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The Windows shell is the
graphical user interface The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, ins ...
for the
Microsoft Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ...
operating system. Its readily identifiable elements consist of the desktop, the taskbar, the
Start menu The Start menu is a graphical user interface element used in Microsoft Windows since Windows 95 and in other operating systems. It provides a central launching point for computer programs and performing other tasks in the Windows shell. It is name ...
, the task switcher and the
AutoPlay AutoPlay, a feature introduced in Windows 98, examines newly discovered removable media and devices and, based on content such as pictures, music or video files, launches an appropriate application to play or display the content. It is closely re ...
feature. On some versions of Windows, it also includes Flip 3D and the charms. In
Windows 10 Windows 10 is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. It is the direct successor to Windows 8.1, which was released nearly two years earlier. It was released to manufacturing on July 15, 2015, and later to retail on ...
, the Windows Shell Experience Host interface drives visuals like the Start Menu, Action Center, Taskbar, and Task View/Timeline. However, the Windows shell also implements a shell
namespace In computing, a namespace is a set of signs (''names'') that are used to identify and refer to objects of various kinds. A namespace ensures that all of a given set of objects have unique names so that they can be easily identified. Namespaces ...
that enables computer programs running on Windows to access the computer's resources via the hierarchy of shell objects. "Desktop" is the top object of the hierarchy; below it there are a number of files and folders stored on the disk, as well as a number of special folders whose contents are either virtual or dynamically created.
Recycle Bin A recycling bin (or recycle bin) is a container used to hold recyclables before they are taken to recycling centers. Recycling bins exist in various sizes for use inside and outside homes, offices, and large public facilities. Separate con ...
,
Libraries A library is a collection of Document, materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or electronic media, digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a ...
, Control Panel, This PC and
Network Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematic ...
are examples of such shell objects. The Windows shell, as it is known today, is an evolution of what began with
Windows 95 Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of operating systems. The first operating system in the 9x family, it is the successor to Windows 3.1x, and was released to manufacturi ...
, released in 1995. It is intimately identified with
File Explorer File Explorer, previously known as Windows Explorer, is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the f ...
, a Windows component that can browse the whole shell namespace.


Features


Desktop

Windows Desktop is a full-screen
window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent mat ...
rendered behind all other windows. It hosts the user's
wallpaper Wallpaper is a material used in interior decoration to decorate the interior walls of domestic and public buildings. It is usually sold in rolls and is applied onto a wall using wallpaper paste. Wallpapers can come plain as "lining paper" (so ...
and an array of
computer icon In computing, an icon is a pictogram or ideogram displayed on a computer screen in order to help the user navigate a computer system. The icon itself is a quickly comprehensible symbol of a software tool, function, or a data file, accessible on ...
s representing: * Files and folders: Users and software may store
computer file A computer file is a computer resource for recording data in a computer storage device, primarily identified by its file name. Just as words can be written to paper, so can data be written to a computer file. Files can be shared with and trans ...
s and folders on Windows desktop. Naturally, on a newly installed version of Windows, such items do not exist. Software installers commonly place files known as shortcuts on the desktop, allowing users to launch installed software. Users may store personal documents on the desktop. * Special folders: Apart from ordinary files and folders,
special folder On Microsoft Windows, a special folder is a folder that is presented to the user through an interface as an abstract concept instead of an absolute folder path. (The synonymous term shell folder is sometimes used instead.) Special folders mak ...
s (also known as "shell folders") may appear on the desktop. Unlike ordinary folders, special folders do not point to an absolute location on a
hard disk drive A hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk, hard drive, or fixed disk is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage with one or more rigid rapidly rotating platters coated with mag ...
. Rather, they may open a folder whose location differs from computer to computer (e.g.
Documents A document is a written, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ''Documentum'', which denotes a "teaching" or ...
), a virtual folder whose contents is an aggregate of several folders on disk (e.g.
Recycle Bin A recycling bin (or recycle bin) is a container used to hold recyclables before they are taken to recycling centers. Recycling bins exist in various sizes for use inside and outside homes, offices, and large public facilities. Separate con ...
or
Libraries A library is a collection of Document, materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or electronic media, digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a ...
) or a folder window whose content is not files, but rather user interface elements rendered as icons for convenience (e.g.
Network Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematic ...
). They may even open windows that do not resemble a folder at all (e.g. Control Panel).
Windows Vista Windows Vista is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was the direct successor to Windows XP, which was released five years before, at the time being the longest time span between successive releases of ...
and Windows 7 (and the corresponding versions of Windows Server) allowed
Windows Desktop Gadgets Windows Desktop Gadgets (called Windows Sidebar in Windows Vista) is a discontinued widget engine for Microsoft Gadgets. Desktop Gadgets have been replaced by Windows 10 Taskbar Widgets. It was introduced with Windows Vista, in which it features ...
to appear on the desktop.


Taskbar

Windows taskbar is a
toolbar The toolbar, also called a bar or standard toolbar (originally known as ribbon) is a graphical control element on which on-screen icons can be used. A toolbar often allows for quick access to functions that are commonly used in the program. Some ...
-like element that, by default, appears as a horizontal bar at the bottom of the desktop. It may be relocated to the top, left or right edges of the screen. Starting with
Windows 98 Windows 98 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of Microsoft Windows operating systems. The second operating system in the 9x line, it is the successor to Windows 95, and was released to ...
, its size can be changed. The taskbar can be configured to stay on top of all applications or to collapse and hide when it is not used. Depending on the version of operating system installed, the following elements may appear on the taskbar respectively from left to right: * Start button: Provides access to the
Start menu The Start menu is a graphical user interface element used in Microsoft Windows since Windows 95 and in other operating systems. It provides a central launching point for computer programs and performing other tasks in the Windows shell. It is name ...
. Removed in
Windows 8 Windows 8 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012; it was subsequently made available for download via MSDN and TechNet on August 15, 2012, and later to ...
(but can be added using third-party software), in favor of the Start charm (see below), only to be reinstated in
Windows 8.1 Windows 8.1 is a release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on August 27, 2013, and broadly released for retail sale on October 17, 2013, about a year after the retail release of its pre ...
. Pictured as a Windows logo. * Quick Links menu: Added in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. Invoked by right-clicking on the Start button, or pressing . Grants access to several frequently used features of Windows, such as accessing the desktop, Settings, Windows Command Processor, Windows Power Shell, and
File Explorer File Explorer, previously known as Windows Explorer, is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the f ...
. * List of open windows: Along the length of the taskbar, open windows are represented by their corresponding program icons. And once pinned, they will remain even after their respective windows are closed. Until Windows 7, the operating system displayed active windows as depressed buttons in this list. Starting with Windows 7, the icon for each open window is framed by a translucent box, and multiple open windows for the same program can be accessed by clicking the program's icon. When the open window icon is hovered over with the mouse, a preview of the open window is shown above the icon. However, the taskbar can be changed to function more as it does with older versions of Windows. Starting from Windows 7, the open windows icons can be configured to show the program icon only, referred to as "combining taskbar buttons", or give the program name alongside the program icon. * Shortcuts: An update to
Windows 95 Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of operating systems. The first operating system in the 9x family, it is the successor to Windows 3.1x, and was released to manufacturi ...
and
Windows NT 4 Windows NT 4.0 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft and oriented towards businesses. It is the direct successor to Windows NT 3.51, which was released to manufacturing on July 31, 1996, and then to retail ...
added a Quick Launch Bar that can hold file, program, and action shortcuts, including by default the "show desktop" command. Windows 7 merged this area into the list of open windows by adding "pinning" and "jump list" features. * Deskbands: Toolbars provided by Windows or other programs for easier access to that program's functions; for more information, see * Notification area: Allows programs to display icons representing their status as well as
pop-up notification The pop-up notification (or toast, passive pop-up, snackbar, desktop notification, notification bubble, or simply notification) is a graphical control element that communicates certain events to the user without forcing them to react to this not ...
s associated with those icons. By default, Windows volume control, network status,
Action Center Action Center is a notification center included with Windows Phone 8.1, Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. It was first introduced with Windows Phone 8.1 in July 2014, and was introduced to the desktop with the launch of Windows 10 on July 29, 2015 ...
, date and time are displayed in this area. Windows 11 combines the notification center and clock/calendar into one menu. * "Show desktop" button: Allows users to access their desktops. It is moved from the left of the Taskbar as a Quick Launch shortcut to the rightmost side as its own dedicated hover button in
Windows 7 Windows 7 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was Software release life cycle#Release to manufacturing (RTM), released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and became generally available on October 22, ...
. Not initially visible in Windows 8. Once the mouse cursor is hovered upon for a second, makes all windows transparent as long as the pointer stays over the button, thus showing the desktop without switching to it: this feature requiring Aero. Clicking the button dismisses all open windows and transfers the focus to the desktop. Clicking it again before selecting any other window reverts the action. This feature also available on Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11. * Task View: A function in Windows 10 and 11 allowing the user to view and manage open windows and virtual desktops. The 1803 version includes the Timeline, adding the ability to view and open previously used apps over a certain period of time. Task View can be accessed by pressing the Task View button on the taskbar, or by pressing Windows Key+Tab on the keyboard. Timeline was removed in Windows 11. * Cortana and Search: User can utilize Microsoft's Cortana Virtual Assistant, which enables internet searches, searches for apps and features on the PC, and searches for files and documents. Cortana can be accessed by clicking the search bar, pressing the microphone button, saying "Hey Cortana", or by pressing Windows Key+C on the keyboard. Searches can be initiated by also pressing the search bar, or by pressing Windows Key+Q on the keyboard. * Action Center: Introduced in Windows 7, the Action Center gave notifications and tips on boosting computer performance and security. In Windows 10, the Action Center serves as a place for all notifications to reside, as well as the location of frequently used settings, such as screen brightness, wireless connectivity,
VPN A virtual private network (VPN) extends a private network across a public network and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. The be ...
s,
Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
, projector connections, and wireless display connections. Replacing the Charms from Windows 8, the Windows 10 Action Center can be accessed by pressing the speech bubble icon on the taskbar, pressing Windows Key+A on the keyboard, or, if using a touchscreen, swiping from the right. In Windows 11, the Action Center was removed in favor of the Quick Settings menu and the notification center. Windows Key + A now opens Quick Settings, while Windows Key + N opens the notification center. * Widgets: Windows 11 introduced a "Widgets" feature which replaces the functionality of live tiles seen in the Windows 8 and 10 Start Menus. By signing in with a Microsoft Account, the user can personalize the information they wish to see in the Widgets panel, including weather, news, sports, calendar events, etc. Widgets are not a replacement for Desktop Gadgets found in Windows Vista and Windows 7. * Quick Settings: A taskbar menu introduced in Windows 11 that unifies the functionality of Windows 10's Action Center and system tray icons. Network settings, battery, and sound settings can be accessed by clicking on the Quick Settings menu, as well as accessibility options, Bluetooth toggle, screen brightness, Focus Assist, and other features. Media playback controls are now housed in the Quick Settings menu instead of a hovering menu like in Windows 10.


