If you"re someone who uses online Microsoft services in a personal or professional capacity, you are likely very familiar with the Microsoft sign-in portal. It"s the webpage where you enter your credentials. Right now, if you attempt to log in to your Microsoft account online, you"ll notice that it contains the authentication elements in the center of the screen and the background has a soft pastel gradient. Microsoft is looking to refresh this look within the next couple of months.
Starting from August 2025, personal Microsoft accounts will begin seeing a new background image on the authentication page. The light gradient background will be replaced by another with a frosted glass appearance, as can be seen in the header image of this article. Microsoft has emphasized that this image follows Fluent Design aesthetics and offers a cleaner, distraction-free, and consistent experience, while also modernizing the UX.
The image will also roll out to Entra work and education accounts from September 29, 2025. It is important to note that no admin action is required for this visual update as it will be applied automatically. However, if an organization has set up a background image to reflect their company"s branding, that will be given preference.
Next, personal accounts should begin seeing dark mode arrive for their sign-in experience as early as next month, but it"s dependent on your browser and device settings, which means that it should ideally reflect your system"s current theme. As can be seen in above, it also changes the background image, while retaining the same design. It"s currently unclear when this UX will arrive for Entra work and school customers.
Microsoft says that it has already tested these changes with 300 customers and leveraged their feedback to design these experiences. The company believes that establishing a distraction-free UX that is consistent with its design philosophy also helps build trust, which is essential when providing an authentication flow.