Microsoft hints that more design changes are coming to Windows 10

Surface
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

It’s no secret that Microsoft is looking to overhaul the look of Windows 10 in an upcoming update (all signs point to Windows 10 21H2 update, which will arrive later this year), but it looks like the changes could be more wide-ranging than expected, with the company revealing it is working on bringing new animations to the operating system.

You may not have noticed, but Windows 10 is full of little animations – from opening the Start menu, to launching and closing apps, these animations play a big part in Windows 10’s overall look and feel, so any changes to these could have a big impact.

As Windows Latest reports, after Microsoft tested out some new animations in an early build of an upcoming Windows 10 update, it has been reviewing user feedback about the changes, and could add even more animations in the future.

Getting feedback

In a post in the Feedback hub, a Microsoft engineer, Jennifer Gentlement, posted that feedback about the new ‘Fluent Design’ animations have been “been passed along to the team” and that testers should “let us know if there are any specific areas where you'd be interested in seeing more animations”. The engineer also stated that “in our Dev Channel builds we have updated the animation when launching an application – we hope you like it!”

So, it looks like more new animations could be on their way to Windows 10. Along with new icons and rounded corners for windows (which Microsoft accidentally leaked), it looks like Windows 10 could get one of its biggest makeovers yet.

As with previous animations, you should be able to turn these off if you wish. This is a good option for people on older and lower-powered devices, as while the animations may look nice, they can also be a bit of a resource drain.

Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.