Windows 11 brings major changes to the Start menu and Taskbar in 2026, finally giving users more control over customization.

Microsoft spent the first years of Windows 11 simplifying the Start menu and Taskbar, often at the expense of features that users had relied on for years. In 2026, the company is correcting its direction.

In recent preview builds, the operating system has revealed a growing list of improvements that bring more customization and control back to the experience. From Taskbar positioning and resizing to Start menu layouts and recommendation controls, the software giant is restoring capabilities that many users have been complaining about since the original release of Windows 11.

However, the company's approach isn't about recreating Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft is rebuilding these experiences around the design principles of Windows 11 while giving users more flexibility than they have today.

Microsoft is giving users more control over the Taskbar

The biggest change is the reversal of positioning controls. Users will once again be able to place the Taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom edge of the screen.

For many users, this feature never should have disappeared in the first place. The ability to place the Taskbar where it works best has been part of the operating system for decades.

At the same time, the company isn't restoring the exact Windows 10 experience. Previously, users could unlock the Taskbar and drag it directly to a different edge of the screen, or change its position through the Settings app. On Windows 11, changing the position requires using the option available through the Settings app, more specifically in the Taskbar settings under the "Taskbar behaviors" section.

Taskbar sizing is also making a comeback. However, the company is updating the "Show smaller taskbar buttons" option so that enabling it makes the buttons and Taskbar smaller, not just the buttons.

The feature improves flexibility, but it still doesn't offer the same freedom available on Windows 10, where users could manually resize the Taskbar and even create multi-row layouts.

The Start menu is finally becoming more customizable

The Start menu is being updated with some of the most significant improvements since the operating system's launch.

One of the biggest additions is support for different Start menu sizes. Instead of relying entirely on the automatic layout, users will be able to choose between different menu configurations based on their preferences.

You will find these settings on the updated "Start" page from the Settings app.

Microsoft is also introducing dedicated controls to show or hide sections such as Pinned, Recommended, and All apps. These changes address one of the most common complaints about the Start menu, which has often felt too limited compared to previous versions of the operating system.

The company is also separating recommendation settings from recent files and activity history. As a result, users will gain more granular control over what appears in the Start menu without affecting other parts of the operating system.

Privacy is also receiving attention, with a new option that lets users hide their account name and profile picture from the Start menu.

These changes reflect a broader shift in Microsoft's strategy

The Start menu and Taskbar updates are part of Microsoft's wider Windows K2 initiative, an effort focused on improving performance, reliability, and usability across Windows 11.

While much of that work happens behind the scenes, the Start menu and Taskbar provide visible evidence that Microsoft's priorities have evolved since 2021.

When this version of Windows launched, the company emphasized simplicity and consistency, even when it meant removing long-standing customization features. A lot of users felt those decisions made the operating system less flexible than Windows 10.

The changes expected to roll out in 2026 suggest Microsoft is rethinking and taking a more balanced approach. Rather than limiting customization in the name of simplicity, the company is finding ways to offer more control while preserving the modern design introduced on Windows 11.

Windows 11 is becoming a more flexible operating system

Microsoft's reinstatement of Taskbar positioning and sizing, Start menu layouts, and recommendation controls may not seem revolutionary on their own. However, these changes represent one of the most notable shifts.

The company is not abandoning its vision for Windows 11, nor is it trying to turn the operating system into Windows 10. Instead, the company is acknowledging that flexibility remains one of the operating system's greatest strengths.

For years, many of the conversations around Windows 11 focused on features that were removed. In 2026, the conversation is increasingly focused on the features Microsoft is bringing back and what that says about the operating system's future direction.

Windows Central's Take

I think the most interesting part of these Start menu and Taskbar changes isn't any individual feature. It's what they reveal about Microsoft's evolving approach to Windows 11.

When the operating system launched in 2021, the software giant removed a noticeable amount of customization in favor of simplicity. The Taskbar lost positioning and resizing controls, and the Start menu became significantly more limited compared to Windows 10. At the time, those choices felt deliberate, almost like a firm design reset.

