The Windows 10 Alarms & Clocks app introduced a major UI overhaul

One of the built-in Windows 10 apps, Alarms & Clocks, has received the updated user interface. Starting in app version 10.2012 it has a new control appearance with acrylic effects and rounded corners.

We have already reported that Microsoft is internally working on a new rounder UI for Windows 10. This change now reached the Alarms & Clocks app, and is already available to Insiders.

Microsoft is internally working to update the look of Windows 10 with features provided by the new WinUI 3 framework. The change now goes live for built-in apps, including Windows 10 Photos app, Windows Calendar, Windows Maps, Movies & TV, Sticky Notes, and Calculator.

Microsoft's brand new WinUI library has been created to supercharge developer projects with Fluent controls, modern features, and other UWP/XAML improvements.

The library allows using WinUI XAML components in WPF, WinForm and native apps. Microsoft has added most of the modern user interface elements to the WinUI framework. The framework has been created for both Windows 10 and Windows 10X. The latter will be running native Win32 apps in containers, so Microsoft is interested in getting app versions native to Windows 10X. It is now possible with WinUI. Microsoft is expecting developers to update their apps by using the modern platform and make them compatible with Windows 10X.

Tip: Microsoft is already working on Windows 10 21H2

The Alarms & Clocks app is one more app that has received visual refinement with rounder controls. The layout of the app is also updated, and now includes nice reveal and acrylic effects. Check out the following screenshots.

As you can see, besides the new look the app also includes an update to its features. The are improvements made to the alarm editor, new default timers, and a new navigation style.

These user interface changes are now known as 'Sun Valley'. It is expected to reach consumers in the Windows 10 "Cobalt" release scheduled for the holiday 2021 season, and expected to be Windows 10 version 21H2, which will most likely be a major update. While Microsoft will issue two feature updates in 2021 as per the biannual update scheme, the significance of the updates will be reversed. The Spring update, version 21H1, will be a smaller service pack-like update, similar to what we have already seen in Windows 10 20H2 and 1909. The bigger one with more notable changes, 21H2, will come in the second half of 2021.