14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is currently in the process of refreshing the entire icon set in Windows 10, and while the company doesn’t seem to be in a rush to bring them to production devices, new versions are occasionally discovered.
More recently, Microsoft started work on Fluent Design-based icons for more apps that come pre-loaded in Windows 10, like Calendar, Weather, and others, especially now that the company will introduce a brand-new OS specifically aimed foldable and dual-screen devices.
The plan is to launch Windows 10X with a modern set of icons from the very beginning, so by the time this new OS version gets the green light, the refresh should already be complete.
But at the same time, there are tons of other icons in Windows 10 that might require a facelift, and they aren’t necessarily used by apps. They belong to file formats and other items in Windows, and many of them are dated from the Windows 95 era.
In the last few months, I’ve heard lots of users requesting Microsoft to refresh the full icon pack in Windows 10 with Fluent Design elements.
Indeed, Fluent Design is now at the core of everything in Windows 10, and most of the visual facelifts happening lately are based on this language. At some level, it makes total sense, especially because using one design language for everything, including not only apps but also icons and others, can help achieve the high level of consistency that all software designers are aiming for.
But while new icons would make Windows 10 overall feel more modern, legacy icons must be there for one simple reason: backward compatibility.
Windows 10 is an operating system for everyone, and despite being the latest and greatest in terms of Microsoft operating systems, it’s also the platform that can run apps built for the majority of its predecessors.
In other words, if you have an app that was developed for Windows XP, there’s a very good chance that it runs flawlessly on Windows 10 as well. And this doesn’t stop here, as some companies run Windows 95-era apps on Windows 10 devices with zero compatibility issues.
Windows 7 is living proof for how advanced Windows 10’s backward compatibility really is. According to Microsoft, 99% of the apps developed for Windows 7 should run on Windows 10 with zero modifications, and for enterprises, this is something that’s extremely valuable.
These icons are thus here to help ensure backward compatibility and lend users a hand with their day-to-day activities that involve these old apps.
At first glance, Microsoft should just stick with a mix between the two: modern icons that would perfectly fit the company’s new apps and elements that are part of the new-generation push, as well as legacy icons for older apps dating from the Windows 95 era.
At some level, this is what’s happening right now in Windows 10, but users keep calling for Microsoft to restyle the older icons as well.
The next major feature update for Windows 10 is the 20H1 release, which according to the typical calendar, is due in the spring of 2020. The existing preview builds available for insiders do not come with substantial changes in terms of icon design, so it remains to be seen if Microsoft wants to get rid of the old icons or not.
For what it’s worth, enterprises are probably just fine with the existing sets of icons, and given Microsoft’s increased focus on this side of the market, I wouldn’t be surprised if the old icons would just stay there for much longer than we anticipated.