“On this team, you will work with our core platform, Surface and our OEM partners to plan and implement a radical visual refresh of the Windows environment and inform our customers that Windows is RETURNED, and to ensure that Windows is seen as the best consumer OS environment.” – reported in the vacancy text.

Microsoft then quietly removed mentions of a radical visual Windows update, but a few enthusiasts had already spotted the text over the weekend. Microsoft has been promising a visual reimagining of Windows 10 for years with its Fluent Design concept, but rumours say the company plans to implement really big changes only this year (the second half).

A major rethinking of the most popular PC operating system was announced in October in an update codenamed Sun Valley. The company allegedly plans to redesign Windows 10’s long-suffering Start menu, File Explorer, and built-in apps to modernize them and make the interface more consistent. Some of the UI changes will also include updates to sliders, buttons, and controls for both Windows itself and applications that use standard UI elements.

Microsoft is also working to improve tablet mode, in particular how devices like the Surface family switch between touchscreen and mouse/trackpad use.