Windows 10 is set to bring back a design feature from the days of Windows 7 when it launches its WinUI 3 update next year. Rounded corners for top-level windows will be making a comeback, representing a change of aesthetic for Microsoft.
Up until Windows 8, Microsoft employed the aero effect and rounded corners for all app windows, but then abandoned this look in favor of sharp corners. Now, according to a comment issued by Microsoft on GitHub, rounded corners will be available for top-level windows and app pop-ups, although the implementation of the rounded corners will ultimately be left up to developers.
Based on a mock-up screenshot of Microsoft Teams, it is clear that the Redmond-based firm is returning to a style reminiscent of the one employed during the Windows 7, Vista and XP eras.
Going back
The decision to return to its former look is part of a raft of changes that will be included as part of a broader Windows 10 design update coming next year, including the launch of the WinUI 3 user interface. WinUI is a native UX platform delivered separately from the operating system, which means it can be updated frequently according to feedback from the developer community.
Windows 10’s new user interface may be available in preview builds by Spring next year, with rounded corners likely to go live in the second half of 2021. It’s also thought that Microsoft might make a few tweaks to the Start Menu and Action Center, taking ideas from WinUI.
The other big design changes coming to Windows 10 affect app icons, which will be more colorful and curved. Given that top-level windows will also be more rounded, it seems like Microsoft is working to have a consistent design in place by sometime next year.