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Microsoft is modernizing several legacy Windows 11 dialogs to create a more consistent design across Settings and system tools.
Voice packages and Reset this PC are among the older interfaces Microsoft confirmed for future design improvements.
Microsoft is also rebuilding tools such as File Properties, Run, AutoPlay and Print Management with modern WinUI 3 technology.
Windows 11 is getting a fresh design push. Microsoft is now going after old dialog boxes that were sitting untouched for years. Some of these dialogs still look like they belong in Windows 95, Windows 7, or Windows 8.1. This news was confirmed by March Rogers, Microsoft's Partner Director of Design, who spoke about the plan on X after users pointed out old-looking screens inside Settings.
The company says it wants Windows 11 to feel consistent from top to bottom. Right now, that is not the case. You can open a modern Settings page, click one button, and suddenly land on a window that looks stuck in an older Windows era. Microsoft is trying to fix this gap step by step.
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Why this Matters
Windows 11 launched with rounded corners, soft colours, and a cleaner look. However, many small tools never got this treatment. Some still use sharp corners, old fonts, and layouts from decades ago. This makes the operating system feel uneven. One part looks modern, and the very next screen looks old and out of place.
One clear example is the Voice packages window. You can find it under Settings > Time & language > Speech. This dialog lets you search for a language and download its voice pack. However, it opens in a separate box with old checkboxes and a plain list. It does not even use rounded corners, something Microsoft made a big deal about years ago.
Rogers confirmed that this dialog is on the update list. He wrote that Microsoft is slowly working through older parts of Windows, and the Voice packages screen is included in that plan.
Another old dialog getting attention is Reset this PC. This tool lets you choose whether to keep your files or remove everything before a reset. Right now, it uses a bright blue screen with a design style from Windows 8.1. Rogers confirmed that this screen is also being rebuilt to match the newer Windows 11 look.
Microsoft is not replacing every old dialog at once. That would be risky, since old code is often linked to important system functions. Instead, the company is using two methods.
WinUI 3 is Microsoft's modern framework for building native Windows apps. Back in May, Rogers said, “The company was working through our list of all older dialogs and rewriting them in WinUI 3.” This shows the plan is not new. It is going on for months, and it will likely continue for a while longer.
Some tools have already been rebuilt using this approach.
File Properties Dialog -This old Windows 95-style window is rebuilt using WinUI 3 and now supports dark mode.
Run Dialog - A new version was built with better history support and the option to open your home folder using a short symbol. Microsoft even said the new version opens faster, taking about 94 milliseconds compared to 103 milliseconds for the older version. Users can still switch back to the old Run box if they prefer it.
AutoPlay - This is the screen that appears when you plug in a phone or USB drive. It is also getting a WinUI 3 rebuild.
Print Management - This tool is rebuilt fully in WinUI, giving it a cleaner and more modern look while keeping the same features.
Some parts of Windows 11 still mention features that do not exist. For example, a local account warning message tells users to open the ‘Search charm,’ a feature from the Windows 8 era that was removed long ago. Marcus Ash, who leads design and research at Microsoft, confirmed that even small mentions like this are being cleaned up.
Microsoft also confirmed that the old Windows 8-style input switcher on the login screen is being redesigned. Meanwhile, Settings pages, account dialogs, and Pen settings are being polished over time.
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One thing users should know is that Control Panel is not going away. Microsoft did confirm it will stay for now, even as other older parts of Windows get replaced.
There is no fixed release date for most of these updates. Microsoft is rolling them out slowly through regular Windows updates rather than one big release. This method reduces the chance of something breaking.
To sum up, Windows 11 is slowly clearing out its old, mismatched screens. From Voice packages to Reset this PC, from Run to Print Management, Microsoft is working through years of leftover design. It will take time, but the direction is clear: fewer old dialogs and a more consistent look across the whole system.
Microsoft is working on several older Windows 11 interfaces, including the Voice packages dialog and Reset this PC. File Properties, Run, AutoPlay and Print Management have also received or are receiving modern redesigns.
Microsoft wants Windows 11 to offer a more consistent visual experience. Some system dialogs still use older layouts, fonts and interface elements that do not match the operating system’s newer design.
WinUI 3 is Microsoft’s modern framework for building native Windows applications. The company is using it to rebuild older dialogs and give system tools a design that better matches Windows 11.
The provided information does not indicate that Control Panel is being removed. Microsoft confirmed that Control Panel will remain for now while other older Windows interfaces continue receiving design updates.
Microsoft did not provide a fixed release date for most of these redesigns. The company is working through older dialogs gradually and plans to introduce changes through regular Windows updates.
