro version doesn't "unlock" a hidden dark mode button, it does offer more frequent maintenance updates that ensure the software doesn't "break" or glitch when Windows or macOS updates their dark mode APIs. Troubleshooting Common Issues However, while the software is powerful and reliable,
Because the FileZilla Client is built using the cross-platform wxWidgets graphical library, it relies entirely on the host operating system's native Win32 rendering engine rather than independent internal skinning.
12869 (Add ability to select dark or light mode.) - FileZilla's Trac
Use the Settings > Interface > Themes option to change icon packs. Sometimes, darker icon sets are available.
, a cross-platform library that relies on native system controls. On Windows, these controls have historically been tied to the classic Win32 API, which does not automatically respect the modern "Dark Mode" toggle used by Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. The OS Blame-Game: