Windows XP and Windows 11 File Explorer icons are pretty much the same

It might be obvious to some users, but Windows XP and Windows 11 are not that different. In fact, the folder icons in File Explorer are pretty much the same, but a few tiny differences.

Basically, instead of showing four thumbnail images, Windows 11’s folder icon only shows one thumbnail.

One Reddit user meticulously assembled all the folder icons from all modern Windows versions, and it seems Microsoft has been quite lazy.

The icons are very similar, with minimal differences, which is not exactly striking. However, Microsoft’s reason for this is not particularly laziness.

Instead, Windows is all about recognizable patterns. Changing the icon of the folders would be too disruptive for Windows users. For example, decades after the left-positioned Start bar in Windows, Windows 11 introduced a center-positioned Start button, and up to this day, some users are finding it hard to adjust to such a minor change.

So, any changes to these icons will happen gradually.

Photo credits: Reddit