This Windows 11 update makes Start Menu much more desirable and usable again

The Start Menu has been the central element in Microsoft Windows for nearly three decades. Though loved initially for its resourcefulness, the Menu went through some debatable — I call them abhorrent — changes with Windows 8, but eventually returned to occupying less space in the interface with Windows 8.1, and then Windows 10 and 11. Despite the rescuing, it is still reeling under the damaging changes in the form of recommendations and random automatically populating lists that reduce it to a mere glorified search interface. However, Microsoft may now be looking to resolve these issues and bringing back a more simplified interface with an upcoming update.

Microsoft is testing a new interface for Start Menu on Windows 11, reducing the existing clutter of randomly interspersed apps and files. X user @phantomofearth, renowned for testing new features in Windows Insider builds, gave us a good look at the new interface in a detailed video walkthrough.

First off, the video shows that the updated interface rids away of the current split view that comprises Pinned and Recommended sections and merges them into a single section. It adds a third section labelled All, which lists every installed app, which was previously accessible by clicking the All button next on top of the Pinned section. These can be arranged into an alphabetical list or a grid with folders compiling apps based on their category.

The overhauled Start Menu also gets a vertically scrolling layout, so all your apps can be accessed through a single page with fewer button clicks or taps. In addition, the Start Menu also lets you hide recommendations entirely if you’d like it that way. The idea is to seemingly give Windows 11 users more control over the menu’s usability.

While it’s difficult for the Start Menu to return to its glorious Windows XP days, I expect some respite from the barrage of unwanted ads with these improvements.

These changes are coming to the latest Windows 11 Insider preview builds in the Dev and Beta channels, with build numbers 26200.5518 and 26120.3671, respectively. That means you can’t immediately access it unless you are part of those Insider channels.

Microsoft hasn’t officially made any announcements on when the new Start Menu interface will be available for stable channels — and whether it will be or not. However, with Microsoft’s Copilot event, along with the company’s 50th Anniversary celebration, lined up for early morning tomorrow, we can expect it to share some news.