10 Visual Studio 2022 Themes you Should Try (Free Themes!)✔️
Tags: visualstudio, beginners, programming
Published: 2022-10-18 06:20:12

You’re probably looking for visual studio 2022 themes because you want to spruce up your development workflow. To make the most of your time, you need to **feel comfortable and confident in the tools you use**, and there’s no better way to accomplish that than by customizing the colors, fonts, and background image of your text editor or IDE.

You might have your favorite themes right now, but don’t stop here! **You must try these popular VS themes!**

## The Pros and Cons of Light and Dark Visual Studio Themes

The advantage of light-colored themes is that they are **easier on the eyes**. They work well for front-end development and smaller projects as well. The drawback of light-colored themes is that those with vision difficulties may find it challenging to read them.

Dark themes offer the benefit of being **simpler for those with vision impairments to read**. Large projects and back-end development benefit from their use as well. Dark themes have the drawback of being difficult on the eyes.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/dq8mmog6by6kh1h2hws6.png)


              
Some people favor using a light-colored theme while others want a dark-colored theme for their coding environment. **Every option has advantages and disadvantages**. Although lighter colors are less tiring to the eye, those with vision difficulties may find it challenging to read light-colored themes.

**People with vision problems can read darker themes more easily**, but they can also be strain on the eyes. It is ultimately up to each developer to choose the theme that best suits their requirements.

Before analyzing the best themes for Visual Studio 2022 (_and earlier_), let’s see how to install them (_it’s easy and fast_) so you can have them at hand and try which one is the best for you!

## How to change Visual Studio theme?

If you are wondering how to change theme in Visual Studio (no matter if it is 2019/2022), it is very simple! To do this you first need to install the [**Visual Studio 2022 Theme Pack**](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=idex.vsthemepack) themes. This is a free theme pack created by Microsoft and has **more than 10 different themes** (_black/dark, white/light, red and more_). These themes are based in vscode themes.

Learn how to install these free themes in your IDE in a couple of clicks!

## Installing Visual Studio Theme Pack

First of all, we have to open our IDE and in the toolbar we have to locate “**_Extensions_**“. Once inside, select “**_Manage Extensions…_**“:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/q9diormq1ny05z5p2ky3.png)


The next step to follow to install the best themes for Visual Studio is to search for “**Visual Studio Theme Pack**” in the extensions search engine that will be opened.

Once the extension is located, select the download option and wait a few seconds (_in my case it has been less than 5 seconds_).


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/dp9ptl7ob21pelnaxwjk.png)


After successfully downloading the themes from the Visual Studio Marketplace, we must restart the IDE so that the installation can be completed (_it does not take long_).

Once the installation is finished and we have started Visual Studio again, in the toolbar we will look for “**_Tools_**“, inside it we will select “**_Theme_**” and voliá, we already have all the themes installed ready to test them!


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/o3qypel593wxeo0858o7.png)


Now, having all the themes installed in Visual Studio, let’s analyze them!


## Best Visual Studio 2022 Themes

Many developers (_by statistics_) **tend to prefer dark/black themes.** These themes are characterized by inverted contrast (_compared to Light/white themes_) and help to **reduce eyestrain when spending long hours in front of the screen.**

It is true that there are other color variants such as red or blue themes (_to suit all tastes_) within this theme pack, but the main focus will be on the different Light and Dark themes.

What do you mean, different? Well, although a dark theme is dark (_as its name suggests_), **the syntax highlight is not the same in all of them**. Modules, classes and other parts of the code may have a different highlight color (_this also applies to Light themes_).

That is why every developer has to **test which color palettes suit him best** in order to increase his productivity when programming.

Let’s see how you can customize Visual Studio with these free color themes!

## Visual Studio 2022 Dark Themes

We are going to analyze the best VS 2022 black themes and as I said before, not all black themes are the same. Their **color underline varies depending on the theme** and this is one of the things where the developer has to choose his preference.

### Dark+ Theme

If you’ve been using Visual Studio for a while, chances are you’re looking for something new. A way to spice up your development workflow. You want something that feels more modern, clean, and matches the latest trends in design.

That is why Microsoft has decided to create **Dark+**. This theme is the “_plus_” version of the already known **Dark** (which comes installed by default with Visual Studio)

This is how **Dark+** Theme looks like in Visual Studio 2022:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qdu56e1bai0fcbkl1wwg.png)




If we compare **Dark+** (_left_) with the **classic Dark** (_right_), we can appreciate that in terms of colors and background in general, Dark+ is a little softer than the classic Dark:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/b1j90ve5aw9u3rzbl35i.png)



We can also see that the **syntax underlining varies a little** (_personally I like Dark+ better_).

If we talk about icons and toolbar, the **classic Dark has a little more color** (_errors, warnings_) and personally I like it. Although it is also true that it hurts a little more to see Errors in red.

### Monokai Theme

In second place we have **Monokai Theme**. This is another of the dark themes included in the VS Theme Pack from Microsoft. It stands out for the contrast of syntax highlighting.

