Microsoft is preparing to update the icons from the Windows 95 era, slowly improving the icons used in Windows 10 as part of a comprehensive visual overhaul planned for later this year. A set of new system icons appeared in March, including new icons for File Explorer, the folder, the recycle bin, drive icons, and more. Microsoft is now planning to update the Windows 95 era icons that users still encounter occasionally in Windows 10.
Windows Latest discovered new icons for sleep mode, network, memory, floppy drives, and much more as part of the shell32.dll file in preview versions of Windows 10. The new icons closely mimic those that have already been introduced across Microsoft 365, Microsoft Launcher, and other products. The shell32.dll file is a core part of Windows Shell, which displays icons in various dialogs throughout the operating system, and it is also the reason for the inconsistency of Windows icons over the years.
This effort to improve the consistency of Windows is part of the design overhaul for Windows 10, codenamed Sun Valley. Visual changes are expected to be included in the Windows 10 21H2 update arriving in October, giving insiders in the Windows Insider Program an early look at the changes being rolled out across Windows 10. Microsoft has not officially detailed its work on Sun Valley yet, but a list of features leaked earlier this year teased a comprehensive visual refresh for Windows.
So far, Microsoft has revealed new system icons for Windows 10, alongside improvements to File Explorer icons, along with more colorful icons for Windows 10 that appeared last year. Rounded corners are a major part of Sun Valley, along with changes to built-in apps, the Start menu, more Fluent Design features, dark mode, and other features, making the desktop look completely different from the current version of Windows 10. More information about Sun Valley is expected to emerge at Microsoft's Build conference later this month or as part of a dedicated news event for Windows.