Task switching

Task switcher is a feature present in
Windows 3.0 Windows 3.0 is the third major release of Microsoft Windows, launched in 1990. It features a new graphical user interface (GUI) where applications are represented as clickable icons, as opposed to the list of file names seen in its predeces ...
and all subsequent versions of Windows. It allows a user to cycle through existing application windows by holding down the key and tapping the key. Starting with Windows 95, as long as the key is pressed, a list of active windows is displayed, allowing the user to cycle through the list by tapping the key. An alternative to this form of switching is using the mouse to click on a visible portion of an inactive window. However, may be used to switch out of a full screen window. This is particularly useful in video games that lock, restrict or alter mouse interactions for the purpose of the game. Starting with Windows Vista, Windows Desktop is included in the list and can be activated this way. Windows 7 introduced Aero Flip (renamed Windows Flip in Windows 8). When the user holds down the key, Aero Flip causes only the contents of the selected window to be displayed. The remaining windows are replaced with transparent glass-like sheets that give an impression where the inactive window is located. Windows 8 introduced
Metro-style app Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps (formerly Windows Store apps and Metro-style apps) are Application software, applications that can be used across all compatible Microsoft Windows devices, including personal computers (PCs), tablets, smar ...
s, which did not appear when was pressed. (They have to be switched with their own dedicated task switcher, activated through the combination.) Windows 8.1 extended to manage the Metro-style apps as well. Windows 10 and 11 have a unified task switcher called Task View, which manages not only application windows but virtual desktops as well.


