Microsoft is giving the File Explorer inside Windows 10 a visual overhaul with new icons. The product goliath has started rolling out a test work of Windows 10 that incorporates changes to the framework icons you’ll discover in File Explorer, including the Recycle Bin, Documents folders, and devices like disk drives.
“Several changes, such as the orientation of the folder icons and the default file type icons, have been made for greater consistency across Microsoft products that show files,” says Amanda Langowski, Microsoft’s Windows Insider boss. “Notably, the top-level user folders such as Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and Pictures have a new design that should make it a little easier to tell them apart at a glance.”
Maybe daringly, Microsoft additionally takes note of that “and yes, the Recycle Bin icon has also been updated!” — a clear nod to some changes the company attempted to make to the Recycle Bin in the past that didn’t go down well with Windows clients.
These icon changes are fairly minor in the grand scheme of Windows, yet they’re part for a broader effort inside Microsoft to modernize Windows. Microsoft divulged new system icons for Windows 10 recently, and the company previously updated a portion of its Windows 10 icons a year ago with colorful versions and furthermore tweaked the Start menu to make it more streamlined.
Microsoft is likewise planning a “sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows,” codenamed “Sun Valley.” The organization is required to detail its visual plans and more about the fate of Windows in the coming a long time as a part of a dedicated news event.
The symbol updates will arrive alongside some tweaks to the layout of File Explorer, as well. Microsoft is adding additional padding between elements in File Explorer, and there will be a smaller mode to get back to the classic File Explorer mode. The updated view is somewhat more touch-streamlined and complements the new icons.