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In its quest to modernize legacy Windows elements, Microsoft is now working to overhaul the aging Properties window.
As Windows Latest reports, a new Properties dialog box appeared in a recent Windows 11 preview build, showcasing new dark mode capabilities, a streamlined interface, and updated buttons.
Following a major push for AI and Copilot in Windows, Microsoft is going back to basics, focusing "on fundamentals, prioritizing quality and serving our core users better," CEO Satya Nadella said in April. Its latest effort appears to be the Properties window that opens when you right-click a file or folder. It contains information such as file type, location, size, and when it was created and modified, as well as toggles to make it read-only or hidden.
Windows 11's File Properties sheets are finally getting some WinUI + dark mode love! A modern version of the Properties UI is hidden in Experimental build 26300.8935, currently only for the deleted files dialog with more to come. So nice to see after all these years! 🥳
— phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth.bsky.social) July 21, 2026 at 4:48 PM
In a Tuesday post on Bluesky, phantomofearth noted that "Windows 11's File Properties sheets are finally getting some WinUI + dark mode love." It's "currently only for the deleted files dialog with more to come," so some of the usual tabs aren't there.
The look of it has changed the most. Designed using the WinUI 3 framework rather than legacy Win32, there are elements like rounded corners on the boxes and a Pivot-style header.
Microsoft plans to remove legacy elements from Windows 11's user interface, so it seems likely that these Properties window changes will come to the wider Windows ecosystem in due course. This appears to be in the very early stages, though, so it may take a few months. If you want an early look at it, you can always join the Windows Insider program.
Phantomofearth also noted Microsoft has updated the Privacy and security page in Experimental build 26300.8935. There's now a new "Core Privacy Settings" section, which includes all the location, camera, and microphone settings.
