Improving Usability of my old Win 10 Dell Mini Laptop: Dark Theme workaround, Large Text, Monitor etc.

Last updated on 31 May 2025
I wanted to have a dark theme and larger than normal text setup on my old Dell Mini Laptop (DML): Inspiron 11 3137 (Inspiron 11 series, model 3137), https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_inspiron_laptop/inspiron-11-3137_reference%20guide_en-us.pdf .

Key specs. of my Dell Mini Laptop(MDL)

  1. Intel Celeron 2955U (Dual core, 1.4 GHz)
  2. 4 GB RAM (upgraded from 2 GB RAM)
  3. 11.6 inch WLED touch display
  4. Around 240 GB SSD (upgraded from earlier HDD)

Key settings for Dark Theme workaround and Large Text

  1. Display & Appearance Settings
    1. Display resolution: 1366 x 768 (default for Dell Mini Inspiron)
    2. Display scaling (Make everything bigger): 125%
    3. Text size (Ease of Access → Display → Make text bigger): 140%
    4. Brightness slider (Ease of Access): set to 100% (maximum readability)
    5. Theme:
      1. Enabled High Contrast mode (e.g., “High Contrast Black”)
      2. Improves selected file visibility in File Explorer
    6. Dark mode for apps (I think once above Hight Contrast mode is selected, below options are not provided):
      1. Settings → Personalization → Colors [IFIRC, some Custom colors option has to be chosen]
        1.  Windows mode: Light
        2.  App mode: Dark
  2. Chrome and Browser Settings
    1. Dark mode is enabled via Windows app theme
    2. Manual zoom control per site (Ctrl + + / Ctrl + -)
      1. Default is 100%, but adjusted per site to 90% or 80% for comfort

