If you belong to the latter group, you might wonder how to remove rounded corners in Windows 11. While there isn’t a built-in method to do this, you can use third-party tools or a change to the Windows Registry to make it happen instead. Below, we’ll explain how to restore square corners on your Windows 11 PC.
Why Should You Remove Rounded Corners from Windows 11?
Rounded corners aren’t just a cosmetic change in Windows 11. If you’re using a lower-powered PC, they can also affect the functionality and usability of the operating system. Here are some reasons why you might want to remove rounded corners in Windows 11:
Rounded corners waste screen space. The curves create gaps between the window borders and the screen edges, which reduce the available area for displaying content. This can be annoying if you have a small or low-resolution monitor or use multiple windows side by side.Rounded corners make screenshots harder. If you want to capture a window or a menu with rounded corners, you’ll have to crop out the curves manually or use a third-party tool to do it for you. Otherwise, you’ll have ugly white or black spaces around your screenshot.Rounded corners are inconsistent. Not all windows and menus in Windows 11 have rounded corners. Some legacy apps and system components still use square corners, which creates a visual mismatch. For example, the File Explorer window has rounded corners, but the older context menu has square corners.Rounded corners are not your style. This is a subjective reason, but it’s still valid. You may prefer the look and feel of square corners over rounded ones, especially if you’re used to Windows 10 or older versions of Windows. You may also find rounded corners too similar to macOS or other operating systems that use them.
How to Remove Rounded Corners in Windows 11 Using a Third-Party Tool
The easiest way to remove rounded corners in Windows 11 is to use a free tool called Win11DisableOrRestoreRoundedCorners. This tool patches two system files (uDWM.dll and uDWM.pdb) that are responsible for drawing the window frames in Windows 11. This tool is simple and fast to use. You don’t need to edit registry settings or disable any features to use it. It works on most windows and menus, except for the Start menu and some modern apps that use their own rendering engine. However, you will need to modify system files for this tool to work. This may cause compatibility issues with future updates or security software. It also requires administrator privileges and internet access to work. There’s also a possibility that this tool won’t work on some versions of Windows 11 (such as Windows 11 Education). Before you begin, we’d also strongly advise that you create a new system restore point or perform a full system backup. This’ll allow you to roll back the changes if you encounter any problems later. To remove rounded corners on Windows 11 using third-party tools: Want to restore rounded corners? Rerun the application—it should remove the changes it made. If it doesn’t, you must restore your PC using a backup or restore file instead.
How to Remove Rounded Corners in Windows 11 Using Registry Editor
Another way to remove rounded corners in Windows 11 is to use the Registry Editor. This method creates a new registry value that disables hardware graphics acceleration for window frames. This will make Windows 11 fall back to older software rendering, which uses square corners instead of rounded ones. The benefit of this method is that it should work on all versions and editions of Windows 11. However, disabling hardware graphics acceleration for window frames can affect system performance or visual quality. You may notice some lag or flickering when moving or resizing windows. It also involves editing the Registry, which novices shouldn’t attempt. Before you begin, create a new system restore point and ensure you have a recent full system backup. To use the Registry Editor to remove rounded corners in Windows 11: If you want to restore rounded corners in Windows 11, repeat these steps and delete the UseWindowFrameStagingBuffer value from your registry or set its value to 1.
Improving Windows 11
Rounded corners are one of the most noticeable changes in Windows 11’s design language. If you don’t like it, you can use one of the methods we’ve shown above to remove rounded corners from your Windows 11 PC. However, remember that these methods are not official or supported by Microsoft. They may stop working or cause problems with future updates or security software. Use them at your own risk, and back up your system before making any changes. Want to take things further? You can install a customization app on Windows 11 to make further changes to your system. If you’re looking for an old-school Windows experience, you could look to restore the legacy desktop items to Windows 11. Comment Name * Email *
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