The new Run dialog: faster, cleaner, and more capable
Microsoft has introduced a redesigned Run dialog for Windows 11, featuring a modern Fluent Design interface, dark mode support, and improved performance with a 94ms median time-to-show. The update includes new functionality like quick access to the user directory using '~\' and is currently rolling out as an opt-in feature for Windows Insider Experimental Channel users. The development team leveraged data and community feedback, drawing inspiration from PowerToys Run and the CmdPal project to build the new C#/WinUI 3-based application.
- ▪The new Run dialog has a median time-to-show of 94ms, making it faster than the previous version at 103ms.
- ▪Users can now type '~\' to quickly access their user directory directly from the Run dialog.
- ▪The browse button in the Run dialog was found to be used by only 0.0038% of users in a sample of 35 million.
- ▪The new Run dialog is built as a C#/WinUI 3 application compiled with dotnet AOT for native-level performance.
- ▪CmdPal, a PowerToys hackathon project, served as the foundation for the modern Run dialog experience.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
We’ve shipped the new Run dialog – and we want to say thanks. As the team behind Windows Terminal and PowerToys, we’re excited to bring this to Windows 11, and your feedback helped shape it! Run has been rebuilt from the ground up: Modern design: A refreshed look that matches Fluent Design and Windows 11, with dark mode support. Faster than before: Perf was top-of-mind when rewriting Run, and with a **94ms median time-to-show time it’s faster than ever before (more on how we got there below)! Quick user directory access: You can now type ~\ to jump to your user directory, then keep navigating just like you would from the command line. The modern Run dialog is slowly rolling out in current Insider builds of Windows as an opt-in feature, ensuring we are collecting your feedback.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Windows Command Line.
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