This theme has a dark background and light foreground colors so it is **easy to read**. It also has a **sleek design that makes your IDE look clean and professional.**


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/f3o9o6obo4ix6jcjxy4l.png)



In terms of features, it has all the basics such as **syntax highlighting** and provides a some customizations like color schemes and fonts.

If we compare **Monokai** (_left_) against **classic Dark** (_right_), we will notice that it is a bit lighter and that the **syntax highlighting colors are more intense**:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/wuoqhmg9t6rg7hsv36ip.png)



**This is a matter of taste** and preferences but personally in this aspect I prefer the classic Dark because I see it softer and does not enter so much through the eyes (_although the green color does give a more “hacker” look_).

At the level of colors in the icons, alerts and toolbar, they are practically the same.

### Monokai Dimmed Theme

Finally we have the dimmed version of Monokai, this last dark/black theme is **Monokai Dimmed**.

As its name suggests, it is based on the previous theme (_Monokai_) but with some **differences in color and contrast:**


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/zw9xnm5zdkd10z3uln2z.png)



We can see how **the colors are softer** and not so loud and intense. Quite minimalist and simple so as not to attract attention.

In this case, it would be fair to compare **Monokai Dimmed** (_left_) with the normal version of the **Monokai** theme (_right_):


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/vs59ewgufogqswhhques.png)



In this case you can see at a glance the **big difference in color highlighting**. The contrast is lower and the code is less noticeable (_taking into account that the contrast of normal Monokai is high_).

If we talk about icons and toolbar colors, the Monokai Dimmed ones are **very minimalist**, completely in black and white.

This can be considered both a **pro** (_less colors around, more focus and concentration on the code_) and on the other hand could be considered a **con** (_at the aesthetic level it looks quite simple_).

This is where your personal opinion would come in to make the decision.

---

## Visual Studio 2022 Light Themes

We come to the light themes, those themes so hated by night developers. Again, like the dark themes, the **light themes have certain differences in colors and contrast** that depending on the case, some will be better than others.

Let’s see the best light themes for Visual Studio 2022!

### Light+ Theme

The **Light+** theme is the first light theme included in the VS Theme Pack. As its name suggests, it is influenced by the _classic light_ theme, but with a “plus”.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/8vgzxjtlmwzxzuwfjo8i.png)



Being a light theme, **the contrast ratio is higher** than most dark themes. The code reads clearly and the **syntax highlighting colors are well differentiated**.

If we compare **Light+** (_left_) with its predecessor, the **classic Light** (_right_), we will notice that the main differences between them are at the level of syntax highlighting colors:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/4zcenms25y02r6lx70em.png)



The **Light+ theme has a wider color segmentation**. This makes it less likely to make a mistake when reading or modifying the code.

Again, at the level of design and icons, few differences. I would even say none at all.

### Quiet Light Theme

**Quiet Light theme** is a theme that I personally like a lot and it’s one of my favorite VS 2022 themes (_my taste goes more towards dark themes_), I would even dare to say that it is my favorite light theme.

If we talk about contrast ratio and syntax highlighting colors, they are (_to my personal taste_) the most neutral, i.e., **the code can be easily read** without the need for a very high contrast ratio:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/97of29ayc8nlakcjvdxu.png)



What makes this theme stand out from other light themes is its soft purple color. I think it’s a very nice color and gives it a very simple yet elegant aesthetic.

If we compare the **Quiet Light** (_left_) with the **classic Light** (_right_) we will notice that the classic Light looks a bit poor (_regarding colors and aesthetics_):


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/umeevn0t33hdx25x6sur.png)



In terms of syntax highlighting colors, those of the Quiet Light are softer and not so “aggressive” (_I find the blue and black tones of the classic Light a bit strong_).

If we compare these two Visual Studio themes in terms of toolbar and icons, here it is true that **Quiet Light loses** (_if we talk about beauty_) because **most of them are simply in black and white**.

On the other hand, as said before, this can also be considered an **advantage** because in this way we would **keep better the focus on the code** and not on the surrounding elements. This theme is a great option if you’re looking for something with a **good balance between old and new styles.**

### Solarized Light Theme

I think the Solarized Light Theme is the one that **offers the most features** and I say this because you just have to see how this active theme looks in Visual Studio 2022:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/kat01p2q2rsr8nofl6z5.png)


Doesn’t that color spectrum remind you of something? Yes, **avoid blue colors** (_like a blue light filter_). This theme can be a favorite for all those **people who care about their eyesight** and use some kind of blue light filter or glasses.

