- Alleged screenshots of Windows 11 leaks onto the web.
- The screenshots show off a new Start menu, taskbar, and OOBE experience.
- They also reveal new icons for the Windows logo in the startup, Start button, and other features.
Ahead of Microsoft’s June 24 “what’s next on Windows” event, an early build of Windows 11 leaked onto the web, revealing some of the new UI changes and features we are expecting to see in the next version.
The screenshots are from what it appears to be from a legitimate unreleased Insider Preview build (21996.1) available through the Dev Channel that first appeared in Baidu via BetaWorld. And then, they were spotted by XDA Developers and ZDNet.
In this first wave of images, we can finally confirm that the next version of the operating system will be called “Windows 11” since a screenshot of the “About” page on the Settings app describes the “Edition” as “Windows 11 Pro.”
Then there is a screenshot of the desktop that includes a brand new Start menu with a design floating above the taskbar. The menu has a similar design as the one previously thought for Windows 10X, with traditional icons and rounded corners.
We can also see that Microsoft is updating the taskbar with a center design and new icons for the Start button, task view, search, and other features. Another screenshot even shows placeholders to what appears to be desktop widgets, indicating that Live Tiles may continue to be available in the operating system.
In addition to the early look at the new Windows 11 interface, another set of screenshots reveal a Windows logo for the startup screen and an updated interface for the out-of-box experience (OOBE), which looks identical to the experience that Microsoft was planning for Windows 10X. (See also this YouTube video showcasing the installation process.)
The screenshots show that the OOBE moves away from the blue and dark colors in favor of white and gray colors with a more intuitive and friendly interface. The experience is now a white window with rounded corners instead of a stretch full-screen interface, indicating that this will look much better in high-resolution displays. Aside from the new visuals, the setup process looks similar to the old experience.
Although it is still unclear if the images are legitimate, they match what we expect to see in the new version. However, we will know for sure on June 24, when the company takes the virtual stage to reveal the next version of Windows.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, 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.