diff --git a/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs b/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs
index 4d6faaa2c..961a352e2 100644
--- a/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ fn load_prefs(app: &mut SheetApp) {
     }
     // First run (or a ui.json without a usable language): follow the desktop's language.
     app.ui.language = gridcraft_ui_egui::i18n::Language::system();
+    // ...and its light or dark appearance (#239), until a theme is chosen and saved in ui.json.
+    app.ui.system_theme = true;
     let Some(dir) = config_dir() else { return };
     if let Ok(b) = std::fs::read(dir.join("ui.json"))
         && let Ok(ui) = serde_json::from_slice::<gridcraft_ui_egui::UiState>(&b)
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs
index b2079c821..87bde2d52 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ pub enum Icon {
     Share,
     Search,
     Settings,
+    /// Light/dark appearance: a circle, its right half filled.
+    Appearance,
     Sheet,
     Book,
     Folder,
@@ -596,6 +598,16 @@ pub fn paint(p: &Painter, rect: Rect, icon: Icon, c: Color32) {
             g.circle(8.0, 8.0, 5.0, None, Some(c));
             g.circle(8.0, 8.0, 2.0, Some(c), None);
         }
+        Icon::Appearance => {
+            g.circle(8.0, 8.0, 5.5, None, Some(c));
+            let half: Vec<(f32, f32)> = (0..=12)
+                .map(|i| {
+                    let a = std::f32::consts::PI * (i as f32 / 12.0 - 0.5);
+                    (8.0 + 5.5 * a.cos(), 8.0 + 5.5 * a.sin())
+                })
+                .collect();
+            g.poly(&half, c);
+        }
         Icon::Book => {
             g.rect(2.0, 2.0, 12.0, 12.0, Some(GREEN), None);
             g.rect(4.0, 4.0, 8.0, 8.0, Some(Color32::WHITE), None);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/ribbon.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/ribbon.rs
index d7566f397..209bf766a 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/ribbon.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/ribbon.rs
@@ -135,6 +135,16 @@ pub fn title_bar(app: &mut SheetApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
                 if icon_button(ui, Icon::Comment, t.text_dim, "Comments", vec2(28.0, ch)).clicked() {
                     app.open_dialog("comments", json!({}));
                 }
+                // Quick light/dark switch (#194); right-click offers System as well. The same
+                // choice lives in File › Display theme and the View tab.
+                let lang = app.ui.language;
+                let theme = icon_button(ui, Icon::Appearance, t.text_dim, "Dark Mode", vec2(28.0, 26.0));
+                let dark = ui.ctx().theme() == egui::Theme::Dark;
+                theme.widget_info(|| egui::WidgetInfo::selected(egui::WidgetType::Checkbox, true, dark, lang.tr("Dark Mode")));
+                if theme.clicked() {
+                    act(app, "view.darkMode", json!({}));
+                }
+                theme.context_menu(|ui| theme_choices(app, ui));
             });
         });
     });
@@ -252,9 +262,24 @@ fn file_menu(app: &mut SheetApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
                 ui.close();
             }
         }
+        // Excel keeps the theme under File › Account › Office Theme (#194).
+        ui.separator();
+        ui.menu_button(app.ui.language.tr("Display theme"), |ui| theme_choices(app, ui));
     });
 }
 
+/// System / Light / Dark, as in the View tab's Display theme box (`view.theme`).
+fn theme_choices(app: &mut SheetApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
+    let lang = app.ui.language;
+    let mode = app.ui.theme_mode();
+    for (value, label) in [("system", "System"), ("light", "Light"), ("dark", "Dark")] {
+        if ui.radio(mode == value, lang.tr(label)).clicked() {
+            act(app, "view.theme", json!({"mode": value}));
+            ui.close();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn contextual_tabs(app: &SheetApp) -> Vec<&'static str> {
     let mut v = Vec::new();
     if let Some(d) = app.session.active()
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/system_theme.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/system_theme.rs
index 0d2cdea32..a0a6b007d 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/system_theme.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/system_theme.rs
@@ -162,3 +162,29 @@ fn invalid_mode_preserves_preferences_and_legacy_overrides_leave_system_mode() {
     system_theme(&mut h, Some(Theme::Dark));
     assert_appearance(&h, false);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn title_bar_switch_and_file_menu_choose_the_theme() {
+    // #194: one click in the title bar switches light/dark; File › Display theme offers all three.
+    let mut h = harness(UiState::default());
+    system_theme(&mut h, Some(Theme::Light));
+    assert_appearance(&h, false);
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::CheckBox, "Dark Mode").click();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert_eq!(preferences(&h)["dark"], true);
+    assert_eq!(preferences(&h)["systemTheme"], false);
+    assert_appearance(&h, true);
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::CheckBox, "Dark Mode").click();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert_appearance(&h, false);
+
+    h.get_by_label("File").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    h.get_by_label("Display theme ⏵").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    h.get_by_label("System").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(preferences(&h)["systemTheme"], true);
+    system_theme(&mut h, Some(Theme::Dark));
+    assert_appearance(&h, true);
+}
diff --git a/docs/ui-parity.md b/docs/ui-parity.md
index ed4cd1f1e..f06c8c526 100644
--- a/docs/ui-parity.md
+++ b/docs/ui-parity.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Sources: `crates/ui-egui/src` (ribbon, grid, editor, formula bar, dialogs, panes
 | Status bar: Sum/Count/Average and more, view buttons, zoom | yes | yes | customizable statistics partial |
 | Task panes (Format Chart, Comments, Watch, Selection, PivotTable fields) | yes | yes | element-level Format pane for shapes and pictures missing |
 | Backstage (File) view: Info, New with templates, Open recent, Export, Options | yes | partial | Options dialog and template gallery missing |
-| Dark mode, system appearance | yes | yes | done (10-09) |
+| Dark mode, system appearance | yes | yes | done (10-09); follows the system on first run, title-bar switch and File › Display theme (#194, #239) |
 | Page Layout view (paper view with rulers and header editing) | yes | **no** (Page Break Preview only) | 8–12 h |
 | Multiple windows per workbook | yes | no (#162) | see [hardware-parity.md](hardware-parity.md) |
 
@@ -94,5 +94,6 @@ scrollbar bugs 2–4 · pixel/feel pass against observed Excel 7–12.
 |---|---|---|
 | 2026-10-11 | minor | Delete and Backspace now remove the selected chart, picture or shape (#213) |
 | 2026-10-10 | minor | Keep formula helpers inside the worksheet when scrolling (#200) |
+| 2026-10-11 | trivial | Theme: title-bar light/dark switch, File › Display theme, system appearance on first run (#194, #239) |
 | 2026-10-10 | minor | Chart resize bug (#190) |
 | 2026-10-10 | major | Created: chrome, grid, keyboard, dialogs, accessibility; key tips, Page Layout view and accessibility tree flagged |