By chance if you don’t know [how a blue light filter works](https://www.viewsonic.com/library/business/blue-light-filter-eye-strain/) or what it does, I leave this image from [Viewsonic](https://www.viewsonic.com/) that explains it very well and in a very simple way:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qcc3sonlo1qqywutz5nc.jpg)



If we compare **Solarized Light** (_left_) with the **classic Light** (_right_), obviously the first thing we notice is the peculiar color palette of Solarized Light:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2je8o45xyz4ux8zkx0uk.png)



Apart from the blue light, it is true that there are **certain elements of the code that don’t distinguish very well with Solarized Light**. By having a smaller range of colors than the rest, it is normal that the colors can be more similar to each other and cause some confusion when playing code. It can be considered one of the **best visual studio themes** (_talking about light themes_).

Comparing the icons, toolbar and the rest of the elements present in the IDE, **the two themes are exactly the same** (_the only difference is the color range in the Solarized Light Theme_).

Here it is up to you if you prefer to take care of your eyes and use a **blue light filter “directly integrated” in the IDE** (_although there is always the option of having a filter for the screen or some dedicated software for it_).

---

## Other Visual Studio 2022 Color Themes

Let’s move on to a different selection of topics. Among the following themes we will find different variants of both light themes and dark themes. With different variants of customization I mean that the **main colors of the themes can be red, blue and others** (_yes, you can have your IDE in pure red_).

Let’s see what other custom themes the New VS Theme Collection brings!

## Tomorrow Night Blue Theme

This is the first blue theme of this top. **Tomorrow Night Blue** is an unobtrusive and rather clean color theme.

Mostly a **dark blue color predominates** with some black details:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/u3nyeppg8d8b3rlb6bcb.png)



The **color syntax highlighting is more than correct**: it has neither too few colors nor too many, besides the contrast of the code and the background is more than enough to be able to program with it.

The icons, notifications and toolbar of this theme are colorful but not overdone either. Ideal to be located with just a glance but also do not distract you from the code.

### Solarized Dark Theme

Moving on to the next theme: **Solarized Dark**. This is the second blue theme available for Visual Studio. This theme is **dominated by a dark greenish blue color** (_could be considered a dark theme? Maybe_).

In the background we have some darker blues and if we talk about code color, we will notice immediately that **the contrast is not very high** although it is not difficult to read the code in this theme:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/a6tqxe7wczzrs43nbnbo.png)



Something to highlight is that it is a **solarized theme**. Like its brother (_Solarized Light_) has a **color palette that reduces blue light** (_to a greater or lesser extent_) and helps when we are programming for hours and hours in front of the screen.

It could be considered the **dark blue light version**.

Again we find colorful icons and little more to say about this theme.

### Kimbie Dark Theme

If we talk about red themes, **Kimbie Dark** is one of the chosen ones (_later we will talk about the Red Theme_). The dark red background color is enough to be considered also a dark theme and yes, you can see that the blue color of the syntax highlighting is very pale. This is because **this theme is also adapted** (_better or worse than others_) **to the blue light**:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/mo6zg82zqgbq4ktcud0y.png)



The **contrast of the code with the background is more than enough** to be able to read the code and work on it. Although it is true that, in my personal opinion, I consider the color palette is not very wide.

As I always say, each developer has different tastes and needs so my opinion is simply for reference.

### Abyss Theme

Its name says it all. **Abyss** is a bluish theme but not just any blue, a **deep, dark blue reminiscent of the depths of the ocean** (_maybe fish also program?_) with hints of light navy blue that make it a dark theme as well.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/96g2vmzm3mi9zyylunoc.png)



The colors of the code are quite curious, I say this because there are certain elements that have a bluish color too (_and if_ **_it costs a little to read them_**) and then other elements are bright green and very light yellow (_which make_ **_the average contrast ratio of the background with the code is higher_**).

### Red Theme

We arrived at the **Red Theme** (_and when I say red, I mean very red_). I was curiously surprised the first time I wore it as I wasn’t expecting so much red:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/od8s2m5i47y0b6w4s00t.png)



The syntax highlighting of **the code varies between red and yellow tones** (_it reminds me of the Spanish flag_ 🇪🇸) and its **readability ratio is good**.

Just in this theme everything around the code is quite simple and white. Ideal to keep the focus on what is important ;).

### Matrix Theme

And last but not least, **Matrix theme**. This could not have been a top without having the mythical neon green hacker theme:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/21audy19nbholibvng2v.png)



Although at first sight it seems impossible to program on this theme because of the syntax highlighting colors of the code but I have to confess that I have tried it and it is not difficult (_just get used to it_).

However, this would not be a theme that I would use for my day to day. Although **it is always good to have this theme installed** to simulate that you are doing VERY dangerous things like a hacker.

This theme is not included in the Visual Studio Pack, so to install it you just have to open the extensions browser and search for “_Matrix Theme_“:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2vpr0wx7i5n0nyn7rlw5.png)

---

I hope this top has solved your doubts such as what kind of theme is better, if it is better to choose dark theme or light theme, why the blue light filter integrated in a theme is a good option.

Apart from these classic Visual Studio themes, there are other more customized themes (_for example Marvel, anime and more_).

If you would like me to make another top custom themes **let me know**

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