As part of the broader WinUI/Fluent Design push with Sun Valley 2, Microsoft is testing small tweaks to a particularly important and frequently used component when managing files on Windows 11. The “App Picker” that allows users to choose apps for files is being updated with a new modern design.
Currently, when you try to open a file with an unknown extension, a popup appears on the screen asking you to choose an application that may be compatible with the file you’re trying to view. This popup is called the “App Selector”.
The file is launched in whatever application is set as the default program. If you want to change the default program for a specific file type, you can do it in Settings, or open File Explorer and right-click on the file you want to modify. For example, you can right-click a .txt file and select a third-party application from the popup menu.
Pop-up menus are currently based on Windows 8 design ideas, but Microsoft is finally offering a beta version of a redesigned “app selector” in Fluent Design in Windows 11.
Because the functionality remains the same, it is still possible to simply click on a file, select a specific application, and then select the Open only once or can enable options to always open a file type with a specific application. Alternatively, clicking “Find another app…” gives you the option to search the Microsoft Store to find and select another app that isn’t in the app picker.
As you can see in the screenshot above, Windows 11’s new app picker aligns with the company’s plan to apply Fluid Design and WinUI everywhere.
Everything is slightly larger than before, making better use of the available space. Users also no longer have to see the design of Windows 8 that has been so far away from us when choosing default apps for specific file types.
Overall, this is a very good improvement that some current users of Windows 11 Build 22563 can follow in the Dev Channel of the Windows Insiders program. Notably, this design change will benefit all apps.
Other areas like File Explorer’s built-in “file/application picker” don’t yet, and they still use the Windows 7-era design language, though design changes related to File Explorer will likely take time to roll out to consumers.