Product Archives - Microsoft Design

Scaling the design process

How intelligence and data can make us more human-centered designers

AIDesign ThinkingUX/UI Product

A touch of feeling: advanced haptics in Windows 11

Guidelines on how to design haptics for supported devices

hapticsInclusive DesignSurfaceWindows Product

A digital illustration of layered, transparent rectangles with glowing edges, mouse cursors, and code snippets, representing software or UI/UX design in a futuristic style.

Design isn’t dying. It’s shifting left.

When the model is the new medium, shaping how it behaves in humanistic ways is design

Design ThinkingUX/UI Product

Abstract 3D icons for user profiles, messaging, and calendars are arranged in a row with magnifying glass symbols. Around them are colorful UI elements, avatars, chat bubbles, links, and schedule grids on a white surface.

From incubation to impact: Microsoft 365 Companion apps

How scrappy prototypes became polished apps—shipped on the taskbar, grounded in Fluent, and refined by research.

Design ThinkingM365UX/UIWindows Product

A futuristic, white interface displays a message: “Create an agent with a natural, but professional tone.” Various colorful icons, sliders, and buttons surround the central dialogue box.

When AI joins the team: Three principles for responsible agent design

A practical guide to build agents that stay differentiated, intent-aligned, and bias-resistant

AI Product

The new Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile experience

How we redesigned the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app to create a workspace built around conversation, dialogue, and discovery.

AIM365 CopilotUX/UI Product

Abstract 3D illustration with curved, colorful ribbons. Floating icons include “Create agent” with a plus sign, a cloud symbol, and “Catch up” with a wave, all set against a light background.

The new UI for enterprise AI

Evolving business apps and agents through form and function

IconographyM365UX/UI Product

A person with curly hair is sitting on a couch, using a laptop. The screen displays a presentation slide with the title "Location" and some charts or graphics. The person's hands are on the keyboard and trackpad.

The age of the design hacker

Six practical mindsets for building secure and resilient UX

UX/UI Product

A person uses a desktop computer with a monitor displaying the Windows 11 home screen in a bright, modern office space. The person's hand reaches toward the keyboard.

Windows 11 design principles + tenets

Our guiding force behind designing Windows for the AI era

AIProductWindows Product

A collage of Microsoft Office app icons, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, and others, floating over a light background with abstract shapes and interface elements.

Fluid forms, vibrant colors

How a subtle refresh of our Microsoft 365 icons signals deeper change.

IconographyM365 Product

A Sign-in screen for Microsoft appears with fields for email or phone number, overlaid on a colorful, abstract background filled with floating shapes and playful icons like a keyboard, heart, and smiley face emoji.

Reimagining our front door

Using positive psychology to craft delightful sign-in & sign-up experiences

UX/UIWindows Product

A young man in a yellow shirt uses sign language during a video call on his laptop at a table in a modern home. A glass of juice, notebook, and backpack are on the table, with a bookshelf and plant in the background.

Centering sign language in AI and design

A Deaf-led approach to making Sign Language a core principle of inclusive design

AIInclusive Design Product

A mobile-first approach for Microsoft 365 Copilot  

How Microsoft is reimagining productivity from a mobile-first lens

Design ThinkingUX/UI Product

A Windows 11 desktop with the Start menu open, showing pinned and recommended apps, search bar at the top, and taskbar shortcuts at the bottom over a blue abstract background.

Start, fresh — Redesigning the Windows Start menu for you

This is the first post in our new Beyond the Surface series, a behind-the-scenes look at how craft comes to life in Windows products and features.

UX/UIWindows Product

A split-image showing a purple tablet with a kickstand on the left and a silver laptop with a colorful screen partially open on the right, both set against matching gradient backgrounds.

Surface Copilot+ PCs: Built to evolve, designed to adapt

How we crafted a new line of Surface Copilot+ PCs to empower creation, connection and change

Surface Product

Text reading "Meet the Windows Design Team: Emma N." on a gradient background of deep purple to dark blue.

Windows UX in an AI-driven world

Emma Nestvold, a UX designer on the Windows design team, shares insights into her approach to design and experiences working on AI-driven features

CommunityProfileWindows Product

An abstract digital artwork featuring overlapping geometric shapes and gradients in blue, purple, and pink hues. Circles, rectangles, and lines blend with small squares, creating an energetic and colorful composition.

UX design for agents

Microsoft principles and guidelines for building agentic experiences

UX ResearchUX/UI Product

Weaving the strange: The art and alchemy of Xbox’s South of Midnight

Exploring the art, worldbuilding, and folklore-inspired design process

Design ThinkingXbox Product

A glimpse into the history of Windows design

UX/UIWindows Product

A translucent, abstract shield-like structure with ridged textures on a soft pink background. The shield casts gentle shadows, creating a wavy effect on the surface. A small triangular piece is separated from the main shape.

Secure by design: A UX toolkit

Human error causes a majority of security breaches. Our UX toolkit can help you build secure and empowered user experiences.

Design ThinkingUX/UI Product

Product

Co-Create, Iterate, Keep the Human at the Core