New Windows 10 tablet interface gets detailed

By Joseph Keller
last updated

Microsoft has shown off the new Windows 10 interface for tablets. The new interface allows tablets to "flex" based on the situations in which they're being used. The changes made have been based on user feedback.

On tablets, the Start menu will be hidden for more applications, and you'll be presented with Tiles, much as the interface exists today. Task switcher button on the task bar allows you to quickly switch between apps. There is also a new global back button.

When docked for use as a desktop, the interface adapts to the bigger display, acting as a standard PC. Win32 apps will also be adaptive, and will react to suit touch.

Be sure to follow along with our Build Keynote live blog for the latest from Build 2015

Joseph Keller
Joseph Keller
49 Comments
  • Are we getting it today if so im upgrading
  • it's a tech preview build my friend that may be 10 builds ahead of what us Windows 10 tech preview users are now using. I am glad they said they used some feedback from us folks who actually use the Windows 10 tech preview 
  • I wouldn't, from that picture I can see the full apps list is still fixed to the side, making portrait mode a no go and sucking up a tonne of premium tile space for no reason I can fathom. And no swipe task switcher means no way I'm moving from 8 yet.
  • you can Hide it the Hamburger Menu Expands the side i saw it in the Demo and have been trying to figure out if it's the 10074 Build that leaked or a new one Because i want it as soon as possible lol
  • I hope you're right, but a lot of people have been telling me some of these things are fixed only for others to swear blind they aren't. I'm getting more confused and skeptical about Win10 by the moment. I expect it to be better on my touch enabled desktop, tablet, convertable and phone than Win8. If it isn't at least as good then I'll wait it out. This means all the Metro good stuff needs to remain intact. Most importantly, this and task swipe. It would be a right step if this app list is truly fixed. If it is properly replaced with swipe task switch then I'm interested.
  • Swiping from the left to enter the task switcher has been present in the last few builds already. It's not exactly the same as cycling in Windows 8, but you don't have to tap the taskbar button if you don't want to.
  • So the Taskbar is going to be there all the time, eating up space? I hope they keep the 8.1 multitasking interface around as an option. I really like the swipe gestures.
  • Think of it like the WP8.1 status bar...
  • The WP8.1 status bar is able to be hidden. The WPCentral app itself does it.
  • Then sounds like it might be up to the devs. 
  • I hope that it works better, going into file explorer on 10061 is a pain on my venue pro.
  • I have to assume this is an iterative process and that we're nowhere close to seeing their final vision. Otherwise, yes, the taskbar makes little sense as things currently stand in tablet mode. Personally, I hope it goes completely. But, if it stays, then give us back the ability to pin apps to it. The current state where it exists but you can't pin anything to it is just bizzare, and is strong evidence that we're not seeing the final vision for what they want the tablet UI to be. 
  • I too want a hide-able taskbar. Or more acuarately, a show-able taskbar. I don't want anything but full screen or snapped glory in my tablet mode unless i specifically choose not to.
  • Windows had always allowed auto hide taskbar. This is enabled from the taskbar settings.
  • And in some builds swiping off the bottom of the screen hides then re-shows the taskbar...almost as if that will be intentional at some point and work. I'm more bothered about how we'll access the settings, share and app commands in tablet mode. Charms and swiping from bottom were perfect for it, it doesn't have to march 8.1, but needs to be Better than a small button at the top left Imo.
  • Good demo.  Looked awesome.  Clean and easy to use.
  • Looks way more cleaner and sharp...so much great things unveiled today
  • Its so much better I just wish they'd get rid of the task bar or make it an option to remove Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Have it auto-hide
  • Auto hide does not work. Half the time the taskbar doesn't hide or half the time it doesn't come up when you want it. You can't swipe it on or off like you could the old Charm Bars. It has to work like charm bars to be usefull autohide will not fix the problem.  
