Microsoft Tests Redesigned Windows 11 Run Menu
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- Microsoft is testing a redesigned Windows 11 Run menu in the new Experimental Channel, adding a modern interface with dark mode support that the company says loads faster than the current version.
- Microsoft removed the Run menu's "Browse" button — a shortcut to user files — after finding "very low usage," and replaced its function with a new "~\" command that opens the user directory.
- Microsoft built the new Run menu using code from Command Palette, a PowerToys utility for quickly running commands, opening websites, and searching files.
- Windows 11 Insiders can opt in to the new Run menu by navigating to Settings > System > Advanced and toggling the feature on.
- An early version of the redesigned Run menu started appearing in Windows 11 preview builds last year, per Microsoft's blog post.
- Microsoft said platform improvements made to speed up the Run menu "don't just make Run fast, but they help make the whole OS more efficient."
Why it matters: Microsoft is using the Run menu redesign as a proof point for broader performance gains across Windows 11, telling Insiders the underlying platform changes benefit the entire OS — not just one dialog box. By killing the underused Browse button and repurposing PowerToys' Command Palette engine, Microsoft is signaling it wants power-user utilities to feel native rather than third-party.