Aero Flip 3D

Flip 3D is a supplemental task switcher. It was introduced with Windows Vista and removed in Windows 8. It is invoked by holding down the key and tapping the key. As long as the key remains pressed, Windows displays all application windows, including the Desktop, in an
isometric view Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings. It is an axonometric projection in which the three coordinate axes appear equally foreshortened and ...
, diagonally across the screen from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. The active window at the time of pressing the key is placed in front of the others. This view is maintained while key is held down. and cycle through the open windows, so that the user can preview them. When the key is released, the Flip 3D view is dismissed and the selected window comes to the front and into focus.


Charms

Windows 8 added a bar containing a set of five shortcuts known as the "charms", invoked by moving the
mouse cursor In human–computer interaction, a cursor is an indicator used to show the current position on a computer monitor or other display device that will respond to input from a text input or pointing device. The mouse cursor is also called a poin ...
into the top or bottom right-hand corners of the screen, or by swiping from the right edge of a compatible touchpad or touch screen. This feature was retained in 8.1.
Windows 10 Windows 10 is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. It is the direct successor to Windows 8.1, which was released nearly two years earlier. It was released to manufacturing on July 15, 2015, and later to retail on ...
removed the charms and moved the commands associated with them into the system menu of each application. For users with touch screens, swiping from the right of the touch screen now shows
Action Center Action Center is a notification center included with Windows Phone 8.1, Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. It was first introduced with Windows Phone 8.1 in July 2014, and was introduced to the desktop with the launch of Windows 10 on July 29, 2015 ...
.


Removed Start Menu Functions

Starting with Windows 95, all versions of Windows feature a form of
Start menu The Start menu is a graphical user interface element used in Microsoft Windows since Windows 95 and in other operating systems. It provides a central launching point for computer programs and performing other tasks in the Windows shell. It is name ...
, usually by this very same name. Depending on the version of Windows, the menu features the following: * Launching applications: The menu's primary function is to present a list of shortcuts for installed software, allowing users to launch them. Windows 8 and 10 utilize tiles in the start menu, allowing the user to display icons of different sizes, and arrange icons as the user chooses. Microsoft Store Metro-style apps can utilize live tiles, which are used to add visual effects and provide, for example, notifications for a specific app, such as Email notifications for Windows Mail. * Invoking special folders: Until Windows 8, the Start menu was a mean of invoking special folders such as Computer, Network, Control Panel, etc. In Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, the only special folder that can be invoked from the Start screen is the desktop. Windows 10 restored this functionality. * Searching: Starting with
Windows Vista Windows Vista is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was the direct successor to Windows XP, which was released five years before, at the time being the longest time span between successive releases of ...
, searching for installed software, files and folders became a function of the Start menu. Windows 10 ended this tradition by moving the search into taskbar. * Managing power states: Logging off and
shutdown Shutdown or shut down may refer to: * Government shutdowns in the United States * Shutdown (computing) * Shutdown (economics) * Shutdown (nuclear reactor) Arts and entertainment Music * "Shut Down" (The Beach Boys song), 1963 * ''Shut Down Volu ...
has always been a function of the Start menu. In Windows 8, the shutdown function was moved out of the Start screen, only to be brought back in Windows 8.1 Update (in April 2014) with a sufficiently high screen resolution. Computer power states can also be managed by pressing Alt+F4 while focused on desktop, or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del.


AutoPlay

AutoPlay is a feature introduced in Windows XP that examines newly inserted removable media for content and displays a dialog containing options related to the type and content of that media. The possible choices are provided by installed software: it is thus not to be confused with the related AutoRun feature, configured by a file on the media itself, although AutoRun is selectable as an AutoPlay option when both are enabled.


Relation with File Explorer

File Explorer File Explorer, previously known as Windows Explorer, is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the f ...
is a Windows component that can browse the shell namespace. In other words, it can browse disks, files and folder as a file manager would, but can also access Control Panel, dial-up network objects, and other elements introduced above. In addition, the explorer.exe executable, which is responsible for launching File Explorer, is also responsible for launching the taskbar, the Start menu and part of the desktop. However, the task switcher, the charms, or AutoPlay operate even when all instances of the explorer.exe process are closed, and other computer programs can still access the shell namespace without it. Initially called Windows Explorer, its name was changed to File Explorer beginning with Windows 8, although the program name remains explorer.exe.


