Microsoft Windows 11 interface modernization

Microsoft is engaged in a gradual process of modernizing the Windows 11 user interface by updating legacy components to align with current design standards. This includes updates to tools such as the Task Manager, File Explorer, and the Run dialog.

Regarding the delay in modernizing the Control Panel, Marcus Ash, Microsoft’s vice-president of design, stated that legacy UI elements are being maintained to “preserve compatibility with older drivers and applications.” The company utilizes usage telemetry and community feedback to determine which components to update, ensuring new Settings-based replacements can match legacy behavior without errors before retiring old entries. While some updates are underway, users continue to call for the redesign of deeply embedded components like Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services to balance modern aesthetics with technical depth.

Recent developments show Microsoft expanding these efforts into specific functional areas. A modernized Print Management tool has entered the Release Preview channel, replacing the long-standing MMC-based management console with a new WinUI-based interface. Additionally, Microsoft has begun restricting features in the classic Windows Media Player in experimental builds, prompting users to switch to the new Media Player for modern video capabilities.

In a significant move toward deprecating legacy utilities, Microsoft has removed the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) from a Windows 11 Insider Beta build. While the underlying WMI infrastructure remains, the removal of the WMIC command-line interface aims to close a security loophole, as threat actors have frequently abused it as a ‘living-off-the-land’ binary (LOLBIN) for system discovery and malicious activities. Microsoft is directing users toward modern methods for accessing WMI to enhance security.