Learn how to quickly and easily enable the modern Run dialog UI on Windows 11. It replaces the old, outdated Run UI.
Microsoft is updating many old UI elements in Windows 11, and one such improvement is the brand-new, modern, and minimal Run dialog box. The current Run dialog box uses an old UI design that, while functional, looks outdated with its old icon, grey/white background, a blank field for entering the command, and three buttons (two of which, cancel & browse, most of us don’t even use).
In the recent build, Microsoft updated the Run dialog UI to be much simpler, more modern, and lightning-fast. However, to use the new UI, you have to manually enable it in the Settings. Thankfully, it is pretty easy to do, and no need for any registry modifications. So, without further ado, let me show you the steps to enable the modern Run dialog UI in Windows 11. Let’s get started.
Before You Start
- To enable the new Run UI, you should be using Insider Preview with build 26300.8346 or higher (v25H2).
Steps to Enable the Modern Run Dialog UI in Windows 11
- Open Settings by pressing “Windows key + I”.
- Go to the “System” tab.
- Scroll down and click the “Advanced” option.
- Turn ON the “Run dialog” toggle.
- With that, you’ve enabled the modern Run dialog UI.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, open the Settings app using the “Windows key + I” shortcut or by right-clicking the “Windows” icon on the taskbar and selecting the “Settings” option. After opening it, go to the “System” tab on the sidebar. Next, on the right panel, scroll down and click the “Advanced” option.
Now, turn ON the “Run dialog” toggle under the “Taskbar” section.
That is it. With that, you’ve enabled the modern Run dialog UI. From now on, whenever you press the “Windows key + R” shortcut, search for Run in the Start menu, or right-click the “Windows icon” and select “Run”, you will see the modern Run UI.
It just functions the same as the old Run dialog. But as an added bonus, you can type ~\ in the new Run dialog to quickly jump to the user directory.
That is all. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
