The VS Code themes with the most installs are a mix of dark colour themes, themes with dark and light versions, and icon themes that change file icons rather than colours. Pick the kind first, then check installs, the rating count and the last updated date in the extension gallery. Ten follow in no particular order.
A VS Code theme changes how the editor looks. A colour theme sets the background, text and syntax colours, and an icon theme swaps the file and folder icons in the sidebar. You can run one of each at the same time, which is why both kinds are on this list.
The ten are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Installs, average ratings, rating counts and last updated dates come from the Visual Studio extension gallery, as of Oct 2026. For tools that change how you work rather than how the editor looks, my guide to developer productivity tools that work goes further.
Ten VS Code themes in one table
Type and Good for come from each theme's own description in the gallery. None of these listings says anything about a free plan, so the last column reads Not stated for all ten.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayu | Colour theme, three versions | Dark, light and mirage versions with bright colours | Not stated |
| Catppuccin for VSCode | Pastel colour theme | A soft pastel look for the editor | Not stated |
| Dracula Theme Official | Dark colour theme | A dark theme also made for many other editors and shells | Not stated |
| GitHub Theme | Colour theme | Making VS Code look like GitHub | Not stated |
| Material Icon Theme | Icon theme | Material Design file and folder icons | Not stated |
| Monokai Pro | Colour theme plus icon pack | Dark and light themes with a matching icon pack | Not stated |
| Night Owl | Dark and light colour theme | Night coding, with a Light Owl version for daytime | Not stated |
| Nord | Colour theme | A clean, cool blue arctic palette | Not stated |
| One Dark Pro | Dark colour theme | Atom's One Dark look in VS Code | Not stated |
| Tokyo Night | Dark colour theme | A clean dark theme inspired by Tokyo at night | Not stated |
Ten colour and icon themes for the editor
Ayu
Best for: Switching through the day between dark, light and mirage versions of one simple theme with bright colours.
Catppuccin for VSCode
Best for: Developers who like soft pastel colours, from a theme with a perfect average on a small number of ratings as of Oct 2026.
Dracula Theme Official
Best for: Keeping one dark look across your editor, terminal and other tools, since the same theme is made for many editors and shells.
GitHub Theme
Best for: People who spend their day on GitHub and want their editor to match it, from the publisher's own verified listing.
Material Icon Theme
Best for: Swapping the default file icons for Material Design ones, and pairing them with whichever colour theme you already like.
Monokai Pro
Best for: Fans of the original Monokai colours who want dark and light versions plus an icon pack, from the author of that colour scheme.
Night Owl
Best for: Late night coders who care about contrast for reading, with a daytime version included for when the sun's up.
Nord
Best for: Anyone after a clean, cool blue arctic palette, from a listing last updated on September 25, 2021.
One Dark Pro
Best for: Former Atom users who miss its One Dark look and want the same colours in VS Code.
Tokyo Night
Best for: Coding in a clean dark theme inspired by the lights of downtown Tokyo at night, from the publisher enkia.
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Colour themes versus icon themes
Nine of these change colours and one, Material Icon Theme, changes icons only. It also has the most installs on the list, 36,063,118 as of Oct 2026, and it sits alongside whichever colour theme you already use. One of the colour themes also bundles its own icon pack.
What the gallery numbers say about these themes
Several popular themes haven't been updated in a while. Nord was last updated on September 25, 2021, and three other themes with millions of installs last changed in 2024, as of Oct 2026. Ratings don't follow installs either: Monokai Pro averages 3.6 from 302 ratings, while Tokyo Night shows 5.0 from 69.
A last updated date is just that: the last time the publisher shipped a change. Check it next to installs and the rating count before you settle on a theme you'll look at all day.
Which kind of theme for the way you code
- You code late: pick a dark colour theme.
- Your light changes through the day: pick a theme that ships dark and light versions.
- You want the editor to match your other tools: pick a theme made for several editors and shells.
- The sidebar's hard to scan: pick an icon theme and keep your colours as they are.
- Bright colours tire you out: pick a soft pastel or cool blue palette.
Trying a theme without losing your setup
- Install the theme from the Extensions view in VS Code.
- Open the colour theme picker (Ctrl+K, then Ctrl+T, or Cmd on a Mac) and arrow through the list to preview each one.
- Give a new theme a full day before you judge it, because first impressions in a screenshot aren't the same as eight hours of reading.
- Uninstall the themes you didn't keep, so your extension list stays short.
Do you make a VS Code theme? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on picking a VS Code theme
Pick the colours you can read for a whole working day, not the ones that look good in a screenshot. Try one dark theme and one light one, add an icon theme if the sidebar's hard to scan, and check the last updated date on anything you plan to keep.
Once the editor looks right, my guide to the best AI coding assistants covers the tools that change what you get done in it.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most installed VS Code theme?
On this list, an icon theme has the most installs, with 36,063,118 as of Oct 2026. Among the colour themes, the one from GitHub is highest at 20,491,624.
What's the difference between a colour theme and an icon theme in VS Code?
A colour theme changes the editor's background, text and syntax colours. An icon theme only changes the file and folder icons in the sidebar.
Can I use two VS Code themes at once?
Yes, one of each kind. You can run a colour theme and an icon theme together.
Are VS Code themes free?
None of these listings mentions a free plan, so this page marks them Not stated. Check each listing in the gallery before you install.
Does it matter if a VS Code theme hasn't been updated in years?
It tells you when the publisher last shipped a change, nothing more. On this list the oldest last update is September 25, 2021, as of Oct 2026, so check the date before you commit.
