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Core UI (Classic)

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What Core UI (the classic look) is
  • The three parts of the Core UI screen
  • How Core UI compares to Next Experience
  • Why admins still need to know it

1 Meet the classic look

Before Next Experience, ServiceNow used a look called Core UI. You’ll also hear it called UI16 or the classic UI. Many companies used it for years, and some still do. 🏛️

Key term: Core UI (UI16)

The older, classic ServiceNow interface. Its menu sits on the left side of the screen.

2 The three parts

The Core UI screen with three parts. 1: the banner frame across the top, with the logo, global search, the user menu, and the settings gear. 2: the application navigator on the left, with a filter box, tabs for all applications, favorites, and history, and a list of application menus and modules. 3: the content frame on the right, where lists and forms open.
Figure 1. Core UI: banner on top, navigator on the left, content on the right.
# Part What’s in it
1 Banner frame Logo, global search, user menu, and a settings gear
2 Application navigator The menu on the left, with a filter box, Favorites, and History
3 Content frame Where lists, forms, and pages open

💡 Good to know: The application navigator works just like the All menu in Next Experience. Same application menus, same modules, same filter box. It just lives on the left side.

3 Core UI vs Next Experience

Core UI (classic) Next Experience
Main menu Left side (application navigator) Top bar (All menu)
Look Older, framed layout Modern, clean layout
Workspaces Opened separately Built into the menu
Data Exactly the same. Only the look is different

⭐ Remember: Core UI and Next Experience show the same data. Switching the look doesn’t change any records.

4 Why admins still need Core UI

  • Many admin pages, like list and form settings, still open in the classic style, even inside Next Experience.
  • Some companies haven’t switched to Next Experience yet.
  • Lots of older guides, videos, and community answers show the classic look.

📝 Note: Admins can turn Next Experience on or off for the whole instance with a system property. In most new instances, it’s on by default.

5 Let’s try it: peek at the classic look

  1. In your browser, go to https://your-instance.service-now.com/navpage.do.
  2. If your instance shows the classic look here, find the three parts: banner, navigator, and content frame.
  3. Type incident in the navigator’s filter box and open Open. Does it feel familiar?
  4. Go back to your normal home page to return to Next Experience.

📝 Note: Depending on your instance’s settings, this page may still show Next Experience. That’s fine. Just look at the classic pages that open inside it, like incident_list.do.

6 Quick recap

  • Core UI (UI16, classic) is the older ServiceNow look
  • It has a banner frame, an application navigator, and a content frame
  • The navigator works like the All menu, but on the left
  • Both looks show the same data
  • Many admin pages still use the classic style

7 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 What are the three parts of the Core UI screen? Show answer

Banner frame, application navigator, and content frame.

2 In Core UI, where is the main menu? Show answer

On the left side, in the application navigator.

3 A company switches from Core UI to Next Experience. Do their records change? Show answer

No. Only the look changes. The data stays the same.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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