History


MS-DOS Executive

The first public demonstration of Windows, in 1983, had a simplistic shell called the Session Control Layer, which served as a constantly visible menu at the bottom of the screen. Clicking on Run would display a list of programs that one could launch, and clicking on Session Control would display a list of programs already running so one could switch between them. Windows 1.0, shipped in November 1985, introduced MS-DOS Executive, a simple file manager that differentiated between files and folders by bold type. It lacked support for icons, although this made the program somewhat faster than the file manager that came with
Windows 3.0 Windows 3.0 is the third major release of Microsoft Windows, launched in 1990. It features a new graphical user interface (GUI) where applications are represented as clickable icons, as opposed to the list of file names seen in its predeces ...
. Programs could be launched by double-clicking on them. Files could be filtered for executable type, or by a user-selected wildcard, and the display mode could be toggled between full and compact descriptions. The file date column was not Y2K compliant.
Windows 2.0 Windows 2.0 is a major release of Microsoft Windows, a family of graphical operating systems for personal computers developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on December 9, 1987, as a successor to Windows 1.0. The product i ...
made no significant change to MS-DOS Executive.


Program Manager

Windows 3.0 Windows 3.0 is the third major release of Microsoft Windows, launched in 1990. It features a new graphical user interface (GUI) where applications are represented as clickable icons, as opposed to the list of file names seen in its predeces ...
, introduced in May 1990, shipped with a new shell called Program Manager. Based on Microsoft's work with
OS/2 OS/2 (Operating System/2) is a series of computer operating systems, initially created by Microsoft and IBM under the leadership of IBM software designer Ed Iacobucci. As a result of a feud between the two companies over how to position OS/2 r ...
Desktop Manager, Program Manager sorted program shortcuts into groups. Unlike Desktop Manager, these groups were housed in a single window, in order to show off Microsoft's new Multiple Document Interface. Program Manager in
Windows 3.1 Windows 3.1 is a major release of Microsoft Windows. It was released to manufacturing on April 6, 1992, as a successor to Windows 3.0. Like its predecessors, the Windows 3.1 series ran as a shell on top of MS-DOS. Codenamed Janus, Windows ...
introduced wrappable icon titles, along with the new Startup group, which Program Manager would check on launch and start any programs contained within. Program Manager was also ported to
Windows NT 3.1 Windows NT 3.1 is the first major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft, released on July 27, 1993. At the time of Windows NT's release, Microsoft's Windows 3.1 desktop environment had established brand recognit ...
, and was retained through
Windows NT 3.51 Windows NT 3.51 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft and oriented towards businesses. It is the third version of Windows NT and was released on May 30, 1995, eight months following the release of Windows ...
.


Start menu

Windows 95 Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of operating systems. The first operating system in the 9x family, it is the successor to Windows 3.1x, and was released to manufacturi ...
introduced a new shell. The desktop became an interactive area that could contain files (including
file shortcut In computing, a file shortcut is a handle in a user interface that allows the user to find a file or resource located in a different directory or folder from the place where the shortcut is located. Similarly, an Internet shortcut allows the use ...
s), folders, and
special folder On Microsoft Windows, a special folder is a folder that is presented to the user through an interface as an abstract concept instead of an absolute folder path. (The synonymous term shell folder is sometimes used instead.) Special folders mak ...
s such as My Computer, Network Neighborhood and
Recycle Bin A recycling bin (or recycle bin) is a container used to hold recyclables before they are taken to recycling centers. Recycling bins exist in various sizes for use inside and outside homes, offices, and large public facilities. Separate con ...
.
Windows Explorer File Explorer, previously known as Windows Explorer, is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file ...
, which replaced
File Manager A file manager or file browser is a computer program that provides a user interface to manage files and folders. The most common operations performed on files or groups of files include creating, opening (e.g. viewing, playing, editing or pr ...
, opened both ordinary and special folders. The
taskbar A taskbar is an element of a graphical user interface which has various purposes. It typically shows which programs are currently running. The specific design and layout of the taskbar varies between individual operating systems, but generally a ...
was introduced, which maintained buttons representing open windows, a digital clock, a notifications area for background processes and their notifications, and the Start button, which invoked the
Start menu The Start menu is a graphical user interface element used in Microsoft Windows since Windows 95 and in other operating systems. It provides a central launching point for computer programs and performing other tasks in the Windows shell. It is name ...
. The Start menu contains links to settings, recently used files and, like its predecessor Program Manager, shortcuts and program groups. Program Manager is also included in Windows 95 for backward compatibility, in case the user disliked the new interface. This is included with all versions of Windows up to and including Windows XP Service Pack 1. In SP2 and SP3, PROGMAN.EXE is just an icon library, and it was completely removed from Windows Vista in 2006. The new shell was also ported to Windows NT, initially released as the NewShell update for Windows NT 3.51 and then fully integrated into
Windows NT 4.0 Windows NT 4.0 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft and oriented towards businesses. It is the direct successor to Windows NT 3.51, which was released to manufacturing on July 31, 1996, and then to retail ...
.


