Microsoft shifts windows 11 ui components to winui, promising improved latency and fluidity

Microsoft is set to make a crucial technical change to Windows 11, shifting the operating system's UI components from web-based technologies to a native approach supported by WinUI. This move aims to reduce latency and improve overall system performance, starting with one of the most used elements: the Start menu.

Start menu to get a native winui makeover

Until now, key parts of the Start menu, such as the 'Recommended' section or app lists, were powered by React. While this tech allowed Microsoft to accelerate development and roll out new features, it also introduced a slight performance hit compared to fully native solutions. Microsoft bet big on React in 2023 to maintain a consistent look across the system, but this hybrid model, combining JavaScript logic with native rendering, has proven to have limitations in terms of responsiveness.

Recognizing this, Microsoft has decided to move the shared infrastructure of the user interface to WinUI, a native framework that will enable reduced latency in interactions and a snappier feel when using the system. This transition won't happen overnight, but it will be gradual – as more system elements adopt WinUI, users should notice a faster Windows 11, particularly in everyday tasks like opening the Start menu.

Microsoft is also working on improving the 'Recommended' section of the Start menu itself. This area will now show more relevant content, such as recently used apps or recently opened files. However, users who don't want to use this feature can disable it in the personalization settings, although this will also remove items like recent files in File Explorer or in the taskbar's jump lists.