Microsoft transitioning to a darker color scheme for Windows 8?

By Tom Warren, on 30th Nov 11 12:45 pm with 34 Comments

Microsoft appears to be transitioning to a darker color scheme with its latest Windows 8 builds.

The Windows 8 login screen in the latest 8160.0.winmain.111122-1913 build now contains a dark blue coloring, compared to the green color scheme of the Windows Developer Preview. Winunleaked posted a number of pictures on Wednesday showing the login screen changes in recent builds. The latest build, 8160.0.winmain.111122-1913, includes the darkest color scheme yet. The changes could reflect a customization element of Windows 8 or Microsoft’s decision to darken its default theme choice.

The software giant is currently preparing pre-beta builds of Windows 8 and many Microsoft watchers believe a Windows 8 beta may arrive at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2012. Recently leaked screenshots indicate that Microsoft will allow users to change the Start Screen color and the Start Screen background image in beta copies of Windows 8. Microsoft has previously detailed some other minor improvements to the Windows 8 beta. Users will be able to create, name and rearrange Start Screen groups as well as navigate with the Windows 8 Apps screen in a better way. Microsoft is planning to group applications to make it easier for users to identify them in Windows 8 beta.

Check out the changes in recent builds below.

Windows 8 Developer Preview

Windows 8 post developer preview build

Windows 8 build 8160

Image Credits: Winunleaked

  • http://www.Nave360.com Sebastian Gorgon

    It will most likely be changeable, the question is what it will look in the beta.

  • http://microdows.com/ Zac

    I’m pretty certain that Canouna just changed the colour scheme from settings, the dark scheme isn’t the “default” colour.

  • http://twitter.com/Georgesab George Sabourin

    Likely just colour changable as other screenshots suggested, those screenshots did show a lot of dark colours to choose from too. (To light colours would look horrible IMO).

    Though the blue does look way nicer than the current WDP green.

  • Anonymous

    they look nearly identical to the “solid colors” choices you get from current windows wallpaper picker. I still think it is a mistake not to let people customize the background with whatever image they want. This sort of idea is straight from windows phone where you can pick any background color you want as long as it is black or white.

    • http://twitter.com/mcakins McAkins Online

      Hello, haven’t you heard? You’ll be able to customize till you drop when the Beta comes out. Just keep your fingers crossed.

    • Guest

      If MS doesn’t enable it thirds parties will. They always do.

    • Anonymous

      Not true. You will only be able to use pre-defined images/patterns for the Start screen.

  • Lord Jem

    i want the black

  • http://twitter.com/mcakins McAkins Online

    First thing I always do with my profile is change background to solid colour Dark-gray.

    • Anonymous

      thats good if you like that, but first thing I do is download and set my theme to “bing dynamic” that automatically updates my wallpaper with beautiful photos, and I would love to have that on Windows 8 on the lock screen and the background.

      I’d love to have the option on WP too

    • OMG55

      put it in the MS suggestion box.

  • Dudeforsure

    Trying to download the developer preview on this old XP PC, it’s taking forever.

    • Guest

      Did it yesterday and it only took a few minutes.

  • http://www.mainstreetchatham.com/ JimmyFal

    Keep the Gates mug shot throughout. In the sample pics etc. etc. etc.

  • Anonymous

    don’t think its just a theme 

  • http://twitter.com/hammeredpizza Louis Sandiford

    Dynamite picture of Bill Gates there…

    … and they said Jobs was the fashionable one :D

  • Anonymous

    Why are folks even slightly worried about MSFT’s tablet strategy.

    (1) this will be the first tablet to work properly and normally with all the peripherals we use today (PRINTERS NEED DRIVERS, SCANNERS NEED DRIVERS, HD WEB CAMERAS NEED DRIVERS, CONFIGURING NETWORKS THROUGH USB)

    Honestly the list goes on for days, while aapl does there marketing thing, this will be windows 95 level of domination all over again

    • Guest

      Could have something to do with losing a ten year head start to Apple within a year, and then taking three years to mount your first credible response. But that’s just a guess on my part. 

    • Anonymous

      Company’s can go through tough times, ask apple. This is Microsoft’s rebirth

    • Guest

      Hard to see this as MS’s rebirth when the same moron who got them into this much trouble is still in charge.

    • Anonymous

      Windows is so popular because of the ecosystem and third-party apps and games. With the new Metro style apps they have to start at zero again. And they are late already.

    • Anonymous

       Wrong, Windows 95 conquered the PC world which was already running MS-DOS/Windows 3.0. Breaking the iPad monopoly is impossible.

    • Anonymous

      i guess we will see who is write in a year and few months.

  • Anonymous

    Stupid article.

    • Guest

      Stupid comment.

    • Anonymous

      Whatever.

    • Guest

      Equally scintillating.

  • Anonymous

    I dont care what anybody says, the dark scheme, blue/black look super on that build….

  • http://twitter.com/Technosquid Technosquid

    Windows Phone, with it’s simple black background, is ideal for AMOLED displays.  I think Windows 8 with a black background would look great, but not so good on a traditional backlit display.  This is why you see many LCD display Windows Phones ship with the “light” theme enabled by default.

    Android 3.0 Honeycomb was also designed with AMOLED displays in mind, but it was just ugly.

    • Anonymous

      Personally I think that the Metro UI doesn’t look so great on LCD and low-pixel-density displays that we have now on notebooks and desktops.

  • Anonymous

    as long as that disgusting green is gone, it’s as bad as that stupid WIndows XP theme of horrid blue and green.

    That and the ability to banish the tiles away

  • http://circuitsoft.tumblr.com CircuitSoft

    I want a rainbow theme.

  • Win8User

    Post Developer preview Looks Better. Any idea when that might Leak out of the Redmond Walls?

  • http://www.youtube.co.uk/illage2 illage2

    We’ll have to patch the system if we want to use REAL 3rd Party themes. Wow so you can change a few colours …  big deal. Why not change the way the whole OS looks?