Experimental Modern UI Feedback

Type: Feature Request

Hi there,
Felt this should go as a Feature Request, rather than Bug Report, but boy it toes the line (the bug isn't in the software).
Please do not implement the new experimental "modern" UI, it literally just wastes space on fancy borders and gaps, which really doesn't matter and just gets in the way if I'm trying to write and edit code. The amount of stuff I can get on my screen is what I care about, not if it is padded prettily.

If this does become an implemented feature, I ask, and beg, that there is an option to switch back to the current UI.
The only saving grace right now is that I can disable this experimental setting.

Warmest regards.

VS Code version: Code 1.133.0 (a5b500951314efd502d07465bd138dfbd714a960, 2026-08-11T22:14:08Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.22631
Modes:

System Info

|Item|Value|
|---|---|
|CPUs|Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 7 155H (22 x 2995)|
|GPU Status|2d_canvas: enabled
GPU0: VENDOR= 0x8086, DEVICE=0x7dd5 [Intel(R) Graphics], DRIVER_VENDOR=Intel, DRIVER_VERSION=32.0.101.5763 *ACTIVE*
GPU1: VENDOR= 0x10de, DEVICE=0x28b8 [NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU], DRIVER_VERSION=32.0.15.5612
GPU2: VENDOR= 0x1414, DEVICE=0x008c [Microsoft Basic Render Driver], DRIVER_VERSION=10.0.22621.5415
Machine model name:
Machine model version:
direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok
gpu_compositing: enabled
multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on
opengl: enabled_on
rasterization: enabled
raw_draw: disabled_off_ok
skia_graphite: disabled_off
trees_in_viz: disabled_off
video_decode: enabled
video_encode: enabled
webgl: enabled
webgpu: enabled
webnn: disabled_off|
|Load (avg)|undefined|
|Memory (System)|31.47GB (9.62GB free)|
|Process Argv|--folder-uri file:///c%3A/Users/[REDACTED]/repos/[REDACTED] --crash-reporter-id 10b6250e-813f-4050-8907-1d4eb3449bb3|
|Screen Reader|no|
|VM|0%|
Extensions (28)

Name|Identifier|Author|Version
---|---|---|---
Atlassian: Jira, Rovo Dev, Bitbucket|atlassian.atlascode|atlassian|4.0.32
Python C++ Debugger|benjamin-simmonds.pythoncpp-debug|benjamin-simmonds|0.3.0
GitLens — Git supercharged|eamodio.gitlens|eamodio|19.0.1
Prettier - Code formatter|esbenp.prettier-vscode|esbenp|12.4.0
Rainbow CSV|mechatroner.rainbow-csv|mechatroner|3.24.1
Black Formatter|ms-python.black-formatter|ms-python|2026.6.0
Python Debugger|ms-python.debugpy|ms-python|2026.6.0
isort|ms-python.isort|ms-python|2026.6.0
Python|ms-python.python|ms-python|2026.4.0
Pylance|ms-python.vscode-pylance|ms-python|2026.3.1
Python Environments|ms-python.vscode-python-envs|ms-python|1.36.0
Jupyter|ms-toolsai.jupyter|ms-toolsai|2025.9.1
Jupyter Keymap|ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap|ms-toolsai|1.1.2
Jupyter Notebook Renderers|ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers|ms-toolsai|1.3.0
Jupyter Cell Tags|ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-cell-tags|ms-toolsai|0.1.9
Jupyter Slide Show|ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow|ms-toolsai|0.1.6
CMake Tools|ms-vscode.cmake-tools|ms-vscode|1.23.52
C/C++ DevTools|ms-vscode.cpp-devtools|ms-vscode|0.5.14
C/C++|ms-vscode.cpptools|ms-vscode|1.33.8
C/C++ Extension Pack|ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack|ms-vscode|1.5.1
PowerShell|ms-vscode.powershell|ms-vscode|2025.4.0
Batch Runner|nilssoderman.batch-runner|NilsSoderman|1.4.0
autoDocstring - Python Docstring Generator|njpwerner.autodocstring|njpwerner|0.6.1
vscode-numpy-viewer|percy.vscode-numpy-viewer|Percy|0.1.10
vscode-pydata-viewer|percy.vscode-pydata-viewer|Percy|0.0.15
YAML|redhat.vscode-yaml|redhat|1.24.0
Tombi|tombi-toml.tombi|tombi-toml|1.4.1
Markdown All in One|yzhang.markdown-all-in-one|yzhang|3.6.3

A/B Experiments

```
vsliv368:30146709
binariesv615:30325510
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythonrdcb7:31342333
6518g693:31463988
aj953862:31281341
envsactivate1:31551504
cloudbuttont:31379625
3efgi100_wstrepl:31403338
ec5jj548:31422691
cp_cls_t_966_ss:31526232
4je02754:31466945
8hhj4413:31478653
cp_cls_t_1081:31454832
conptydll_true:31498968
e9c30283:31461165
test_treatment2:31471001
46204921:31447328
ei9d7968:31496641
chat:31457767
ghj88844:31499326
h08i8180_copy:31475368
ddid_t:31478206
hmra_i5g22:31518061
7df3h592:31512476
cp_cls_t_1082:31535311
logging_enabled_new:31498466
j0d79568:31499440
jb_cp_cls_t_632:31543129
56dj4588:31512888
32d76977:31512328
ha629193:31508444
jh5f2457_c:31540921
jbcp_cls_pctr_t:31531130
61138546:31518536
cp_intellij_t_nes:31548657
jf4hg949:31526829
ahp-both-windows:31556933
session_8:31532895
ihg5j128:31534457
f412h606:31551416
9gg7f176:31542112
enable_editor_pane_layout:31569726
allow-none:31555437
fd5dc207:31551400
36h42362:31564511
c7c27ce7:31554789
1h923230:31564177
1532g621_copy:31554320
treatment-23-1:31555779
unuse_dynamic_mcp:31555281
0d8dfbc3:31566037
switchtoauto:31559321
maidictation:31565333
0c1h4866:31566224
vrbsty_fls:31561059
session-mark-done:31558131
5b8j3302:31564601

```