Windows 11 leaks invoke Windows 10x design, tease new Start menu

Windows 11 will shake up its interface with a new Start menu and bring the taskbar toward the center of the screen, a move that echoes the positioning of the dock in macOS.

Microsoft's next iteration of Windows, Windows 11, may bring with it an overhauled interface, new images surfacing on Tuesday seem to indicate. Screenshots of the desktop allegedly show there are many small changes being brought into the operating system, which could simplify the interface from its current Windows 10 appearance.

First surfacing via Baidu before being more widely distributed, including images published by The Verge, Windows 11 combines many elements introduced with Windows 10X with some new ideas. One chief concept is the centralization of icons on the task bar.

Typically the apps in use appear next to the Start menu icon on the bottom left of the screen, but images show the row of icons are instead brought to the center of the bar itself. The Start icon is part of this new center-aligned group, while other elements such as volume controls and the clock, continue to reside in the bottom right corner.
Widgets seem to be returning in Windows 11, while Live Tiles are disappearing.

The Start menu has been apparently simplified to what was previously shown in Windows 10X, losing the Live Tiles of Windows 10 in favor of pinned apps and recent files. Microsoft has also apparently gone for round corners throughout the interface, while widgets are appearing to make a comeback.

Among other changes are a new setup experience that takes users through the configuration process, and an improved Xbox app with deeper integration within Windows.

Microsoft is believed to be preparing to launch a new version of Windows, with executives teasing a "next generation of Windows" announcement for quite some time. A special event is expected to feature a preview of the next version of Windows on June 24.

:story: AppleInsider