Windows High Contrast Theme Switching

This article guides users through the process of creating custom high contrast themes in Windows 11 using ThemeSwitcher software. The tutorial covers template usage, color codes, and cursor file locations for activation via Microsoft-Activation-Scripts.

---

Download ThemeSwitcher after Windows 11 for switching themes.

Write the following content into hctweak1.theme:

; Copyright � Microsoft Corp.
[Theme]
; High Contrast Black - IDS_THEME_DISPLAYNAME_HCBLACK
DisplayName=@%SystemRoot%\System32\themeui.dll,-2103
SetLogonBackground=0
; Computer - SHIDI_SERVER
[CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]
DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-109
; UsersFiles - SHIDI_USERFILES
[CLSID\{59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE}\DefaultIcon]
DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-123
; Network - SHIDI_MYNETWORK
[CLSID\{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}\DefaultIcon]
DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-25
; Recycle Bin - SHIDI_RECYCLERFULL SHIDI_RECYCLER
[CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon]
Full=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-54
Empty=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-55
[Control Panel\Colors]
ActiveTitle=0 0 0
Background=0 0 0
ButtonFace=0 0 0
ButtonText=255 255 255
GrayText=166 166 166
Hilight=142 227 240
HilightText=38 59 80
HotTrackingColor=117 233 252
InactiveTitle=0 0 0
InactiveTitleText=128 128 128
TitleText=255 255 255
Window=0 0 0
WindowText=255 255 255
Scrollbar=0 0 0
Menu=0 0 0
WindowFrame=255 255 255
MenuText=255 255 255
ActiveBorder=255 255 0
InactiveBorder=0 128 0
AppWorkspace=0 0 0
ButtonShadow=0 0 0
ButtonHilight=192 192 192
ButtonDkShadow=255 255 255
ButtonLight=255 255 255
InfoText=255 255 255
InfoWindow=0 0 0
ButtonAlternateFace=192 192 192
GradientActiveTitle=128 0 128
GradientInactiveTitle=0 128 0
MenuHilight=128 0 128
MenuBar=0 0 0
[Control Panel\Cursors]
Arrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_arrow.cur
Help=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_helpsel.cur
AppStarting=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_working.ani
Wait=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_busy.ani
NWPen=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_pen.cur
No=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_unavail.cur
SizeNS=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ns.cur
SizeWE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ew.cur
Crosshair=
IBeam=
SizeNWSE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nwse.cur
SizeNESW=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nesw.cur
SizeAll=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_move.cur
UpArrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_up.cur
DefaultValue=Windows Default
DefaultValue.MUI=@main.cpl,-1020
Hand=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_link.cur
Link=
[Control Panel\Desktop]
Wallpaper=
TileWallpaper=0
WallpaperStyle=10
Pattern=
[VisualStyles]
Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\AeroLite.msstyles
ColorStyle=NormalColor
Size=NormalSize
HighContrast=3
[boot]
SCRNSAVE.EXE=
[MasterThemeSelector]
MTSM=RJSPBS
[Sounds]
; IDS_SCHEME_DEFAULT
SchemeName=@%SystemRoot%\System32\mmres.dll,-800

Use like ThemeSwitcher.exe <absolute_path_to_theme_file>

---

Activate Windows using Microsoft-Activation-Scripts