diff --git a/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/8036.md b/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/8036.md
index 3e47054f021..517c80e45ac 100644
--- a/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/8036.md
+++ b/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/8036.md
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 - Updated `EuiProvider` `and `EuiThemeProvider` with a new `highContrastMode`
   - This prop allows toggling a higher contrast visual style that primarily affects borders and shadows
-  - On `EuiProvider`, if the `highContrastMode` prop is not passed, this setting will inherit from the user's OS/system light/dark mode setting
+  - On `EuiProvider`, if the `highContrastMode` prop is not passed, this setting will inherit from the user's OS/system settings
+  - If the user is using a forced colors mode (e.g. Windows' high contrast themes), this system setting will take precedence over any `highContrastMode` or `colorMode` props passed
diff --git a/packages/eui/src-docs/src/components/guide_theme_selector/guide_theme_selector.tsx b/packages/eui/src-docs/src/components/guide_theme_selector/guide_theme_selector.tsx
index 2851a4941c5..e108f33ba07 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src-docs/src/components/guide_theme_selector/guide_theme_selector.tsx
+++ b/packages/eui/src-docs/src/components/guide_theme_selector/guide_theme_selector.tsx
@@ -18,9 +18,17 @@ import {
 export const GuideThemeSelector = () => {
   const context = useContext(ThemeContext);
   const euiThemeContext = useEuiTheme();
-  const colorMode = context.colorMode ?? euiThemeContext.colorMode;
+
+  const isForced = euiThemeContext.highContrastMode === 'forced';
+  const colorMode =
+    context.colorMode && !isForced
+      ? context.colorMode
+      : euiThemeContext.colorMode;
   const highContrastMode =
-    context.highContrastMode ?? euiThemeContext.highContrastMode;
+    context.colorMode && !isForced
+      ? context.highContrastMode
+      : euiThemeContext.highContrastMode;
+
   const currentTheme: EUI_THEME =
     EUI_THEMES.find((theme) => theme.value === context.theme) || EUI_THEMES[0];
 
@@ -51,12 +59,14 @@ export const GuideThemeSelector = () => {
         context.setContext({
           colorMode: e.target.checked ? 'DARK' : 'LIGHT',
         }),
+      disabled: isForced,
     },
     {
       label: 'High contrast',
       checked: !!highContrastMode,
       onChange: (e: EuiSwitchEvent) =>
         context.setContext({ highContrastMode: e.target.checked }),
+      disabled: isForced,
     },
     location.host.includes('803') && {
       label: 'i18n testing',
@@ -102,6 +112,7 @@ export const GuideThemeSelector = () => {
               label={item.label}
               checked={item.checked}
               onChange={item.onChange}
+              disabled={item.disabled}
             />
           </div>
         ) : null
diff --git a/packages/eui/src-docs/src/views/theme/high_contrast_mode/high_contrast_mode_example.js b/packages/eui/src-docs/src/views/theme/high_contrast_mode/high_contrast_mode_example.js
index d779aaee562..13feda32737 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src-docs/src/views/theme/high_contrast_mode/high_contrast_mode_example.js
+++ b/packages/eui/src-docs/src/views/theme/high_contrast_mode/high_contrast_mode_example.js
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ export const HighContrastModeExample = {
           <p>
             Since this is done at a level that EUI can do nothing about, if
             forced colors mode is detected by <strong>EuiProvider</strong>, EUI
-            will ignore any passed <EuiCode>highContrastMode</EuiCode> prop, as
-            this user choice and system setting takes precedence.
+            will ignore any passed <EuiCode>highContrastMode</EuiCode> or{' '}
+            <EuiCode>colorMode</EuiCode> props, as this user choice and system
+            setting takes precedence.
           </p>
           <EuiCallOut>
             To quickly test your application in forced colors mode without
diff --git a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.test.tsx b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.test.tsx
index 6637ec645b0..7200f8b8f11 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.test.tsx
@@ -67,6 +67,25 @@ describe('EuiThemeProvider', () => {
         '#000'
       );
     });
+
+    it('detects if color mode is forced from the system and overrides any props', () => {
+      (useWindowMediaMatcher as jest.Mock).mockImplementation((media) => {
+        if (media === '(prefers-color-scheme: dark)') return true;
+        if (media === '(forced-colors: active)') return true;
+      });
+
+      const { getByText } = render(
+        <EuiSystemDefaultsProvider>
+          <EuiThemeProvider colorMode="light">
+            <div css={({ euiTheme }) => ({ color: euiTheme.colors.fullShade })}>
+              Forced dark mode
+            </div>
+          </EuiThemeProvider>
+        </EuiSystemDefaultsProvider>
+      );
+
+      expect(getByText('Forced dark mode')).toHaveStyleRule('color', '#FFF');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('highContrastMode', () => {
diff --git a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.tsx b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.tsx
index 2cf12cb62c3..25a182d32e9 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.tsx
+++ b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/provider.tsx
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@ export const EuiThemeProvider = <T extends {} = {}>({
   const parentHighContrastMode = useContext(EuiHighContrastModeContext);
   const parentTheme = useContext(EuiThemeContext);
 
