The best VS Code themes in 2026, dark and light
12 popular, well-maintained themes for Visual Studio Code, each with its light and dark options and the official Marketplace link. Plus how to install one in 30 seconds and how to choose one your eyes will still like after an eight-hour session.
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Quick answer
There is no single best theme, only the one you can read comfortably all day. If you want one safe choice, install GitHub Theme: it has matching light and dark versions, so you can switch with daylight. For a dark-only theme, One Dark Pro and Tokyo Night are easy on the eyes and work with almost every language.
VS Code themes compared
Every theme here is free to install from the Visual Studio Marketplace (Monokai Pro asks for a licence after evaluation).
| Theme | Dark | Light | Variants | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Dark Pro | Yes | No | One Dark Pro, Flat, Darker, Mix | Calm grey, from the Atom editor |
| Dracula | Yes | No | Dracula, Dracula Soft | High-contrast purple and pink |
| GitHub Theme | Yes | Yes | Light / Dark Default, Dimmed, High Contrast, Colorblind | Looks like github.com |
| Night Owl | Yes | Yes | Night Owl, Light Owl | Deep blue, made for late nights |
| Tokyo Night | Yes | Yes | Tokyo Night, Storm, Light | Soft neon on navy |
| Catppuccin | Yes | Yes | Mocha, Macchiato, Frappé, Latte (light) | Pastel, low glare |
| Monokai Pro | Yes | Yes | Pro, Classic, Machine, Octagon, Ristretto, Spectrum, Light | Warm, classic Monokai |
| Ayu | Yes | Yes | Dark, Mirage, Light | Minimal, bright accents |
| Nord | Yes | No | Nord | Cool arctic blue-grey |
| Rosé Pine | Yes | Yes | Rosé Pine, Moon, Dawn (light) | Muted rose and pine |
| Gruvbox | Yes | Yes | Dark and Light, each Hard / Medium / Soft | Retro, warm, earthy |
| SynthWave '84 | Yes | No | SynthWave '84 (optional neon glow) | 80s neon, for fun |
Variants were read from each extension's Marketplace page on 5 Nov 2026. The list is in no particular order and is not a ranking.
12 VS Code themes worth trying
Install two or three, use each for a day on real code, and keep the one you stop noticing. That is a good theme.
One Dark Pro
Dark · the classic Atom look- Modes
- Dark only
- Variants
- One Dark Pro, Flat, Darker, Mix
Atom's iconic One Dark theme, ported to VS Code. Mid-grey background, soft colours and nothing that shouts, which is why so many tutorials (and screenshots you will see online) use it.
Dracula Official
Dark · high contrast- Modes
- Dark only
- Variants
- Dracula, Dracula Soft
A dark theme with bright pink, green and purple. Very readable on cheaper laptop screens with low contrast. The same palette exists for terminals, browsers and hundreds of other apps, so your whole setup can match.
GitHub Theme
Light and dark · made by GitHub- Modes
- Light and dark
- Variants
- Default, Dimmed, High Contrast, Colorblind
The official theme from GitHub, matching how code looks on github.com. The best pick if you switch between light (day, sunlight) and dark (night), and the High Contrast and Colorblind versions make it the most accessible set here.
Night Owl
Dark and light · for night coding- Modes
- Dark and light
- Variants
- Night Owl, Light Owl
By Sarah Drasner, designed for people who code late at night, with colours chosen with accessibility and colour blindness in mind. Light Owl is the matching daytime version.
Tokyo Night
Dark and light · soft neon- Modes
- Dark and light
- Variants
- Tokyo Night, Storm, Light
A clean navy theme inspired by downtown Tokyo at night. The colours are bright enough to tell apart but never harsh, which makes it a popular "install and forget" dark theme.
Catppuccin
Dark and light · pastel- Modes
- Dark and light
- Variants
- Mocha, Macchiato, Frappé, Latte
A community pastel palette with four "flavours": Latte is light, the other three get progressively darker. Like Dracula, it has ports for terminals, browsers and other apps, and the VS Code version is highly customisable.
Monokai Pro
Dark and light · from the Monokai creator- Modes
- Dark and light
- Price
- Free to evaluate; paid licence
From the designer of the original Monokai colour scheme, with several "filters" (Classic, Machine, Octagon, Ristretto, Spectrum and a light one) plus a matching icon set. Honest note: it is the only theme here that asks you to buy a licence to keep using it without reminders.
Ayu
Dark and light · minimal- Modes
- Dark and light
- Variants
- Dark, Mirage, Light
A simple theme with bright, distinct colours in three versions. Mirage is a softer middle ground between the very dark Dark and the Light version, and it is the one most people end up keeping.
Nord
Dark · cool and calm- Modes
- Dark only
- Palette
- Nord (Arctic Ice Studio)
An arctic, blue-grey palette with low contrast and muted colours. Very relaxing for long sessions; some people find it too low-contrast on dim screens, so try it at your usual brightness.
Rosé Pine
Dark and light · muted- Modes
- Dark and light
- Variants
- Rosé Pine, Moon, Dawn
Soft rose, gold and pine colours on a deep purple base. Dawn is one of the nicest light themes around, with a warm paper-like background instead of pure white.
Gruvbox Theme
Dark and light · retro- Modes
- Dark and light
- Variants
- Hard, Medium, Soft (each mode)
The warm, retro palette that Vim users love, with three contrast levels for both dark and light. A good choice if bright blue-heavy themes tire your eyes.
SynthWave '84
Dark · 80s neon- Modes
- Dark only
- Extra
- Optional neon glow effect
Pure fun: an 80s synthwave look with an optional glowing-text effect. Great for screenshots and streams; for daily work, most people keep the glow off.
Our honest pick
Install GitHub Theme first. It is free, made and maintained by GitHub, and gives you matching light and dark versions, plus high-contrast and colour-blind options if you need them.
If you want a dark theme with more personality, try One Dark Pro or Tokyo Night for a week each. Do not spend more than ten minutes choosing: a theme does not make you a better programmer, but a readable one keeps you comfortable.
How to install and switch a VS Code theme
- Open the Extensions view with
Ctrl+Shift+X(Cmd+Shift+Xon Mac). - Search for the theme name, for example "Tokyo Night", and click Install.
- Open the theme picker with
Ctrl+KthenCtrl+T(Cmd+K Cmd+Ton Mac) and use the arrow keys to preview each variant. - Press Enter to keep one. You can switch back at any time the same way.
Now write some code in your new theme
A good theme is a nice start. These Kodyfier courses and guides are where you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best VS Code theme?
There is no single best one: the best theme is the one you can read comfortably for hours. GitHub Theme is the safest choice because it has matching light and dark versions, and One Dark Pro, Dracula and Tokyo Night are popular dark themes.
How do I change the theme in VS Code?
Install a theme from the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X), then open the theme picker with Ctrl+K followed by Ctrl+T (Cmd+K Cmd+T on Mac), preview the options with the arrow keys and press Enter to keep one.
Are VS Code themes free?
Almost all are. Every theme on this list installs free from the Visual Studio Marketplace; Monokai Pro is the exception, as it asks you to buy a licence after an evaluation period.
Vinod Bahadur Thapa
Founder of Kodyfier and the creator of Thapa Technical on YouTube. These lists are written the way he would answer a student: what each option is good at, what it costs, and which one to start with.
Thapa Technical