What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

There's always something incredibly cool about the retro user interfaces of 90s Windows versions. The grayscale is utilitarian and industrial with sharp angles, contrasting elements, and raised buttons that feel like you could press straight through the screen.

But for better or worse, we’re not in the 90s anymore, so we have Windows 11 with its sleek UI, rounded corners, and modern transparent elements. So what if we could turn Microsoft’s latest and greatest (of course, so to speak) operating system into something that looks like a 30-year-old piece of code capable of running things like Discord, Telegram, Steam, etc. Here’s what we can imagine Windows 11 would look like in the style of Windows 95.

What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

Since Windows 11 is more limited in terms of personalization than its early 2000s predecessors, making it look like Windows 95 or Windows 98 requires some extra effort and the help of third-party apps. According to the project's author (who posted the results on Reddit), you can apply an old-school theme to Windows 11 with the help of apps like Windows Blinds from Stardock, Retrobar, Winaero Tweaker, and some skins for third-party apps (Steam, Discord, Telegram, etc.).

While nostalgia is often pleasant and brings back fond memories, you should think twice before attempting such odd experiments on your main machine for the sake of system stability and integrity. However, if you have a virtual machine or a spare device to experiment with and really want to kill some time, this is a fun experiment.

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