Microsoft job posting indicates major UI overhaul for Windows 10

The company says the redesign will signal that "Windows is BACK"

Microsoft is reportedly planning a redesign of its Windows operating system, calling it a "sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows experiences".

According to Windows Latest, the software giant has posted a new job listing (now edited), seeking a senior software engineer to join the Windows Core User Experiences team. The successful candidate would 'work with our key platform, Surface, and OEM partners to orchestrate and deliver a sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows experiences'.

The company says that the redesign must signal to customers that 'Windows is BACK' - ensuring that 'Windows is considered the best user OS experience for customers'.

After news outlets spotted the job listing, the company quietly removed references to 'sweeping visual rejuvenation' in the post, instead stating that the role is aimed at 'orchestrat[ing] and deliver[ing] experiences that ensure Windows is a great user experience for our customers.'

The company said that it was looking for 'a collaborative, inclusive and customer obsessed engineer to help us build the future of Windows Experiences'.

According to Windows Latest, Microsoft is working to overhaul Start menu, Taskbar, Action Center and built-in apps with its 'Sun Valley' update for Windows 10. The update is expected to arrive in the second half of 2021 and will modernise the look of the Start menu and built- in apps, while also bringing consistency to the UI across software (Let's hope Microsoft remembers and learns from the Windows 10 launch, when users reacted harshly to the removal of their beloved Start button - Ed.).

The firm is also expected to launch Windows 10X, a 'Lite' version of the OS, by spring this year. This new system is likely to feature a familiar but modern Windows experience, as suggested by Microsoft's preview of its new File Explorer last year.

Microsoft is also reportedly working on a 'Project Latte', which would enable app developers to bring their Android apps directly to Windows 10 with little or no changes to the code.

According to Windows Central, the apps will be packaged as an MSIX (Windows app package format) and developers would be allowed to submit them to the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft is also reportedly developing a single version of Outlook that will eventually replace the current Windows 10 Mail and Calendar apps, as well as the Win 32 Outlook client, with a single Outlook client for Windows and Mac.