Microsoft quietly reveals a redesigned Windows 11 mouse cursor

Back in June, Zac Bowden of Windows Central said Microsoft was rumored to be working on a mouse cursor redesign for Windows 11, with no real evidence except hearsay via “whispers” heard “internally.” But now it seems that tweet is being vindicated by a preview version of the OS.

In recent patch notes for Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26340.9354, a stray screenshot that’s illustrating a different feature (one that lets you resume activity from your phone on your PC) also shows a new cursor design in action:

Microsoft

The new cursor is wider than the current one, with a more symmetrical approach, softer with rounded corners, and the distinct lack of a tail.

A similar look has been used in recent months in certain promotional materials, like the Microsoft Word product page where at least one screenshot shows the same rounded, tailless aesthetic (although the exact design is slightly different and not as skewed).

A cursor redesign is generally minor in the grand scheme, yet at the same time it does infuse the operating system with a new style and identity. With Windows 11 not so well-received since it debuted five years ago, perhaps Microsoft is revamping its look for a new era. It’s certainly in line with recent endeavors to retire UI relics from Windows 95, promises to boost system speed and stability, and a secret internal project called “Windows K2” that aims to fix the aspects that users hate the most.

Microsoft hasn’t made any official statements regarding the redesigned mouse cursor or when such a redesign might go live.