Reddit user turns his Windows 11 desktop into a Windows XP experience
A Reddit user has modified his Windows 11 interface to make it look and function like Windows XP.
The user — BowzausarusRex — said he used the third-party apps WindowBlinds, OpenShell, and RetroBar to reskin his Windows 11 into the much-loved operating system, first released in 2001.
He said the three apps worked well together and showcased the results with a screenshot of his desktop.
It included numerous familiar elements from Windows XP, such as the original font across all pieces of text and the classic blue colour for the taskbar and title bars of app windows.
The Start Menu button also looks the same as the original, and the menu shows a basic listed layout of pinned and default Windows programs.
A file explorer window of “This PC” shows a slightly tuned version of what was available on Windows XP. Still, it contains many similarities — including the same toolbar and general styling.
Other windows in the screenshot included the Paint and Calculator apps and the 3D Pinball Space Cadet arcade game.
Windows 11 desktop turned into Windows XP desktop by Reddit user BowzausarusRex
One of the Redditors commenting on the post said he was the lead of the WindowBlinds team.
He claimed they were working on modern adaptations of the Windows XP menus for Windows 10 and Windows 11, to be released by the end of the month.
Below is a screenshot of one of these adaptations.
First released in 2001, Windows XP was one of Microsoft’s most popular operating systems, reaching 75% of its overall customer base by the time overall mainstream support for the OS reached end-of-life in April 2009.
When extended support ended in 2014, it was still running on 19% of all Windows systems.
Microsoft continued to provide support in exceptional cases — including where systems were being used by the military — until 2019, almost two decades after its initial release.
Windows XP featured a host of improvements over its predecessors and was praised for its stable and fast performance, and ease of use.
It was also one of the first iterations of a Windows OS with a consistent design across Home and Professional installations, making the jump between home and work use easy.
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