Additional Info

  1. Windows 10 does not have a separate "Dark Theme" in the Themes section. Instead one has to use: Settings → Personalization → Colors → Choose your color → Dark . 
  2. I had come up with some dark theme workaround settings earlier on but it had this issue: In Windows Explorer when I would select a file, the filename colour continued to be white/light and the entire entry was shaded in light gray. This made the filename very hard to read. ChatGPT responded to this: "Yes, you're right — this is a known issue in Windows 10's Dark Mode, especially on low-contrast displays or with certain system/default themes". Its suggested solution was to use Settings → Ease of Access → High contrast -> Turn on High Contrast -> Choose High Contrast Black.
  3. With the settings mentioned in "Key settings for Dark Theme workaround and Large Text" section above, I could not change the display scaling from 125%. Perhaps some other settings resulted in that. It was not an issue for me and so I did not bother much about it.
  4. I use Full Screen option quite often on this laptop as its screen size is small and I have larger than normal text.
  5. Suggestion from ChatGPT for VSCode (in addition to hiding side bar which I use regularly): Use Zen Mode (Ctrl + K Z) to reduce visual clutter. Need to explore this more.
  6. Unfortunately in the area where I live (in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, India), from some weeks back, we are having a lot of power cuts during which time I cannot use my desktop PC for long (as UPS gives limited backup time). So I am having to use this old low config DML laptop quite often nowadays even for some software development as I can do VSCode editing and even building simple React apps, React Native with Expo Go apps and Node.js based backend API servers on it though some of the builds are slow.
    1. The big difference between my laptop and desktop for my laptop usage needs during powercut periods is usually not processing power - it is monitor size. I have a 22 inch monitor on my desktop whereas this laptop's screen is only 11.6 inches.
      1. ChatGPT suggested USB powered monitors but they are in the Rs.10K range. So I think buying an additional UPS which I can use specifically for my monitor and which UPS does not beep when mains power supply is not there, will be a more economical option. I already have my 22 inch Samsung TFT/LCD monitor and also have a spare 15.4 inch TFT/LCD monitor both of which work on AC power (and not on USB power). So with a non-beeping UPS specifically for the monitor, I have more options when there is a long powercut where I can use laptop + one of these monitors powered by UPS.
      2. ChatGPT said: For just a 22" LCD/TFT monitor, even a basic 600–800VA UPS will typically suffice. Backup time: Should ideally give you 30–60 minutes with just a monitor connected.
      3. Reasonably priced UPS models (below 5,000 to 6,000 Rs.) don't seem to have a USB port and software or some other mechanism to switch off audio alarm. https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81lY+I057CS.pdf shows that Back-UPS™ BR1000G-IN / BR1500G-IN have USB/Serial port through which audible alarm can be switched off. APC Back-UPS Pro BR1000G-IN, 1000VA / 600W, 230V UPS System, High-Performance Premium Power Backup & Protection for Home Office, Desktop PC, Gaming Console & Home Electronics, https://www.amazon.in/APC-UPS-Model-BR1000G-Battery/dp/B0038ZTZ3W/ , around Rs.13,000. That is too expensive for my needs, I think.
      4. Microtek Sales contact person said Microtek does not have any model (technology was the word he used) that has facility to disable audio beeping. I had mentioned about some other company having products which have a USB port through which audio beeping can be switched off.
      5. I have messaged Microtek support about this too (as no agent was available on chat and I was requested to message them). Will update this post if there is a response.
      6. It seems possible to stop or dull the beeping sound in a UPS but involves opening the box and removing or changing position of a part within the small speaker that does the beeping. Related videos:
        1. (In Hindi) How to turn off or disable any UPS beeping alarm sound easily DIY | UPS sound off trick, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HubHTlqGC7U , 7 min. 2 secs. published Dec. 2022.
        2. (No voice but some music): How to Disable the beep (beep) / How to easily turn off the UPS beep / #TVOne, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy1iruRLEWo , 2 min. 55 secs, published Feb. 2023.
      7. [From Microtek website:] UPS LEGEND 1000, https://www.microtek.in/product/critical-power-backup-solution/line-interactive-ups/listing/ups-legend-1000 , seems to be similar to what I have and is priced at Rs.5501. Perhaps an optimal solution for me is to buy this and use it as my main PC UPS with beeping sound at least till the warranty period is over. Then I can get a technician to open the current Microtek 1000S UPS I have and remove the speaker or alter it to prevent beeing sound, and then use this UPS when I want to use my laptop and PC monitor during powercut periods. Note that my current UPS model is already out of warranty (bought in Nov. 2022). Ideally, I should be able to get a technician to restore the speaker setup to give audible alarm later on, if I want. This way, the new UPS which would be typically used only for monitor and laptop during powercut, can also act as a backup/alternate UPS for the PC itself, if the main UPS needs repair or new battery. Note that UPS stopping to give power due to low battery is not an issue if only monitor is connected like it is an issue if PC is connected as PC has to be shutdown before UPS power goes off. So in case of PC, an audible alarm or some other means of knowing about UPS shutting down within short period of time, is necessary.
  7. Chrome settings related to this post:
    1. Ctrl + click to open link in new tab 
    2. Shift + click to open link in new window
    3. chrome://settings/appearance -> zoom to set default zoom level (I am trying out 90%).
  8. On DML, I face a strange issue of one notification icon being blanked, if multiple notification icons are selected to be displayed in taskbar. This does not happen if only one notification icon is showing in taskbar. Following post seems to be a related one: Windows 10 Pro - Taskbar icons [shows all in overflow area, but only 1 at a time in taskbar], https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-pro-taskbar-icons-shows-all-in-overflow/90d2e1d8-eb0d-4f8c-b25b-2ecfad76cd18. Based on it and based on Google search AI:
    1. I deleted IconCache.db in  %userprofile%\AppData\Local . That did not solve the issue.
    2. I ran System File checker: sfc /scannow . It took around 10 minutes. It finished and said something like no errors found. Restarted PC. Problem continues.
    3. Next I ran: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth . It is roughly taking the same time or perhaps a little slower than above. It finished and said, "operation completed successfully". Rebooted. It did not fix the problem.
    4. Not showing the keyboard language notification or whatever it is called, in taskbar did not solve the problem.
    5. I am skipping registry change suggestions.
    6. I don't want to spend more time on this. So I think I will go with only having one notification icon showing in taskbar with the rest showing in overflow area.
  9. I also wanted to have an alternative keyboard shortcut for switching between open apps as the Left Alt key is positioned little further inside the keyboard due to Fn key, and so Alt + Tab press requires a stretch of fingers of my left hand. ChatGPT suggested using AutoHotKey scripts which I tried. It worked for straight forward mapping of keys but when I needed conditional behaviour of Caps Lock key I faced weird behaviour due to which I have lost faith in AutoHotKey. I uninstalled AutoHotKey from DML. Given below is the simple mapping code which worked but which also resulted in Caps Lock key functionality being lost:
    1. AutoHotkey version: v2
    2. Script file created: switch.ahk
    3. Contents of the script:
      1. #Requires AutoHotkey v2.0
      2. ; Hold Alt when CapsLock is held
      3. CapsLock::Send("{Alt down}")

      5. ; Release Alt when CapsLock is released
      6. CapsLock up::Send("{Alt up}")

      8. ^CapsLock::Send {F11}
    4. Functions:
      1. Pressing CapsLock + Tab switches between open apps (like Alt + Tab).
      2. CapsLock + Control toggles Full Screen (F11)
    5. Script was set to auto-run at system startup:
      1. Shortcut placed in:  C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
  10. The High Contrast settings later got turned off on DML. Don't know exactly what did the reset but I had tried lot of stuff like System File Checker and DISM. Maybe that tripped it up. To reset it: From Personalization -> Themes -> High Contrast Settings (on top right side), turned High Contrast on again with theme being the default 'High Contrast Black'. Clicked Apply.


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