WinForms — New WXI Skin

WinForms Team Blog
19 May 2022

Over the years, we’ve done our best to update the DevExpress WinForms Skin library and associated API settings (for example, RibbonControl.RibbonStyle) to mirror Microsoft’s design language.

Our next release will be no exception in this regard. v22.1 will include a new "WXI" ("W-X-I" or "W-eleven") theme – one that introduces a series of UI design innovations for the WinForms platform. As its name implies, this new skin/theme is patterned around Windows 11 (not just Microsoft Office).



The underlying emphasis of our new "WXI" skin is effective data presentation/communication. Soft palettes, subtle contrasts, slightly increased control sizes and paddings have been introduced to help you deliver an “airy” and lightweight solution... The goal is to move focus away from ornamental UI elements and drive focus to content in a meaningful manner.

We also understand the need to maintain “tight” designs for data-intense applications. To help you display the maximum amount of information on-screen, "WXI" will ship with a "Compact" variation (available as a separate option within skin selector items).



Like other vector-based DevExpress Skins, "WXI" ships with five palettes — "Freshness" (default), "Darkness", "Clearness", "Sharpness" and "Calmness". Each palette is a comprehensive option rather than a simple color variation. For example, the "Calmness" palette doubles down on the neutral appearance of a skin, while "Clearness" elevates contrasts to improve overall skin perception on displays with poor image quality.


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