Microsoft is reportedly working on some new icons for its stock apps. They have started to update different logos of the Office apps and the OneDrive. These new designs give the icons a more aesthetic look. The new icons might be coming to many of the first-party apps of Windows 10.

Microsoft is building and examining the new icons for Mail, Calendar, File Explorer, Movies & TV, Microsoft Solitaire and Groove Music. This new design pattern of the icons uses various shades of blue and many different colors in a very subtle manner. The new design looks very sharp and matches perfectly with the newly redesigned office apps icon.

It is also possible that Microsoft might be designing these icons for Windows Lite’s Start menu. However, they might also provide a redesign for other versions of Windows 10 also.

Windows Apps Icons

Windows app icons are the pictorial representation of the application. It should convey a clear meaning to the users so that they can understand it immediately. A new style of iconography was introduced by Windows Vista. This iconography introduced new details to Windows.

Concept of Designing

The user experience of Window Vista was named Aero, which represented both the values in design and the user interface (UI). The full form Aero is – authentic, energetic, reflective and open. Its main goal is to create a design that is both beautiful and professional.

Aero helped to build an elegant and quality experience that improves the productivity of the users and also urges an emotional response.

The icons of Windows Vista was different from that of Windows XP in the given ways:

1. The icons were realistic rather than being illustrative, however, it was not exactly photorealistic. Icons are meant to symbolize the applications, and hence they don’t have to be photorealistic.

2. The maximum size of the icons is 256×256 pixels. This made them perfect for high-dpi (dots per inch) displays. In addition, this provided high-quality visuals for these icons.

3. At places that were practical for the fixed document icons to be replaced with thumbnails of the content. This made the documents simpler and easy to recognize.

4. The icons of the Toolbar had fewer details and it had no perspective. This was done for making them smaller in size and to make them distinctive.

Now let’s see what can be achieved by making the design of an icon better:

1. It will help you to increase the visual communication of your program.

2. Then, it also makes the users form a good opinion about your program. A good visual design is always appreciated by users.

3. It will help you to increase the usability of your objects, programs, and actions simpler to identify, understand and find.

New Icons for Windows 10

Microsoft is designing a new Start Menu for the Windows Lite version. In a recent leaked Windows 10 20H1 update, we got a quick look at what Microsoft is testing for the Start Menu.

As seen in the leak, the start menu will be changing the live tiles for more colorful icons. The menu will also have a profile picture of the user at the top.

It is still not confirmed whether these new designs will be introduced to the Windows 10 desktop version.

Windows 10 20H1 Update

This update was an accidental release by Microsoft. It was an untested version of the Windows 10 update for the insiders. However, it showed a new Start Menu. This new Start Menu contains no Live Tiles. It could be for the Windows Lite version, a more lightweight and stripped-down version.

This new Start Menu was launched only for the employees of Microsoft for the  Windows 10 Build 18947. But, accidentally Microsoft pushed this out to some of the employees in Slow, Fast, and Release Preview Rings.

The Redesigned Start Menu

Windows 10 Build 18947 contains two Start Menus; one is the Classic start and another is Start Insiders. The first option is the traditional Windows 10 Start menu. And the next option has the stripped-back Start menu, this version has no live tiles and has the icons are in the design of a  regular grid icon.

The current Start Menu is very basic and is only capable of opening apps and searching the browser. There is a search bar at the top of the menu for searching the apps also browse the web. Eg- search results for the Notepad will show you the list of apps and also the web links. Under the search bar, you will notice a list of apps, which you have used recently, and at the top of this section, “Suggested” is written.

This “Suggested” section contains not just your most-used apps, but also your most visited sites. By right-clicking on the apps you can pin them in the taskbar,  uninstall them, and customize their settings.

When you are using a tablet, you will notice that the Start Menu is placed in the centre with a transparent background.

Conclusion

When these new icons for Windows 10 will arrive on the desktop version, it will give a fresh look to it. A visual representation is very important for a window to make it look good. This will make users more interested in using Windows stock apps.

Now we have to wait and see when Microsoft will make these new icons available to us.