Windows 10 is getting a massive redesign — what we know so far

Windows 10
(Image credit: ymgerman / Shutterstock)

Windows 10 has been out for a while, and right now it looks pretty much the same as it did back in 2015. So it’s due for a bit of a refresh, don’t you think? The good news is it sounds like one is on the way.

Rumor has it that the Windows 10 desktop interface will be getting a whole new look, but the bad news it won’t be arriving until late next year.

Sources speaking to Windows Central’s Zac Bowden mentioned something with the codename “Sun Valley”, which is said to be a major revamp to Windows 10’s UI. Apparently the update is set to refresh all the major desktop elements, though because Microsoft is still quite early on in development, plans are pretty much guaranteed to change by the time Sun Valley is ready to roll out.

So what can we expect? An overhauled Start menu and Action Center is coming, according to sources, and may well be a desktop-specific version of changes made to Windows 10X. Microsoft has already started work on bringing features from the multi-screen Windows 10X to desktops.

Other updates are said to be coming to the now-aged File Explorer, the taskbar, and other minor tweaks, including improvements to dark mode in legacy areas of Windows 10’s interface.

While things could change, it’s about time Windows 10 got an overhaul. Obviously we don’t want a repeat of the incredibly unpopular UI changes that came bundled with Windows 8, but it’s always nice to have a fresh coat of paint every now and again. 

Unfortunately we have quite a while to wait until the Sun Valley update is ready. The sources said that it’s not due until H2 2021, so we could be waiting a year before it filters down to our machines. And, as is the way with these things, plans can easily change in that time. Watch this space.

Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.