Windows is an operating system that has evolved a lot over the years. It is true that she has always maintained a concrete foundation focused on using windowsand that this continues to be one of the most important central pillars of the Microsoft operating system today.

However, they were introduced based on this huge changes during its 38-year history, eventually transforming it into a very different operating system from the first version that debuted in 1985.

Throughout the time that Windows has been with us, we have seen Microsoft update it with very different features and functions. Some are here to stayothers lasted only a few months and others were maintained only until the next version of said operating system arrived.

With all these changes was Microsoft enriching and transformative Windows user experience. Most of the new features that were removed in a short period of time did not leave any traces on users, but there are some that had a bigger impact on us, and frankly I wish they would come back.

That’s what this article is about, some features that Microsoft introduced in Windows only to eventually remove them, and that I honestly would like to see available again. without having to resort to mods nor to third-party tools or applications. Before we get into that, I encourage you to share with us any other removed features that you would like to see available again in Windows.

1.- “live tiles” of Windows 8, although with some changes

I know that this feature cost Microsoft a lot of criticism and that it was undoubtedly one of the main reasons why Windows 8 failed. Overall, I think the key was not that “live tiles” were a bad feature per se, but rather that It was Microsoft who didn’t know how to implement it and use it correctly.

The idea of ​​having the icons as a tile or a rectangle, whatever you want to call it, and that these can live display different things when we mouse over them It’s interesting and functional. The problem was that Microsoft forced it to be integrated along with the Metro interface, which was designed for tablets and smartphones, not desktops. This caused immediate rejection, which was also exacerbated by its impact on performance.

A more polished version of “live tiles” I guess, and really adapted for desktop PCscould become a really interesting and valuable feature in future versions of Windows if Microsoft fine-tunes this adaptation process and is able to adjust resource consumption and performance level. Along those lines, it occurs to me that it could even be implemented as an optional feature so that PC users with less resources can directly disable it.

2- Windows Vista “Aero” theme.

Image: «least1234» on DevianArt

When I first used Windows Vista one of the things I liked the most of this operating system was precisely the “Aero” desktop. Those of you who have used the said OS already know what I mean, for those who haven’t, don’t worry, it was a very simple and easy to understand feature.

“Aero” was the desktop theme that allowed us to enjoy transparency effect which affected both the main panel and the edges of windows and other desktop elements. It was well received and this led to it being later ported to Windows 7, one of the best operating systems Microsoft has released so far.

It is true that the impact on performance level was important, but because this topic was something optional can be deactivated with a few simple clicks, so it wasn’t a problem for a user who had a less powerful PC. Today, we can achieve this transparent finish in Windows 11, but only with the help of third-party apps and mods.

3- Windows 98 “Active Desktop”.

Roughly It was the forerunner of widgets, but the truth is that this feature had its own essence and was one of the ones that surprised me the most in Windows 98. With it, we could use GIFs as wallpaper, as well as links extracted directly from the web and view them as wallpapers.

With this feature, we could render whole web pages on the desktop and use them as wallpapers. Apparently, it had a significant consumption of resources, so much so that on computers with a modest hardware configuration, it could cause significant slowdowns and even crashes in certain situations.

These problems were caused by an important part of the users at the time they disable it, but there was no doubt about its value and usefulness. A customized version of this feature could be quite interesting, don’t you think?

4.- The classic theme that was part of Windows XP

To be honest, the truth is that whenever I see the classic Windows theme, I get very nostalgic and remember my first phase with my first computer equipped with Windows 95. The first big change that happened in this sense was Windows XPan operating system that abandoned the classic theme and adopted a more ornate design and an interface rich in details.

This change divided Windows users and created two clear camps. On one side there were those who adored this new theme introduced by Windows XP, and on the other side there were those who thought it absurd, childish and unprofessional. The latter were supporters of the classic theme, which they considered a more suitable, simpler and minimalist solution, and also better at performance level.

I understand that the classic theme had to be abandoned in order to implement new interfaces and renew and improve the user experience, but at the same time, I think it would be great if Microsoft offered the option to reuse said theme. albeit limited.

5.- Microsoft Plus with current access, of course

I’m sure I’ve brought a smile to the face of our older readers, and I can confirm that the same thing happened to me while writing this article. I got a copy with my first PC Microsoft Plus for Windows 95a kind of added content for the operating system, which at the time contained very interesting things, among which stood out:

• Twelve wallpapers with custom icons and sounds.
• Space Cadet pinball game.
• Internet Jumpstart Kit.
• DriveSpace 3.
• Disk compression tools.
• Improved fonts, ability to better customize wallpaper and icons with improved color.

Microsoft Plus It wasn’t free In fact, its sale price was quite high, but for what it offered It was something very interesting in its early days for the improvements they implemented both on a functional level and for leisure and PC personalization. The latter was not something we could do at the level or with the simplicity and security of today.

I am aware that Microsoft Plus in its traditional form would make no sense today, but I believe that the Redmond giant maybe consider an adaptation from that to the current era and add it as an addition to the annual Windows updates with a focus on improving, for example, the customization options of said operating system.

AI generated cover image.