Windows Desktop Update

In early 1996,
Netscape Netscape Communications Corporation (originally Mosaic Communications Corporation) was an American independent computer services company with headquarters in Mountain View, California and then Dulles, Virginia. Its Netscape web browser was on ...
announced that the next release of its browser, codenamed "Constellation", would completely integrate with Windows and add a new shell, codenamed "HomePort", which would present the same files and shortcuts no matter which machine a user logged into. Microsoft started working on a similar Internet Explorer release, codenamed "
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and th ...
".
Internet Explorer 4.0 Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 (IE4) is a graphical web browser that Microsoft unveiled in Spring of 1997, and released in September 1997, primarily for Microsoft Windows, but also with versions available for the classic Mac OS, Solaris (operating ...
was redesigned and resulted in two products: the standalone Internet Explorer 4 and
Windows Desktop Update Windows Desktop Update was an optional feature by Microsoft that was included with Internet Explorer 4 (IE4, released in September 1997), which introduced several updated shell features to the Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 operating systems. These ...
, which updated the shell with features such as
Active Desktop Active Desktop was a feature of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0's optional Windows Desktop Update that allowed users to add HTML content to the desktop, along with some other features. This function was intended to be installed on the then-c ...
,
Active Channel Active Channel was a technology introduced by Internet Explorer 4.0 in 1997. It allowed synchronizing website content and viewing it offline. It made use of the Channel Definition Format, which was designed to "offer frequently updated collect ...
s, Web folders, desktop toolbars such as the Quick Launch bars, ability to minimize windows by clicking their button on the taskbar, HTML-based folder customization, single click launching, image thumbnails, folder infotips, web view in folders, ''Back'' and ''Forward'' navigation buttons, larger toolbar buttons with text labels, favorites, file attributes in Details view, and an address bar in Windows Explorer, among other features. It also introduced the
My Documents My Documents is the commonly recognized name of a special folder in Microsoft Windows (starting with Windows Vista, it is called Documents only, and the actual name of the folder might be different when the language of the installed copy of ...
shell folder. Future Windows releases, like Windows 95C (OSR 2.5) and
Windows 98 Windows 98 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of Microsoft Windows operating systems. The second operating system in the 9x line, it is the successor to Windows 95, and was released to ...
, included Internet Explorer 4 and the features of the Windows Desktop Update already built in. Improvements were made in
Windows 2000 Windows 2000 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft and oriented towards businesses. It was the direct successor to Windows NT 4.0, and was released to manufacturing on December 15, 1999, and was offici ...
and
Windows ME Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows Me (marketed with the pronunciation of the pronoun "me"), is an operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is the successor to Windo ...
, such as personalized menus, ability to drag and sort menu items, sort by name function in menus, cascading Start menu special folders, customizable toolbars for Explorer, auto-complete in Windows Explorer address bar and Run box, displaying comments in file shortcuts as tooltips, advanced file type association features, extensible columns in Details view (IColumnProvider interface), icon overlays, places bar in common dialogs, high-color notification area icons and a search pane in Explorer.


