Microsoft is finally paying more attention to some of the oldest parts of Windows 11, and I hope it doesn't stop with the obvious ones.
For years, the operating system has had a strange split personality. Some parts of the system look and feel as if they were designed specifically for Windows 11, while others still feel like they were carried over from much older versions. But that's slowly starting to change.
Microsoft has been modernizing parts of Windows 11 for years, gradually updating interfaces that have remained largely unchanged. We've seen this work arriving in the Run dialog, Task Manager, shell controls, parts of File Explorer, and many other areas. Recently, however, Microsoft has been talking more openly about the challenges of modernizing deeply embedded components and developing the tools and frameworks needed to make that work easier without breaking the functionality people still depend on.
That's encouraging because I don't think the operating system needs another redesign just for a new coat of paint. There are much more important parts that deserve Microsoft's attention.
In particular, there are three classic tools I would like to see Microsoft modernize next, including Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services.
And when the company eventually gets to work on these tools, I don't want "cheap" replacements that hide the advanced options. I want modern designs that preserve everything the existing tools can do while making them considerably easier to use.
In this guide, I'll highlight the legacy tools I want the company to update with a design that aligns with the style of Windows 11.
1. Device Manager
Device Manager is probably the most obvious place for Microsoft to continue.
It remains one of the first places I go when troubleshooting hardware or driver problems. Yet the experience has barely evolved compared with the rest of the system.
The basic workflow still revolves around expanding a tree of hardware categories, right-clicking a device, opening properties, and digging through a collection of tabs.
It works, but it doesn't feel like a modern tool a regular user would use. Microsoft could turn Device Manager into a much more useful hardware management experience without removing any of its existing capabilities.
I would like to see a modern hardware manager with a proper search box, better filtering, and a more useful device overview.
For example, selecting a graphics card could immediately show the device name and manufacturer, the current driver version and date, and the device state, in addition to options to roll back, uninstall the device, and enable controls.
The important part is that Microsoft shouldn't simply move the existing tree into a prettier WinUI 3 window.
It should rethink how the information is presented. If the system knows a device isn't working correctly, I shouldn't have to hunt through several tabs to find out. The interface should tell me.
Something as simple as a clear status indicator saying "This device is working normally" or "Windows detected a problem with this device" would make the tool considerably more approachable.
At the same time, the company should retain the advanced information that administrators and enthusiasts rely on.
2. Event Viewer
Event Viewer is one of those tools that has plenty of useful information, but finding the information you actually need can be difficult, especially for someone who doesn't use the tool every day.
The bigger problem is that Microsoft already has a better way to understand system problems. Reliability Monitor. It gives you a timeline of crashes, warnings, and other problems, making it much easier to see when something went wrong. However, when you need more details, you're sent back to Event Viewer.
That's where I think Microsoft could do better. Instead of maintaining separate experiences, the company could combine the best parts of Reliability Monitor and Event Viewer into one modern troubleshooting tool.
For example, I should be able to see a timeline of Windows 11 and app problems, search and filter events, group related events, and quickly identify crashes, driver problems, and service failures.
3. Services
The Services console is another tool I'd like the company to modernize, but not because it lacks information. The existing tool already gives you a lot.
In the Extended view, I can select a service and see its description, while the main list shows its status and startup type. Opening the properties gives me even more options, including dependencies, recovery settings, and the account used to run the service.
The problem is that the overall experience still feels like a management console from another era. For example, search could be one of the new features that should make it possible to search for Windows Update, Bluetooth, networking, or even an executable name and quickly find the related services.
Dependencies could also be easier to understand. The information is already there, but I have to open the properties and look through another tab to see it. A modern interface could show those relationships more clearly.
That would be especially useful when troubleshooting. If one service isn't working because another isn't running, Windows 11 could make that relationship clear instead of leaving me to figure it out myself.
I don't want the company to simplify Services by removing its advanced options. I want it to keep everything that's already there and make the tool easier to search, navigate, and understand.
And then there's Task Scheduler
Task Scheduler is another example in which Microsoft already has many of the pieces I would want in a modern tool.
The Create Basic Task wizard makes creating a simple task relatively straightforward. It walks you through the task's name and description, when it should run, what triggers it, and what action it should perform. The problem comes when you need to go beyond the basics.
The full Task Scheduler interface offers a large number of options across multiple tabs, making it difficult to understand how everything fits together. Triggers, actions, conditions, settings, history, and security options are all there, but the experience hasn't evolved much. And that's where I think Microsoft could make a difference.
In this case, I wouldn't want the company to change those advanced options. Instead, it could build a modern interface around them, making it easier to understand what a task does, why it runs, what it launches, and whether it's working correctly. All, while keeping the existing advanced configuration available when needed.
Again, the functionality isn't necessarily the problem. The experience is.
If Microsoft isn't sure where to start, there's already an open-source project called FluentTaskScheduler, which I recently covered, that offers a modern take on the Task Scheduler experience.
Some legacy tools don't need a replacement
I'm fine with Microsoft moving Disk Management into the Settings app because it's already heading in that direction with Disks & volumes.
The same applies to Computer Management. I don't think the company needs to create a modern version of the entire console. A lot of the tools inside it already exist separately, including Device Manager, Services, Event Viewer, and Task Scheduler.
The parts that remain particularly useful, such as Shared Folders and Local Users and Groups, could eventually receive their own modern experiences. Or these could become part of the "Accounts" settings.
Microsoft doesn't need to reinvent these tools
I don't expect the software giant to rebuild every classic utility from scratch. I also don't think every legacy tool needs to disappear.
Some of these tools exist because the operating system has accumulated decades of functionality, compatibility requirements, and enterprise dependencies. Microsoft has already acknowledged that replacing deeply integrated components isn't as simple as building a new interface and deleting the old one because of functionality and compatibility.
That's why I like the direction Microsoft appears to be taking. The company recently indicated that it is looking to modernize the Registry Editor, one of the oldest and most recognizable administrative tools in the operating system. At the same time, the company has already been experimenting with a new Print Management app inside Windows 11 Insider builds, showing that some of these long-standing management experiences can be replaced with dedicated modern apps rather than simply being given a new coat of paint.
Microsoft doesn't need to modernize the operating system by throwing away everything that came before it. It can take the functionality people already depend on, put it behind a better interface, and gradually roll these experiences into Windows 11.
Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services would be a very good place to start.
If the company can modernize those tools while preserving the advanced functionality that makes them useful, I'll take that over another visual refresh any day.
Which classic tool do you think Microsoft should modernize next, and what would you change about it? Let me know in the comments.
More resources
Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:
- Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
- Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
