Windows 11 will receive many minor feature updates in 2023, and the preview build from the Dev Channel has provided us with several hints as to what interface changes may be in the works.
According to sources with knowledge of the development, Microsoft designers have proposed many modifications to replace the OS’s pop-up alert boxes. As you likely know, Windows pop-up boxes were last updated with Windows 8. Windows 10 and even some Windows 11 features utilize the Metro-style interface.
Microsoft desires to replace all remaining Windows 8 and Windows 7-era popups with WinUI and Windows 11’s contemporary appearance. As shown in the screenshots below, Microsoft is experimenting with a new design for all Windows 11 pop-up alert boxes. These popup windows now utilize WinUI and have rounded corners.
The buttons inside the popup boxes are also rounded for a more modern appearance, and the result is an improvement. As part of the modernization, Microsoft is replacing accent-themed backgrounds with more common hues, including dark grey in dark mode and white in light mode.
Microsoft noted in one of the proposals the need to “simplify the design” and pay more attention to minor details.
Microsoft has already begun testing a contemporary appearance for pop-ups such as Windows Firewall, “Rename this PC,” “Reset this PC,” etc. More boxes in the Settings application employ a modern interface with support for dark themes, rounded corners, etc. The redesigned “Revert to a previous build” dialog box looks great on Windows 11.
The “Rename this PC” and “Reset this PC” pages are not frequently visited by users, but the update is an essential step in the operating system’s modernization.
The WinUI and rounded corners appear to be the defining characteristics of Windows 11 and other Microsoft products. As always, a great deal can change in the coming years, as Windows is constantly evolving. According to reports, Microsoft is already considering Windows 12.
WinUI has already been implemented for the Control Panel, context menu, notification center, and buttons in the production builds of Windows. The design concepts of Fluent Design, WinUI, and rounded corners have been circulating for the past three or four years.
Microsoft is rumored to be working on a major feature update for fall 2023 in addition to the upcoming release of Windows 11’s Moment update in February or March.