Start menu and taskbar changes

Windows XP Windows XP is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. It was release to manufacturing, released to manufacturing on August 24, 2001, and later to retail on October 25, 2001. It is a direct upgrade to its predecessors, Wind ...
introduced a new Start Menu, with shortcuts to shell locations on the right and a list of most frequently used applications on the left. It also grouped taskbar buttons from the same program if the taskbar got too crowded, and hid notification icons if they had not been used for a while. For the first time, Windows XP hid most of the shell folders from the desktop by default, leaving only the Recycle Bin (although the user could get them back if they desired). Windows XP also introduced numerous other shell enhancements. In the early days of the Longhorn project, an experimental sidebar, with plugins similar to taskbar plugins and a notifications history was built into the shell. However, when Longhorn was reset the integrated sidebar was discarded in favor of a separate executable file, sidebar.exe, which provided Web-enabled gadgets, thus replacing Active Desktop.
Windows Vista Windows Vista is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was the direct successor to Windows XP, which was released five years before, at the time being the longest time span between successive releases of ...
introduced a searchable Start menu and live taskbar previews to the Windows shell. It also introduced a redesigned Alt-Tab switcher which included live previews, and Flip 3D, an application switcher that would rotate through application windows in a fashion similar to a
Rolodex A Rolodex is a rotating card file device used to store business contact information. Its name, a portmanteau of the words ''rolling'' and ''index'', has become somewhat genericized (usually as ''rolodex'') for any personal organizer performing th ...
when the user pressed the Win-Tab key combination.
Windows 7 Windows 7 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was Software release life cycle#Release to manufacturing (RTM), released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and became generally available on October 22, ...
added 'pinned' shortcuts and 'jump lists' to the taskbar, and automatically grouped program windows into one icon (although this could be disabled).
Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 is the fourth release of the Windows Server operating system produced by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of the operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on February 4, 2008, and generally to retail on F ...
introduced the possibility to have a Windows installation without the shell, which results in fewer
processes A process is a series or set of activities that interact to produce a result; it may occur once-only or be recurrent or periodic. Things called a process include: Business and management *Business process, activities that produce a specific se ...
loaded and running.
Windows 8 Windows 8 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012; it was subsequently made available for download via MSDN and TechNet on August 15, 2012, and later to ...
removed Flip 3D in order to repurpose Win-Tab for displaying an application switcher sidebar containing live previews of active Windows Store apps for users without touchscreens.
Windows 10 Windows 10 is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. It is the direct successor to Windows 8.1, which was released nearly two years earlier. It was released to manufacturing on July 15, 2015, and later to retail on ...
added the possibility to have more than one virtual desktop, known as Task View, to group active program windows to their own virtual desktop. It is possible to navigate through these desktops using Ctrl+Win+Left or Right arrows, or by clicking on an icon in the taskbar, and creating them with Ctrl+Win+D. Win-Tab was repurposed to invoke an overview of all active windows and virtual desktops. Windows 10 also added Cortana to the Start menu, to provide interaction with the shell through vocal commands. Newer versions of Windows 10 include recent
Microsoft Edge Microsoft Edge is a proprietary, cross-platform web browser created by Microsoft. It was first released in 2015 as part of Windows 10 and Xbox One and later ported to other platforms as a fork of Google's Chromium open-source project: Android ...
tabs in the Alt-Tab menu, which can be disabled to only show open programs, as is the behavior in prior versions of the operating system.


Shell replacements

Windows supports the ability to replace the Windows shell with another program. A number of third party shells exist that can be used in place of the standard Windows shell.


See also

*
DOS Shell DOS Shell is a file manager that debuted in MS-DOS and PC DOS version 4.0, released in June 1988. It was discontinued in MS-DOS version 6.22, but remained part of the Supplemental Disk. The Supplemental Disk could be ordered or could be do ...
*
Command Prompt Command Prompt, also known as cmd.exe or cmd, is the default command-line interpreter for the OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Microsoft Windows (Windows NT family and Windows CE family), and ReactOS operating systems. On Windows CE .NET 4.2, ...


References


External links

* {{Windows Components
Shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses ** Thin-shell structure Science Biology * Seashell, a hard o ...
Graphical user interfaces