In 2026, that direction looks less fixed. The reintroduction of Taskbar positioning and resizing options, along with more granular Start menu controls, suggests Microsoft is recalibrating how much flexibility the operating system should offer without undoing its modern design language.

What are your thoughts on the Start menu and Taskbar changes coming to Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

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Microsoft has announced major customization upgrades coming soon to the Start menu on Windows 11, addressing top feedback and requests from users for enabling control over what does and doesn't appear when you open it.

The new customization options are now available in preview via the Windows 11 Insider Program, and I've been testing the new changes over the last week. It's awesome to see so many new options available for users to configure, but it makes me wonder why this wasn't added sooner.

So, what's new in regards to customization? Well, users can now fully configure which segments of the Start menu actually appear. Up until now, the Start menu has consisted of three main segments: Pinned, Recommended, and All apps.

These segments have historically been fixed, but users now have the option to toggle off individual segments should they choose. All the Start menu's customization options are present in the Windows Settings app, or by right-clicking an empty space in Start and selecting "Start settings."

Once in the Settings page, you'll see three categories that represent the different segments in Start. In addition to being able to turn off the segments, two of the categories have their own configurable options that users can now customize too.

For example, for the Recommended feed, you now have the option of choosing the kind of things that show up there. If you don't want to see recommended apps, but do want to see recent files and installed apps, you can make it so.

Being able to outright turn off segments of the Start menu is a super nice addition. I don't usually find use in the Recommended feed, and so being able to toggle it off and save space within the Start menu is great. You can mix and match different configurations depending on your needs too.

Unfortunately, you can't customize the order of the segments. Meaning Pinned is always at the top (unless disabled,) followed by Recommended and All apps. If you wanted Pinned apps at the bottom, for example, that's not something you can do currently.

In addition to being able to hide and customize the segments, Microsoft is also adding the ability to adjust the size of the Start menu. There's two options to choose from: small and large, and by default Windows is set to choose the size based on your screen size.

However, if you don't like the automatic choice, you can now override it and select which side you want, regardless of screen size. That means I can now set the small Start menu to appear on my 32-inch monitor, which looks great.

Lastly, Microsoft has added the ability to hide your user account name and profile picture. This is handy for those who may be presenting, and don't want to share any personal details through the Start menu. It's a nice addition, but not super important.

These are all great improvements, and the level of adjustability is quite surprising. Being able to essentially outright disable the Start menu isn't something that was on my bingo card in 2026, but I'm more than happy to see it be an option for those who do want that kind of configurability.

With that said, I think there's more room for improvement. As mentioned above, I think it would be awesome if we could reposition the different sections of Start. Furthermore, I'd love the ability to drag to resize the Start menu, as currently the only way to do that is via the drop-down menu in Settings.

I also think it would be cool if users were given the option to turn off the Start button in the Taskbar when all sections of the Start menu are disabled. By extension, maybe Windows should let the user remap what the Windows key does when Start is disabled? I wouldn't mind being able to set it to open the Search pane instead, for example.

Overall, I am really happy and excited to see Microsoft adding more customization options to Windows 11, even if many users likely won't want to or be interested in customizing the Start menu. As someone who does like to curate this interface, these improvements are welcomed in my eyes.

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When you booted up your PC recently, you may have been met with an unfamiliar Start menu. There's a good chance that some of your apps have moved and the Start menu itself has a different size and layout than before.

The good news is that this is not a bug. A new Start menu is rolling out to Windows 11. Since the rollout is happening in waves, some people just received it despite the redesign initially shipping in October 2025.

The new Start menu will arrive on your PC after installing the KB5067036 update. If you want the new Start menu right away and don't see it yet, you can toggle the option to "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" in the Windows 11 Settings app.

You can also enable the new Start menu through ViVeTool.

I've seen several posts about the new Start menu on social media, including a Reddit post asking, "What happened to my start menu?" The change can be a bit jarring if you didn't know about it in advance.

The new Start menu is better in some ways than its predecessor. The overall design is more adaptable and customizable than before, at least in some ways.

Somewhat surprisingly, some of the new features cannot be customized. For example, the Start menu will now adapt to a larger layout based on your screen resolution, but you cannot set the size of the Start menu.

