From 50fc80a1c30d36a56b6b96e43265b7e9888273d3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: bicarus <202771338+bicarus-dev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:51:31 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] graphics: respect Windows dark mode (#765)

Only affects the caption bar.

Should work for:

- [x] standalone configurator
- [x] dx9 games, including multi-window games like gitadora
- [x] Unity games
---
 src/spice2x/cfg/configurator_wnd.cpp          |  3 ++
 .../backends/d3d11/d3d11_swapchain.cpp        |  5 +++
 src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/graphics.cpp       |  6 +++
 src/spice2x/util/utils.cpp                    | 43 +++++++++++++++++++
 src/spice2x/util/utils.h                      |  4 ++
 5 files changed, 61 insertions(+)

diff --git a/src/spice2x/cfg/configurator_wnd.cpp b/src/spice2x/cfg/configurator_wnd.cpp
index fb3e22c..ca7580d 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/cfg/configurator_wnd.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/cfg/configurator_wnd.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "overlay/overlay.h"
 #include "util/logging.h"
 #include "util/precise_timer.h"
+#include "util/utils.h"
 #include "cfg/configurator.h"
 
 #include "icon.h"
@@ -214,6 +215,8 @@ cfg::ConfiguratorWindow::ConfiguratorWindow() {
 
     if (this->hWnd) {
         overlay::USE_WM_CHAR_FOR_IMGUI_CHAR_INPUT = true;
+        // force dark title bar
+        set_window_dark_titlebar(this->hWnd, true);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/backends/d3d11/d3d11_swapchain.cpp b/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/backends/d3d11/d3d11_swapchain.cpp
index bffe2ec..c7a8b00 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/backends/d3d11/d3d11_swapchain.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/backends/d3d11/d3d11_swapchain.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "hooks/graphics/graphics.h"
 #include "launcher/launcher.h"
 #include "misc/eamuse.h"
+#include "util/utils.h"
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // overlay render bridge
@@ -123,6 +124,10 @@ void try_create_overlay(IDXGISwapChain *swapchain) {
         return;
     }
 
+    // theme the native title bar; first present is the only reliable point for
+    // windows whose swapchain bypasses our factory hooks (e.g. UnityPlayer.dll)
+    set_window_dark_titlebar(desc.OutputWindow);
+
     ID3D11Device *device = nullptr;
     if (FAILED(swapchain->GetDevice(IID_PPV_ARGS(&device))) || !device) {
         return;
diff --git a/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/graphics.cpp b/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/graphics.cpp
index a478bd4..cadbd23 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/graphics.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/hooks/graphics/graphics.cpp
@@ -585,6 +585,9 @@ static HWND WINAPI CreateWindowExA_hook(DWORD dwExStyle, LPCSTR lpClassName, LPC
             hWndParent, hMenu, hInstance, lpParam);
     GRAPHICS_WINDOWS.push_back(result);
 
+    // theme the native title bar (dark/light)
+    set_window_dark_titlebar(result);
+
     if (is_tdj_sub_window) {
         // TDJ windowed mode: remember the subscreen window handle for later
         TDJ_SUBSCREEN_WINDOW = result;
@@ -706,6 +709,9 @@ static HWND WINAPI CreateWindowExW_hook(DWORD dwExStyle, LPCWSTR lpClassName, LP
             hWndParent, hMenu, hInstance, lpParam);
     GRAPHICS_WINDOWS.push_back(result);
 
+    // theme the native title bar (dark/light)
+    set_window_dark_titlebar(result);
+
     log_misc(
         "graphics",
         "CreateWindowExW returned {}, {}",
diff --git a/src/spice2x/util/utils.cpp b/src/spice2x/util/utils.cpp
index c90e591..f91be99 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/util/utils.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/util/utils.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@
 
 #include "utils.h"
 
+#if !SPICE_XP
+#include <dwmapi.h>
+#ifndef DWMWA_USE_IMMERSIVE_DARK_MODE
+#define DWMWA_USE_IMMERSIVE_DARK_MODE 20
+#endif
+// older numbering used by Win10 1809..1909
+#define DWMWA_USE_IMMERSIVE_DARK_MODE_OLD 19
+#endif
+
 const char *inet_ntop(short af, const void *src, char *dst, DWORD size) {
 
     // prepare storage
@@ -124,3 +133,37 @@ void generate_ea_card(char card[17]) {
     // terminate and flush
     card[16] = 0;
 }
+
+void set_window_dark_titlebar(HWND hWnd, bool force_dark) {
+#if !SPICE_XP
+    if (hWnd == nullptr) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // AppsUseLightTheme == 0 means the dark app theme is selected
+    DWORD light = 1;
+    if (!force_dark) {
+        DWORD size = sizeof(light);
+        HKEY key;
+        if (RegOpenKeyExW(HKEY_CURRENT_USER,
+                L"Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Themes\\Personalize",
+                0, KEY_QUERY_VALUE, &key) == ERROR_SUCCESS) {
+            RegQueryValueExW(key, L"AppsUseLightTheme", nullptr, nullptr,
+                reinterpret_cast<LPBYTE>(&light), &size);
+            RegCloseKey(key);
+        }
+    }
+
+    BOOL dark = (force_dark || light == 0) ? TRUE : FALSE;
+
+    // fall back to the older attribute numbering on Win10 1809..1909
+    if (FAILED(DwmSetWindowAttribute(hWnd, DWMWA_USE_IMMERSIVE_DARK_MODE,
+            &dark, sizeof(dark)))) {
+        DwmSetWindowAttribute(hWnd, DWMWA_USE_IMMERSIVE_DARK_MODE_OLD,
+            &dark, sizeof(dark));
+    }
+#else
+    (void) hWnd;
+    (void) force_dark;
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/src/spice2x/util/utils.h b/src/spice2x/util/utils.h
index 6d09dbf..6cb0ef8 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/util/utils.h
+++ b/src/spice2x/util/utils.h
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ static const char HEX_LOOKUP_UPPERCASE[16] = {
 
 const char *inet_ntop(short af, const void *src, char *dst, DWORD size);
 
+// make a window's native title bar follow the Windows dark/light app theme.
+// pass force_dark=true to always use the dark caption regardless of the system theme.
+void set_window_dark_titlebar(HWND hWnd, bool force_dark = false);
+
 static inline bool string_begins_with(const std::string &s, const std::string &prefix) {
     return s.compare(0, prefix.size(), prefix) == 0;
 }