  • As SWANLEE mentioned auto-hide is a "problem" on a tablet.  In my case, HP Stream 8, once it was hidden I couldn't get it back again.  I did after some foolin' around, but learned to live w/o it.  Yes I know it takes up screen space but....
  • Auto-hide has a mind of its own when turned on on my desktop 8.1 Pro install, Surface RT install and Surface 2 Pro 8.1 install. Sometimes if auto hides, stays open or doesn't appear.
  • The main problem with auto-hide for me is that it then syncs this setting with my other Windows devices, so my laptop will start auto-hiding its taskbar even though I obviously don't want it to. There's currently no way to avoid this without disabling settings sync completely. To be honest though, I don't actually mind the taskbar being there. I don't see how this is different from an iPad or Android tablet which have permanent status bars.
  • Ah, so that's how Win32 apps will work! Good, one less thing to complain about. And otherwise, I'm loving the clean look of the new interface.
  • Wish it was more like phones the button layout. Or was a little spread out, or something... Looks cluttered.
  • It still sucks, WAY to many Taskbars, Address bars, Tab Bars, Navigation Bars. The ALWAYS on taskbar needs to be on/off swipeable like the charms bar were and we need a full screen web browsing experience. MS did not fix the major issues and have really hosed up tablet mode compared to Win 8.1  
  • Looks great. All it showed was tiles a tiny hamburger menu and the task bar.
  • Looks dope
  • still not liking the taskbar in tablet mode :-\
  • Cool. Now just implement it to the Surface 2. I know your are saying you are not going to, but they're is no reason not to.
  • Microsoft folks has Already formally stated that there is going to be Upgrades to all surface RT devices but they will not get all the capabilitites that Windows 10 X86 CPU devices get.
  • Android apps,android skin...
  • Android skin?
  • Oh really, its not crapdroid skin
  • I heard concerning things about W10 being crappy for tablets, but seeing this, it's not concerning at all! In fact it's awesome!!
  • Lack off onedrive app still keeps the level of suck unacceptable, forces use of desktop menus. Not impossible, but not nearly as fluid as in the touch-centric app.
  • Now i'm really getting a small Win tablet to replace my aging Galaxy Tab
  • is it the 10074 Build i can't tell from the screenshot what Build is it?
  • With everything from an eight inch tablet to a Surface to an all in one touch screen desktop all having the same OS and the ability to use keyboards and a mouse, can anyone tell me what constitutes as a tablet and how our devices know they are being used as tablets?
  • Yeah, let's remove the multitasking gestures with a small button in the task bar!   And then they even have the gall to claim that they are improving the tablet experience.   Fuck you, Microsoft. You show all these good things and, at the same time, cripple the entire system if we actually want to make use of them.
  • The thing is that thiese changes makes it possible for developers to easy port their Android and iOS apps using the new compilers and they will probably fit pretty great with Win 10 without much redesign. They are really fighting the app-gap from all angles with this, and they HAVE to or MS will soon become irrelevant.
  • Swipe gestures and the like are completely fucking unrelated to app interaction.
  • Just look at the bigger fucking picture. The users didnt really respond well to hidden edge interfaces now did they?
  • The gestures are still there, they just didn't talk about them. Swiping from the left to switch apps, swiping from the top to close or snap apps to the side are already present in Windows 10 preview builds.
  • I just want a surface mini. It makes more sense now
  • Oooooooooooooooooo :)
  • YESSSS! They listened! lol The Tablets will launch into the regular start screen with no Most used icons to the left woohoo So glad so many people have been proved wrong today, including myself lol good job MS. Continiuum turned out to be what you demoed 8 months ago :)
  • So does that mean I bend the tablet in half?
  • please support one of these suggestions to have a option the get taskbar away in tablet/touch mode: https://windows.uservoice.com/forums/265757-windows-feature-suggestions/suggestions/8184975-auto-hide-the-taskbar-when-we-choose-tablet-mode   https://windows.uservoice.com/forums/265757-windows-feature-suggestions/suggestions/8238942-true-full-screen-in-tablet-mode