Windows 11 now splits the Start menu into three sections: "Pinned," "Recommended," and "All."

The Pinned section shows two rows of apps by default and each of its rows can hold up to eight pins.

The Recommended section displays recent files and applications, but it can also show promoted apps from the Microsoft Store. It's possible to disable the Recommended section entirely.

Unlike the previous Start menu, the upgraded version shows the "All" menu without requiring extra clicks. Windows 11 groups apps automatically into categories, such as "Productivity" or "Developer Tools." That experience should feel familiar to people using an iPhone or certain Android devices.

You can switch the "All" section of the Start menu to Grid View instead of Category View. Doing so will present apps in an alphabetical list.

Of course, even if the Start menu were better in every way, the new one would still take some getting used to.

Microsoft played around with several designs before settling on the current layout. Our Mauro Huculak breaks those down in his guide on the revamped Start menu. He also has a piece on how the Start menu has evolved over 40 years.

The Windows 11 Start menu has improved in recent years, but some remain frustrated by its layout and lack of customization options. Third-party apps like Start11 have gained new users, while other prefer tools such as PowerToys.

What do you think of the new Start menu? Is it an improvement, a regression, or a mix of both? Let us know in the comments.

On November 20, 1985, Windows 1.0 shipped for the first time, marking the beginning of a Windows era that reshaped personal computing. Today, on November 20, 2025, Microsoft is celebrating 40 years of the operating system and using this milestone to reflect on one of the company's most enduring features, the Start menu.

Introduced with the release of Windows 95, the Start menu rapidly became a defining interface element. Over each successive release, the software giant has refined how users launch apps, access settings, and organize workflows.

However, the Start menu available on Windows 10 is arguably (by far) the best approach, as it combines modern ideas with a hint of classic elements and the best selection of customization options.

Thirty years is a long time for any feature to be around, so let's look at how the Start menu has evolved over the years.

Windows 95: The birth of the Start menu

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft introduced the Start menu as a central hub for accessing programs, documents, and system settings with the launch of Windows 95.

This innovation replaced the "Program Manager," offering a more intuitive and organized user experience.

In contrast, the "Program Manager" was technically something we can refer to today as a folder containing a list of items with sub-containers to access the different programs, with no real organization.

An interesting fact is that the Taskbar (and Start button) also arrived alongside the Start menu with the release of Windows 95.

The menu was simple, with a pop-up in a cascading format, providing access to programs, documents, and system settings. Also, it had a left-hand sidebar that contained the "Windows 95" text.

The "Programs" folder provided a hierarchical list of installed applications, making it easy to launch programs.

The "Documents" folder displayed a list of recently opened files, allowing for quick access to frequently used documents.

The "Settings" folder provided access to the Control Panel, which allows users to configure their system. This menu also provided quick access to the Printers and Taskbar settings.

The Taskbar settings also included a few customization options for the Start menu, but the settings were limited.

The "Find" option enabled users to search for files and folders on their computer. However, the search didn't occur in the Start menu. Instead, the option would open the "Find" app on Windows 95.

The "Run" command allowed users to directly execute programs or open files by typing their names (just like we do today).

The "Shutdown" option provided a convenient way to turn off the computer.

Windows 98: Refinement and expansion

Although the Start menu for Windows 98 didn't look significantly different from the original design, the menu incorporated a new "Log off" option for the new multi-user functionality.

In addition, Microsoft added an option to access the "Windows Update" service through Internet Explorer to scan and download the available system updates.

Furthermore, the Start menu added a "Favorites" submenu to complement Internet Explorer's presence in the operating system.

Windows Me: Minor adjustments

Microsoft launched the Windows Millennium Edition (ME) in 2000, but the design of the Start menu didn't receive any significant changes.

The menu was identical to the version in Windows 98. The only difference was the branding on the side that indicated the name of the operating system.

This was the last time we had seen this version of this menu.

It's important to note that the classic version of the menu was an option until Windows Vista.

