Windows 10’s Settings About Page Gets a Permanent Makeover—Here’s What Changed

Microsoft has quietly rolled out a redesigned About page in Windows 10’s Settings app, and there’s no supported way to switch back to the old look. The change, delivered through the November 2024 cumulative update (KB5046613), modernizes the System > About section with a card-based layout and clearer system information, but some users are discovering that the classic interface they’ve relied on for years is now gone for good.

What actually changed

The new About page swaps the traditional single-column text list for a visually restructured layout inspired by Windows 11. Information is now grouped into cards—Device specifications, Windows specifications, and Related links—with a more spacious design, modern icons, and larger headers. The reorg doesn’t introduce new metrics, but it does reorder them. For example, the device name now appears more prominently, while the old-school "Change product key" link has been tucked into a less intrusive spot.

Here’s a quick before-and-after breakdown:

The revamp was first spotted by Windows Insiders in late 2024, but it arrived for all users with the November 12, 2024 Patch Tuesday release for Windows 10 version 22H2. If you haven’t installed that update (KB5046613) yet, you’ll still see the old page. Once you update, the change is permanent in that installation; uninstalling the update reverts the entire patch, not just the About page.

Crucially, every piece of information that was there before is still there—just presented differently. The underlying system calls to retrieve device specs remain unchanged, so any scripts that parse WMI or the registry won’t be affected. Only users who manually navigate to Settings > System > About will notice the difference.

What it means for you—home users vs. admins

For everyday Windows users

If you casually check your PC’s specs a few times a year, the new page will feel more polished and easier to scan. The card design makes it faster to spot your exact Windows edition (Home vs. Pro) and whether your device is activated. One small annoyance: the keyboard shortcut path (Win + I, then System, then About) still works, but the visual anchor has shifted, so you might momentarily pause the first time you see it. There’s no performance impact, no hidden settings to worry about, and no risk of breaking anything if you just ignore it.

For power users and support helpers

Many enthusiasts and family-tech-support-warriors know the old About page by heart. They’ll need to mentally remap the location of the “System info” button and the activation status. If you’re used to telling someone over the phone to “look for the model number just below the device name,” be aware that the model number now sits inside a card, not in a free-floating list. The good news: the Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut to Task Manager remains the fastest way to see CPU/RAM specifics, and running winver from the Run dialog still pops up the classic Windows version box—both unchanged.

For IT pros and sysadmins

The cosmetic change is awkward for organizations with step-by-step documentation containing screenshots of the old About page. Internal knowledge bases, training materials, and troubleshooting scripts that guide users to click specific links (like “Rename this PC”) may need updated visuals. However, no backend telemetry, inventory, or management tools rely on the Settings UI. SCCM, Intune, and other endpoint management platforms pull device info via APIs or registry keys—none of which have been altered.

A subset of admins has asked whether a Group Policy or registry tweak can restore the classic look. The answer is no. Microsoft hasn’t provided a feature flag, toggle, or supported workaround. Third-party UI patching tools exist, but they carry risks of breaking system integrity and could conflict with future updates. The official recommendation is to accept the change and update any user-facing documentation.

How we got here

Windows 10, now in its final year of mainstream support (ending October 14, 2025), is officially in a security-maintenance phase. Microsoft’s stated policy was that no new features would ship after version 22H2 was declared the last feature update. Yet the About page redesign is one of several small, cumulative-quality-of-life tweaks that have trickled into the OS over the past year.

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has back-ported a Windows 11 visual element to Windows 10. In October 2023, the company added Windows 11-style weather and notification icons to the taskbar. The new print screen behavior (opening the Snipping Tool) also arrived in Windows 10 months after it debuted in Windows 11. The About page overhaul is part of a broader effort to unify the Settings experience across the two platforms, particularly as hundreds of millions of machines will continue running Windows 10 well past the end-of-support date.

The specific KB5046613 update that delivered this change is the November 2024 security and quality rollup. Its release notes originally mentioned “new features and improvements” without detailing the UI revamp—a pattern Microsoft often uses for gradual rollouts. Community observation quickly connected the dots: after installing the update, users noticed the fresh About page, and the change was later confirmed in a support document.

Unlike the Windows 11 version of this redesign (which shipped much earlier and also cannot be reverted), the Windows 10 implementation is slightly stripped down. It doesn’t include the “System components” view that lists non-Microsoft background services, nor the “Get help” link embedded in each card. It’s a lighter touch, likely to avoid bloating an aging OS, but the core layout is identical.

What to do now

The short answer: nothing, unless you enjoy breaking your installation. Here’s a practical checklist based on your context:

• If you haven’t updated yet: You can delay the update for a few weeks by pausing updates in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options. But remember that KB5046613 includes important security fixes, so skipping it indefinitely isn’t wise. When you eventually install it, the new About page will arrive.
• If you already see the new page and dislike it: There is no supported rollback mechanism. Uninstalling the entire cumulative update (via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates) will remove it, but that also strips out all security patches—an unsafe move for any internet-connected PC.
• If you need to help a confused colleague: Walk them through the updated layout. Reassure them that no functionality is lost. The “Copy device specifications” button (a Windows 11 feature) isn’t present in this Windows 10 version, so they’ll still need to manually jot down specs.
• If you maintain IT documentation: Update your screenshots and note that the change applies to builds after 19045.5198 (the OS build that KB5046613 introduces). Be prepared for end users to call the help desk; a brief email blast can preempt confusion.
• If you script UI interactions: If you’re using AutoHotkey or a similar tool to automate clicking elements on the old About page, your scripts will break. Instead, use PowerShell cmdlets like Get-ComputerInfo or Get-WmiObject to fetch system details reliably.

Outlook

As Windows 10 inches toward its October 2025 end of support, expect a handful more oddball tweaks like this one. Microsoft’s goal isn’t to rejuvenate the decade-old OS but to smooth the transition for those who can’t or won’t move to Windows 11 immediately. A consistent Settings layout reduces confusion when a user eventually switches, and it cuts support costs both for Microsoft and for enterprise IT.

The About page refresh is a signal that even “maintenance-mode” software can still deliver surprises. The lack of rollback capability isn’t malicious—it’s simply not cost-effective for Microsoft to maintain dual UI code paths for a feature that reports the same data. Keep an eye on release notes for the next few Patch Tuesdays; if the change generates enough feedback, Microsoft may add a toggle in a future update, but the pattern of recent years suggests it won’t.