Although Windows 11 hasn’t been officially announced, an early build (21996) recently leaked onto the web giving us a glimpse of what Microsoft has been working on for the next version of its operating system.
Among the new features and changes for the desktop experience, the company seems to be also updating the out-of-box experience (OOBE). This is the experience to complete the initial setup of Windows 11 with a new account, privacy settings, and custom preferences after a clean installation or set up a new computer.
The new OOBE UI is not entirely new. The experience was first seen on Windows 10X, but now the company is porting it into Windows 11. In this hands-on video, we can see a new Windows logo as soon as you start the computer with the installation media. The initial installation process still hasn’t changed. You still need to go through the same purple interface to select the edition, choose the installation method, and format the hard drive. However, after the installation, you will be presented with a new OOBE that moves away from the blue and dark colors in favor of a white and gray color scheme with a more intuitive, fun, animated, and friendly UI.
The base of the experience is a white window with rounded corners instead of a stretched interface with dull colors.
Aside from the new visual elements, the process is the same as before. You get the option to create an account, choose your privacy settings, set up OneDrive, etc. Also, through the process, as you move between the stages, you will see new animations related to the setting you are configuring that make it a more friendly experience. Furthermore, Windows 11 now also shows a new live background for the first sign-animation after the setup.
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Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].