Windows XP: A new era

Windows XP was launched in 2001, and it unveiled a redesigned Start menu with a two-column layout. The left column featured pinned and recently used apps, while the right provided access to user-specific folders ("My Documents," "My Pictures," "My Computer," and "Control Panel") and system functionalities.

This design aimed to streamline navigation and enhance productivity.

A prominent user account picture was displayed at the top of the left column, adding a touch of personalization.

The left column dynamically displayed frequently used programs, making it easier to access commonly used apps. However, users could also pin apps to this section for quick access.

The "All Programs" menu, accessible from the left column, provided a hierarchical list of all installed apps.

The shutdown option was conveniently located at the bottom of the right column, making it easy to turn off or restart the computer.

On Windows XP, Microsoft introduced the "Luna" visual style, which gave the Start menu a more modern and polished look with rounded corners and vibrant colors.

However, the operating system also allowed users to revert to the "classic" Start menu style for those who wanted a more traditional experience.

Windows Vista: Enhanced search and organization

In 2007, Microsoft launched Windows Vista, a version of the operating system that also included a new Start menu version with search integration, allowing users to locate files and programs quickly without having to jump to another experience.

However, the interface and elements of the new menu were pretty much identical to the design of Windows XP.

The menu featured a two-column layout. The left column featured pinned and recently used apps, while the right provided access to user-specific folders and system settings.

In this release, the user account menu was located at the top-right corner, and elements like "My Documents" and "My Computer" dropped the "My" suffixed. So, the items became "Documents," "Computer," etc.

Windows 7: Just tweaks

In 2009, Windows 7 was released with an updated version of the Start menu that was identical to the one available in Vista. However, it added "Jump Lists," offering quick access to recent documents and tasks directly from the Start menu.

Also, the power options removed the "Lock" item and added it to the "Shut down" menu. Furthermore, on Windows 7, you were able to change the power button action, something that wasn't available on Vista.

Finally, in this version of the operating system, Microsoft also removed the ability to switch to the classic Start menu.

Windows 8 and 8.1: A bold departure

Things changed drastically in 2012 when the company released Windows 8. This version ditched the Start menu for a Start screen that covered the entire desktop and removed the Start button.

This shift aimed to create a unified experience across touch and mouse-keyboard devices, but received mixed feedback.

This is one of the biggest mistakes Microsoft made for the operating system.

This full-screen approach was a core element of Microsoft's vision for a touch-centric operating system.

The Start screen was dominated by "Live Tiles," which represented applications and websites. These tiles could display dynamic, real-time information like weather updates, news headlines, and social media feeds.

Also, tiles came in various sizes, allowing users to customize the layout and prioritize information.

In addition, the Start screen introduced the "Metro" (later "Modern") design language, which is characterized by clean (flat interfaces), bold typography, and a focus on content rather than visual chrome.

One of the many problems was that the Start screen was heavily optimized for touch input, with large, easily tappable tiles. This design philosophy aimed to provide a consistent and intuitive experience across touch-enabled devices.

However, this change was a significant source of user frustration, particularly for those using desktop computers with a mouse and keyboard.

Since this version of the operating system didn't include a Start button either, Microsoft added the Charms bar, a sidebar that appeared with a swipe from the right side of the screen or by moving the mouse to the upper or lower right-hand corners of the screen. This bar contained common functions like search, settings, and share.

In a way, the Windows 8 Start screen represented a radical shift in the user interface, prioritizing touch interaction and live information. While it aimed to modernize the experience, it faced significant criticism for its departure from familiar desktop elements.

Then, in 2013, Windows 8.1 was launched; this time around, the company didn't bring back the Start menu. However, the Start button was reintroduced, linking users back to the Start Screen.

Windows 10: Merging legacy and modern design

Windows 10, launched in 2015, brought back the Start menu, combining the classic menu with modern Live Tiles in a customizable two-pane design, similar to the menus for Windows 7 and Vista.

This hybrid approach was aimed at desktop and touch users, balancing familiarity with innovation with a traditional left-hand column and a tile-based right-hand section.

The left column featured an alphabetical list of all installed apps, making it easy to find programs.

The left rail included access to the profile settings and quick access to folders (such as Documents, Pictures, File Explorer, and Settings). In this section, you can also find the power options (Shutdown, Restart, Sleep).

