Microsoft watcher Rafael Rivera reports the company is currently developing a dark theme for the File Explorer. The tweak has not yet arrived in the latest preview builds for Windows 10 on the Skip Ahead branch of the Windows Insider Program. If you are unfamiliar, Skip Ahead gives users early access to future Windows builds. The company is currently still working on the delayed launch of Redstone 4, expected this month. After the launch, Redstone 5 will leave Skip Ahead and reach the Fast and Slow Rings. It looks like a dark theme for File Explorer will be accompanying the platform. As the name of the theme suggests, the app will get a black side panel and title bar. As the screenshot shows, it is hardly anything revolutionary but will be a welcome addition. Microsoft has still not announced this feature in any preview changelogs. It is expected the feature will come to Skip Ahead releases soon, or may just wait for Redstone 5 to move to the Fast Ring. There is also the possibility that this is very early development and it will not be ready for Redstone 5.

UI Changes

It is also worth mentioning that while a dark theme for File Explorer is nice, what I (and most users) want most is a UI overhaul of the app. Unfortunately, we don’t expect Microsoft to deliver that through Redstone 5. Speaking of UI overhauls, we reported last week Microsoft has taken its Fluent Design to the next level. Specifically, in Redstone 5 the company will bring the new evolving UI to Windows Defender.

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