Modern Winver

With each update, Windows’ latest iteration becomes more polished and visually appealing. However, since modernizing all aspects of an entire operating system takes time and effort, the open-source community takes on the complex task of filling in the gaps left by major companies.

One great example is Modern Winver’s take on the older “About Windows” popup window that used to be available in older versions of Microsoft’s flagship OS, modernizing it and providing quick access to performance metrics and wallpapers, all in a single application.

The application boasts a tabbed layout for displaying the right information categories when you need them. By default, the first section shows the edition, date of installation and build version of the current Windows operating system.

For beta testers who provide feedback to Microsoft regarding bugs or potential features that need implementing, glancing over these details can be useful for staying mindful of the iteration you are currently testing. Moreover, for legal reasons, a shortcut to the company’s license terms can be opened in a web browser.

The second tab acts as a minimalist replacement to the Task Manager’s performance section, displaying the usage metrics of the processor, storage device and available RAM. Those seeking a cleaner look compared to the outdated design of the Task Manager can leave the window running in a corner of the screen to keep an eye out on how the system reacts to the programs running.

The third panel contains small previews of the wallpaper and lock screen image backgrounds that can be easily copied to the clipboard so that users can instantly share them with friends, instead of having to search for them through the file explorer. For developers who have become accustomed to the primary accent color and want to replicate it in their apps, its hex code can also be copied for quick referencing.

Thanks to the program’s excellent implementation of Microsoft’s latest version of the Fluent Design language, not only does it blend perfectly with the rest of the built-in apps, but the interface also makes for great screenshots when sharing setups on social media, or when writing articles about clean desktop themes.

Finally, for those who want to make the most of their screen real-estate, resizing the app to larger dimensions ditches the tab layout in favor of displaying all the application’s sections at the same time for maximum convenience.

Whether you like testing and giving feedback on cutting edge iterations of Windows before they are released to the public, or you want a clean and minimalist interface for displaying performance metrics, Modern Winver is a great addition to your suite of open-source, privacy-friendly apps.