The right column displayed Live Tiles, allowing users to pin frequently used apps and receive dynamic updates.

Using the context menu in the Start menu, it was possible to resize, rearrange, and group Live Tiles. You were also able to turn tiles on or off, giving you control over the information displayed.

Windows 10 addressed the widespread criticism of Windows 8 by bringing back the familiar Start menu, and the hybrid design provided a balance between traditional navigation and modern tile-based access.

Furthermore, this version offered (perhaps) the most control over the appearance and functionality of the Start menu I've ever seen in the operating system. You even had an option to show a full-screen version of the Start menu.

It's important to note that on Windows 10, Microsoft began to decouple search from the Start menu. Although you can start a search from the menu, in this version of the operating system, Windows Search has its own entry in the Taskbar and home interface. This also continues to be true on Windows 11.

On Windows 7 and Vista, the search occurred within the Start menu experience.

Windows 11: A centered and simplified design

In 2021, Microsoft launched Windows 11, which also introduced a centered Taskbar and a revamped Start menu that brought a significant visual overhaul to the menu, and it's safe to say they've generated a range of reactions.

One of the most noticeable changes was the centered Start button and Taskbar items, giving Windows 11 a more modern and streamlined look.

Some have argued about this placement, as it deviates from the traditional left-aligned Start button. As a result, changing the alignment to the left is one of the first configurations that users usually apply to a new setup.

The Start menu itself features a simplified layout, with pinned apps at the top and a "Recommended" section below, displaying recently opened files and apps.

Also, Live Tiles have been replaced with more traditional static icons, and this menu emphasizes rounded corners and a cleaner, more minimalist aesthetic.

You can also pin as many apps as you want by creating scrollable pages in the menu, and you can even organize apps in groups. However, many users accustomed to the Windows 10 Start menu have expressed frustration with the lack of customization options.

A common criticism is the limited customization options compared to previous versions. For example, you can't resize the menu, remove the "Recommended" section, or show Live Tiles.

Another aspect of the Start menu is that Microsoft has been using it to push even more advertisements. Although the company has been known to promote partner apps, you only noticed this in new installations. However, on Windows 11, the "Recommended" section is also used to dynamically promote apps from the Microsoft Store.

Also, in the user menu, the company uses this area to promote its cloud services by luring users into backing up their files to OneDrive and Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

One thing you will notice about this menu is that it has a horizontal design, while the previous menus had a vertical design.

Start menu overhaul

Starting with the November 2025 Security Update, the company has yet again introduced a new version of the Start menu that follows the original menu available on Windows 11, but with additional changes.

First, the new Start menu offers a larger layout that adapts to the screen resolution, but you don't have an option to resize it.

Since this new layout unifies the interface, it only provides one experience divided into three sections, including "Pinned," "Recommended," and "All."

Furthermore, if you have a mobile device connected to your computer using the Phone Link, the Start menu will also show a secondary mobile sidebar, which you can toggle on or off using the option at the top-right.

The "Pinned" section shows two rows of apps by default, and because of the larger canvas, each row can hold up to eight pins.

The "Recommended" section can now display up to six app and file suggestions. However, the most noticeable change is that it's now possible to disable this section.

You can do this on the "Start" settings page by turning off all settings under the "Recommended" section.

Finally, Microsoft is also bringing the "All" menu to the front of the menu, with several visual changes. For instance, the default view now is "Category," which groups similar apps into folders. This process happens automatically, and the system must detect at least three apps from the same category to create a new group. Otherwise, the apps will appear in the "Other" group.

You can still access the legacy view using the "Name list" option, and the "Name grid" will outline the apps in rows.

Although the Start menu for Windows 11 lacks customization options, you will continue to find familiar elements, such as the box to access Windows Search, the profile menu, power options, the ability to show folders, and the "All" menu to access all your installed apps.

Over the years, Microsoft's Start Menu has continually been trying to adapt, reflecting the company's commitment to evolving with user needs and advances in technology. However, the company did not always get it right.

