Windows 11 is undergoing a significant revamp in 2024, as reported by Windows Latest. Microsoft aims to remove legacy components from the operating system before this major update. Despite adding rounded corners throughout Windows 11, the company still retains features like the old taskbar and legacy components of File Explorer, which are considered outdated.

In the latest update, Windows 11 Build 25921, Microsoft has started eliminating some legacy components, including the old taskbar and system tray. However, these changes may go unnoticed for most users as the transition will take several months to complete. The system tray’s legacy notification integration has been broken as a result of removing supporting code.

This move by Microsoft may pose challenges for third-party customization tools like ExplorerPatcher, which allows users to revert to the Windows 10 taskbar in Windows 11. Unless these tools make significant changes to their integration, they may not work effectively in the near future.

It’s important to note that Microsoft won’t abandon all its old components at once. The “old” File Explorer is still accessible within the legacy Control Panel by manually entering the “C:” directory in the File Explorer’s address bar.

Windows 11 has already undergone some decluttering in the latest preview builds, with updated context menus, revamped popups, and various improvements for dark mode and accessibility. However, these changes are often unnoticed by the average user and not documented by Microsoft.

The upcoming Windows 11 23H2 update, expected later this year, will likely include these removals. Alongside the old taskbar, system tray, File Explorer, and Control Panel, the update will bring new features, such as HDR support for desktop backgrounds, Windows Copilot with plugins, ungrouping for the taskbar, a new File Explorer, and more.

Microsoft is committed to refining Windows 11 and eliminating legacy components to provide users with a modern and seamless operating system experience.