-  const [system, setSystem] = useState(_system || parentSystem);
-  const prevSystemKey = useRef(system.key);
+  // If the user has an OS-wide high contrast theme applied, it will ignore EUI's
+  // colors and light/dark mode. We should respect the user's system setting
+  const isForced = parentHighContrastMode === 'forced';
 
   // To reduce the number of window resize listeners, only render a
   // CurrentEuiBreakpointProvider for the top level parent theme, or for
@@ -99,22 +100,25 @@ export const EuiThemeProvider = <T extends {} = {}>({
       : Fragment;
   }, [isGlobalTheme, _modifications]);
 
+  const [system, setSystem] = useState(_system || parentSystem);
+  const prevSystemKey = useRef(system.key);
+
   const [modifications, setModifications] = useState<EuiThemeModifications>(
     mergeDeep(parentModifications, _modifications)
   );
   const prevModifications = useRef(modifications);
 
   const [colorMode, setColorMode] = useState<EuiThemeColorModeStandard>(
-    getColorMode(_colorMode, parentColorMode)
+    getColorMode(_colorMode, parentColorMode, isForced)
   );
   const prevColorMode = useRef(colorMode);
 
   const highContrastMode: EuiThemeHighContrastMode = useMemo(() => {
-    if (parentHighContrastMode === 'forced') return 'forced'; // System forced high contrast mode will always supercede application settings
+    if (isForced) return 'forced'; // System forced high contrast mode will always supercede application settings
     if (_highContrastMode === true) return 'preferred'; // Convert the boolean prop to our internal enum
     if (_highContrastMode === false) return false; // Allow `false` prop to override user/system preference
     return parentHighContrastMode; // Fall back to the parent/system setting
-  }, [_highContrastMode, parentHighContrastMode]);
+  }, [_highContrastMode, parentHighContrastMode, isForced]);
   const prevHighContrastMode = useRef(highContrastMode);
 
   const modificationsWithHighContrast = useHighContrastModifications({
@@ -165,13 +169,13 @@ export const EuiThemeProvider = <T extends {} = {}>({
   }, [_modifications, parentModifications]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const newColorMode = getColorMode(_colorMode, parentColorMode);
+    const newColorMode = getColorMode(_colorMode, parentColorMode, isForced);
     if (!isEqual(newColorMode, prevColorMode.current)) {
       setColorMode(newColorMode);
       prevColorMode.current = newColorMode;
       isParentTheme.current = false;
     }
-  }, [_colorMode, parentColorMode]);
+  }, [_colorMode, parentColorMode, isForced]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (prevHighContrastMode.current !== highContrastMode) {
diff --git a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.test.ts b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.test.ts
index c654e4d3c22..b7a4e51ce08 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.test.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ describe('getColorMode', () => {
   it('uses `parentMode` as fallback', () => {
     expect(getColorMode(undefined, 'DARK')).toEqual('DARK');
   });
+  it('uses `parentMode` (the system OS setting) if isForced is true', () => {
+    expect(getColorMode('LIGHT', 'DARK', true)).toEqual('DARK');
+  });
   it("understands 'INVERSE'", () => {
     expect(getColorMode('INVERSE', 'DARK')).toEqual('LIGHT');
     expect(getColorMode('INVERSE', 'LIGHT')).toEqual('DARK');
diff --git a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.ts b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.ts
index c7c9c5216d0..196686340b0 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/eui/src/services/theme/utils.ts
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@ export const isInverseColorMode = (
  */
 export const getColorMode = (
   colorMode?: EuiThemeColorMode,
-  parentColorMode?: EuiThemeColorModeStandard
+  parentColorMode?: EuiThemeColorModeStandard,
+  isForced?: boolean
 ): EuiThemeColorModeStandard => {
-  if (colorMode == null) {
+  if (isForced || colorMode == null) {
     return parentColorMode || DEFAULT_COLOR_MODE;
   }
   const mode = colorMode.toUpperCase() as
diff --git a/packages/website/docs/components/theming/high_contrast_mode.mdx b/packages/website/docs/components/theming/high_contrast_mode.mdx
index 1251beeaad7..11eb0e60538 100644
--- a/packages/website/docs/components/theming/high_contrast_mode.mdx
+++ b/packages/website/docs/components/theming/high_contrast_mode.mdx
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export default () => {
 
 Please note that some OSes and browsers have something called [forced colors mode](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/@media/forced-colors), which overrides **all** colors, backgrounds, borders, and shadows. An example of this is Windows High Contrast modes.
 
-Since this is done at a level that EUI can do nothing about, if forced colors mode is detected by **EuiProvider**, EUI will ignore *any* passed `highContrastMode` prop, as this user choice and system setting takes precedence.
+Since this is done at a level that EUI can do nothing about, if forced colors mode is detected by **EuiProvider**, EUI will ignore *any* passed `highContrastMode` or `colorMode` prop, as this user choice and system setting takes precedence.
 
 :::tip
 To quickly test your application in forced colors mode without switching OS themes, you can [use Chrome or Edge's devtools to emulate forced-colors mode](https://devtoolstips.org/tips/en/emulate-forced-colors/).