Microsoft finally explains the new blue in Windows 11 File Explorer
Suppose you’ve been using Windows 11 regularly. In that case, you might have noticed a subtle yet distinct visual change: a darker shade of blue now appears in File Explorer’s disk space bars and various progress indicators, like those seen during installations. While it’s not a dramatic redesign, this minor adjustment didn’t go unnoticed by the community.
What’s been puzzling users, however, is the lack of any formal explanation until now.
Although this color shift has quietly existed in beta builds for several weeks, it recently became more visible with the rollout of the latest Windows 11 Canary build. That’s when the discussion took off online. A user on X (formerly Twitter) noticed the tweak by posting, “The new blue is now in canary.”
In response, Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Program Manager for Windows, weighed in with a rare official comment. He confirmed that the color change was intentional and aimed at improving accessibility:
“This was a small change we made for accessibility, and I’m stunned at how many folks are upset about this really minor tweak.”
— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc), May 16, 2025
This was a small change we made for accessibility and I'm stunned at how many folks are upset about this really minor tweak.
— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) May 16, 2025
While the adjustment might seem trivial at first glance, it sparked a surprising amount of debate. Reactions ranged from positive to downright confused. Some users appreciated the new shade as a cleaner, more visually distinct element, especially useful for quick-glance readability. Others questioned why the system defaulted to blue instead of adapting to each user’s chosen accent color.
As one user suggested, “It would be even cooler if the color change matched the accent theme rather than just the blue alone.” Another user reacted with visible confusion: “Am I insane or did Windows 11 recently change their color scheme? The MSI installer progress bars and Explorer drive fill bars are darker.”
Am I insane or did Windows 11 recently change their color scheme? The MSI installer progress bars and Explorer drive fill bars are darker 🤔 pic.twitter.com/FbhqBefFRN
— ThioJoe (@thiojoe) May 17, 2025
It’s a reminder of how even the smallest UI tweaks can catch users off guard, especially in an operating system as widely used as Windows. Whether you love it, hate it, or didn’t even notice it, the new blue is here, and now we finally know why.
