By
Dervish
/ Last
update
December 24, 2021
Windows 11 will benefit from more visual effects, as Microsoft is reportedly expanding the "mica" effect to more applications in the operating system.
The latest version of Windows discovered this. For starters, the Mica theme is an opaque effect applied to windows and title bars, so you can see the desktop wallpaper through it. Although it is a peculiar translucent effect, the difference is subtle, as Microsoft explains, "Only sample the desktop wallpaper once to create its visualization."
This means that the impact on performance is small, and the general idea is to add some luster to the desktop environment without any sluggishness, especially in the case of less hardware.
A Reddit user marked the appearance of Mica in Microsoft Word. As Windows has recently observed, Mica has just been introduced to the feedback center and the title bar of the reminder application in the Windows 11 preview version (in other words, in the test). This effect has already appeared in some core Windows 11 applications, such as drawing, photos, calculator and Edge browser.
Analysis: Mica can also help you focus
So, the plan seems to be to gradually introduce Mica more widely in Microsoft's core Windows 11 (and Office) applications. This is not a bad thing, because you get some extra UI touches without any noticeable impact on performance (hopefully).
Of course, the software giant certainly cannot take any measures that might impair the speed of its new operating system during basic desktop operations. Keep in mind that Microsoft is busy advocating how to improve the performance of core interface elements in Windows 11 next year, which means solving some thorny issues surrounding File Explorer, which are a real frustration for some users.
It’s also worth noting that Mica doesn’t just look beautiful in terms of design. Microsoft did this to allow Mica to focus on the applications currently in use, because for inactive applications that are open, Windows will switch back to a pure neutral color to provide clear message numbers and visual distinctions for active applications.