Microsoft is finally modernizing the Run dialog on Windows 11

• A new modern Run dialog box is hidden in the latest Windows 11 preview builds.
• Features a larger UI, Fluent Design styling, recent commands list, and app suggestions with icons.
• Microsoft plans to make the new interface optional through Settings.
• The redesign is not fully functional yet and hasn’t been officially announced.

Microsoft is preparing one of the most unexpected visual updates on Windows 11. After almost three decades of neglect, the classic Run dialog box is getting a modern redesign. The discovery comes from @PhantomOfEarth on X, who spotted the updated interface hidden inside the latest Windows preview builds.

The Run box (or command) is one of the oldest and most recognizable elements in the operating system. Tech-savvy users rely on it daily through the “Windows key + R” keyboard shortcut, yet its appearance has barely changed since its original release. Microsoft’s decision to refresh it now marks the first major interface update to the tool in about three decades.

The company refers to the feature as the modern Run dialog interface. It adopts the Fluent Design principles used throughout Windows 11, bringing rounded corners, updated spacing, and a generally cleaner layout that matches the rest of the operating system. The new design is also much larger, offering a wider text field, clearer spacing, and a new “recent commands” section positioned above the input box. When you type, the interface can also surface matching apps with their respective icons, which is a thoughtful usability improvement.

Perhaps even more interesting is that Microsoft is making this optional. Users will be able to toggle the dialog on or off from Settings > System > Advanced, using the “Run dialog” toggle switch.

If you prefer the traditional, compact Run dialog, you can switch back with one click. This flexibility mirrors the company’s recent decision to add a dark mode option to the classic dialog as well.

There is a catch. The updated Run command is still hidden in one of the Windows 11 previews (build 26534) and is not fully functional. Microsoft hasn’t officially announced the feature, which suggests it’s still in early development. However, given current progress, we’ll likely see the company discuss it publicly sometime next year.

Even so, this discovery continues a trend. Microsoft has recently shown renewed interest in cleaning up long-standing interface inconsistencies across Windows 11. Dark mode is expanding to more classic surfaces, including legacy File Explorer dialogs. The copy dialog box received color enhancements earlier this year. Small changes like these help make the operating system feel more cohesive and thoughtfully designed.

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If the Run dialog is finally getting attention, it raises an exciting question. What’s next? Many long-time users would welcome modernized versions of other legacy components, such as the Registry, Group Policy, Computer Management, and Disk Management, which have been visually frozen in time since the Windows 95 and XP eras.