With build 26040, Microsoft introduced a new setup experience that looks fresh and re-arranges some of the elements in the UI. However, users quickly discovered that traces of this new interface go as far back as pre-release Windows 10 builds.
Surprisingly, it has been included in Windows for more than a decade, but was not previously set as the default option.
According to Microsoft, the new user interface for Windows 11 aims to give the Windows OS Media Setup a more modern and clean look. Despite this refresh, all the existing features in the clean installation experience will still be available, including unattended support. The design will now align with the upgrade and installation experience found on devices that already run Windows OS.
The controls and dialogs remind of the Media Creation Tool that allows downloading and writing ISO files on a USB stick.
ℹ️ The drastic changes are the separated language and region pages in the 1st stage setup. The drive selection step now sports the buttons above the drive list, and they all are now visible by default.The option to repair the PC is not a tiny link any longer. Now it is a third option in the setup options that one can easily spot.
The installation progress is now a full screen page that includes a cancel button to terminate setup. And more.
In fact, it is a cosmetic redesign. There is nothing that would change your actual setup experience.
The fact is that this UI is not actually new. @XenoPanther has revealed on X that it can be enabled on early Windows 11 builds dating back to 2021. In the thread there, you will find that other users managed to get it working in preliminary Windows 10 builds. The latter has been compiled back in 2014, i.e. ten years ago. It can be called with a special command from WinPE:
setuphost /install /boot
Strangely enough, despite being available for such a long time, this supposedly updated UI was never introduced as the default setup wizard.
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Yeah it’s using the so called “Aero Basic” theme. I kinda wish it was still available in actual Windows. Well it sort of is, whenever drivers crash it sometimes reverts to it. I wonder if there’s some way to force it.
Correct, it is Aero Basic. I have seen some guys managed to bring back the Classic theme, not only the Basic one. But those are unsupported scenarios and give issues.