More resources

Find in-depth guides, troubleshooting tips, and the latest updates on Windows 11 and 10 here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

As part of the Windows Insider Program, in June 2025, Microsoft released at least ten preview builds (including three in the Beta, three in Dev, and two in the Canary Channels) with a slew of new features and changes expected to roll out to users throughout the year.

In the Beta Channel, we've seen:

• 26120.4230
• 26120.4250
• 26120.4441
• 26120.4452

In the Dev Channel:

• 26200.5622
• 26200.5641
• 26200.5651
• 26200.5661

And in the Canary Channel:

• 27871
• 27881

As part of these updates, the software giant introduced various improvements to its AI features, such as better handling of queries when using the AI agent in the Settings app. Windows Recall gained the ability to export and reset your data. Also, the company added new AI actions to Click to Do.

In the Notification Center, the development is building an option to show the time in seconds, similar to the experience on Windows 10.

Also, the company is testing a new Start menu design that unifies the list of installed apps with the section pins, the Windows Share interface offers a new image compression option, and the Windows Backup gets a feature to transfer your files, apps, and settings from your old to your new computer.

In this guide, I'll outline the most interesting features and changes that Microsoft has officially been working on during the month of June for Windows 11.

Top 10 features and changes available through the Windows 11 Insider Program

These builds also include a slew of other minor improvements and changes, but I focused on the ones that stood out the most to me.

1. Settings app with AI agent

Although the company announced the AI agent for the Settings app back in May, in the latest wave of updates, the feature has received an update to make the agent more accurate in surfacing the correct answer.

On Windows 11, the AI agent in the Settings app is a tool that works in the search box, allowing you to describe the problem or the settings you want to adjust using natural language, and the AI will understand the intent with an option to automate the task.

For example, if you search for "my mouse pointer is too small," you will receive a suggestion to allow the AI agent to increase the pointer size.

Also, the search box now appears in the top-center of the app rather than on the left navigation pane.

While the AI agent is only available for Copilot+ PCs, the centered search box design appears across every device.

The AI agent update and the new search box's new alignment have been available since build 26200.5651.

2. Windows Recall export, reset, and homepage

In June 2025, the Windows Recall experience received a number of interesting changes.

On Windows 11, builds 26200.5661 and 26120.4452 introduced an updated version of the "Recall" app that includes a new homepage and left navigation pane.

Aside from the current date and search box, the homepage groups your recent activities and top-used content on the page to make it easier to find. Also, the settings menu is now accessible from the navigation pane.

Also, on builds 26200.5651 and 26120.4441, the company introduces an option to export the Recall snapshots to be shared with third-party apps and websites.

This option is available only for users in Europe, and when you first open the Recall app, you will be able to get a unique code to export your data from the new "Advanced settings" page available on the "Recall & snapshots" page.

If you want to use this feature, the settings page offers two options, including "Export past snapshots" and "Export snapshots from now on."

The first option is to export your data from last week, last month, or all your snapshots. On the other hand, the second option continues to export snapshots from the time you turn it on.

According to the company, the feature exports the snapshots in an encrypted form, and you will have to provide the export code to decrypt the data to make them accessible from other apps or websites.

It's important to note that the export code will be shown only once, and Microsoft doesn't store this information, so the only way to generate a new code is to reset the feature.

Finally, another related feature that Microsoft added is the ability to reset the Windows Recall feature with a single button. The option is available from the new "Advanced settings" page available on the "Recall & snapshots" page.

When you click the "Reset Recall" button, the system will delete all the Windows Recall data and settings, and it'll turn off the feature completely.

3. Clock in Notification Center

Since build 26200.5661 and build 26120.4452, Microsoft has also been testing a new setting that brings the full clock with seconds to the Notification Center.

If you're in the latest preview of the operating system in the Dev or Beta Channel, you can show the time using the "Show time in the Notification Center" available from the "Date & time" settings page.

4. Click to Do new actions

In previous builds, Microsoft has also been focusing on the Click to Do feature for Copilot+ PCs.

On build 26200.5651, the company updated the actions to include a new "Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot" option to send selected text or images to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.

