Windows 10 Start menu could have another big change coming

Windows 10’s Start menu could be refreshed with rounded corners being used in the interface design, if a screen grab spotted online is anything to go by.

As flagged up by Windows Latest, the glimpse of the potential new look for the Start menu comes courtesy of a Microsoft tips page, which at one point talks about customizing the menu.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

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However, the screenshot illustrating the customization of the Start menu shows boxes with subtly rounded corners, rather than sharp square edges as currently seen in Windows 10. The search box underneath has rounded corners, too, and again this is different to the current scheme of things.

The theory, then, is that this screenshot was taken internally from some kind of test built, and shows what’s in the pipeline for the Start menu – or at least what Microsoft might be mulling over in terms of a UI change.

Modern flow

As ever, there’s no clue as to when this design tweak might be made – or even any guarantee that it will happen, of course – but the interface as pictured looks quite nifty, and indeed this all flows with the rest of the changes being implemented in Windows 10 to give it a more modern and contemporary feel.

We have, of course, seen rounded corners pop up in glimpses of preview versions of Windows 10 in the past, too, so the change makes sense in that context as well.

Historically, Microsoft has used rounded edges in the past, but with Windows 8 and its ‘Metro’ UI, the company went for a straighter look and square angles to differentiate the OS from other platforms.

As we’ve seen, there are some other major alterations planned for the Start menu, including Live Tiles that have backgrounds to match the light or dark theme being used in Windows 10, and there’s a cleaner overall look. The smart money is on the Windows 10 H1 2021 update for these changes to arrive, although whether that might include rounded corners is anyone’s guess.

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