Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Windows Has Contrast Problems, Too

Nikita Prokopov:

Top (Windows 95): great contrast, obvious shapes. Instantly readable.

Middle (Windows 11): shapes are still self-explanatory, but contrast is gone.

Bottom (Windows 11 Insiders): what am I even looking at? The only shape I can understand here is the Run button. Barely visible, though.

Nick Heer:

As someone who uses a Windows computer for my day job, I can confidently say this allergy to contrast affects both platforms alike, and Prokopov’s comparison offers just one example. Why this trend persists, I have no idea.

Previously:

Update (2025-12-11): Sherief, FYI:

my mom got a new laptop and had trouble dragging windows around, I tried taking a look and out of the box the draggable area is the same color (not even low contrast) as non draggable chrome.

2 Comments RSS · Twitter · Mastodon


This is why we need Apple to focus on actual smart HIG and not chase fashion design like a certain chief designer did for the last decade.

Steve said it and it’s still true, Microsoft just copies whatever Apple does. So the damage that certain design chief inflicted on Apple is infecting the entire software ecosystem.


It's not just Microsoft. Everyone thoughtlessly copies Apple, including their bad decisions. They haven't been leading the way with good UI design for over a decade now.

And why did everyone simultaneously decide to get rid of buttons on phones? *Just* because Apple did it? Why can't I buy a single Android or even a Linux phone with a home button or back button? Is there literally no one else in the world that recognizes the virtues of having a button you can see, touch and feel activate?

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