Microsoft is finally updating the design of the Run dialog prompt in Windows after more than 30 years. After committing to adding a dark mode to Run, Microsoft is now testing a refreshed design that fits the Windows 11 aesthetic. User X Phantomofearth discovered the modern Run dialog in the latest Windows 11 preview builds.
The revised Run prompt looks much more like a modern launcher, but it works exactly like Run always has. The Run command has been a part of Windows since Windows 95, allowing power users to launch applications with shortcuts such as “mspaint” for Microsoft Paint, “calc” for the calculator, and “dxdiag” for the DirectX diagnostic tool.
If you’re not a fan of the redesign, you’ll even be able to toggle the Modern Run dialog box on and off in Windows 11’s Advanced System Settings. Microsoft hasn’t officially announced this Modern Run prompt, but I would expect it to officially appear in builds in the coming weeks.
Raycast just launched on Windows recently, providing Microsoft’s operating system with a powerful launcher, clipboard manager, shortcut system, and more. I hope this is enough to push Microsoft to take the time to transform Run into a modern launcher like it has done with Command Palette and PowerToys Run in recent years.