In addition, the company has been testing the "Send a message with Teams" and "Schedule a meeting with Teams" actions to make it easier to take from an email address.

5. New Start menu redesign

On Windows 11 build 26200.5641, the software giant officially unveiled a new Start menu design that unifies the "All" menu with the "Pinned" section into one scrollable interface.

As part of the new design, you'll notice a bigger interface that adapts to the screen size and can hold up to eight apps in a single row in the "Pinned" section. Also, by default, the "Pinned" section shows two rows of apps.

In the "Recommended" section, you can now see up to three apps or files per row with up to two rows.

Also, and perhaps more importantly, Microsoft is making it possible to remove the recommendations by turning off the recommended files in Start, recently added apps, most used apps, and recommendations for tips through the updated "Start" settings page.

The "All" section shows a list of your installed applications in a "Category" view that groups similar apps together.

It's important to note that the system has to find at least three apps with similar categories to create a group. Otherwise, the app will be added to the "Other" group.

As a result of these changes, Microsoft is also updating the "Start" page, which now removes the "Layouts" settings and adds a new option always to show all the apps in the "Pinned" section.

Furthermore, Microsoft is adding a new button in the top-right corner of the Start menu to toggle the mobile sidebar on and off.

6. Narrator Screen Curtain

As part of the accessibility changes this month, Microsoft introduced "Screen Curtain," a new feature designed to improve privacy for users who rely on screen reading.

When using "Screen Curtain," the screen will go black to ensure that nothing is shown on the display and that only the user can see the contents through the Windows Narrator feature.

You can access the "Screen Curtain" feature with the "Caps + Ctrl + C" shortcut while Windows Narrator is on, and you can use the same shortcut to turn it off.

7. Windows Backup transfer files to new PC feature

Also, in the Beta and Dev Channels, the company has been testing a new feature in the "Windows Backup" app to help you transfer your files and settings to a new computer.

You can access the feature by launching the "Windows Backup" app on the old and the new computer, choosing the "Transfer to a new PC" option from the old device, and then entering the name of your old device in the new computer, and continuing with the on-screen directions.

In future updates, you will be able to transfer your files and settings to a new computer from the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE).

Microsoft plans to end the support of Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, so it's not surprising that this feature will also be available in the older version of the operating system.

8. Quick Machine Recovery new settings page

On Windows 11, Microsoft is building a new recovery feature known as Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) that allows the system to detect, diagnose, and resolve critical problems, especially when a system update breaks the setup and your computer cannot boot.

The feature works from the Windows Recovery Environment, and when a problem is detected, the system will scan, download, and apply the resolution from the Microsoft servers.

Starting on builds 26200.5622 and 26120.4230, Microsoft continues to make progress with the feature, and now, it's adding a dedicated page in the Settings app to manage the feature, including the options to control how the system scans for fixes.

The new page is known as "Quick machine recovery," and it's available through the "Recovery" settings page in the Settings app.

If you're a network administrator, the company makes this feature configurable through the Microsoft Intune solution.

9. Windows Share Compression and "Open With" Store suggestions

As part of the Windows Share experience, the development teams have added two new changes during the month of June.

First, starting with build 26200.5622, the team updated the context menu for the "Open With" menu, and it now shows app recommendations from the Microsoft Store suitable to open the file in question.

You will know the app is a suggestion because it will include a Microsoft Store icon next to it.

Also, on build 27881, the Windows Share interface adds an option to compress image files before sending. This feature offers three compression options, including low, medium, and high.

10. Gamepad layout in touch keyboard

Finally, during the month of June, Microsoft introduced design changes to the Gamepad layout for the touch keyboard with support for entering your account PIN through the Lock Screen.

In other words, starting with builds 26200.5641 and 26120.4250, you can now use your Xbox Controller to sign into Windows 11.

Some of these features and enhancements may also be available across channels, depending on when you're reading this article. At this time, most of the changes available in the Dev Channel can also be found in the Canary Channel.

Microsoft is working on bringing more significant improvements to the Canary Channel.

What's the feature you find most interesting during this wave of updates? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

In celebration of Microsoft's 50th anniversary in 2025, it's an appropriate moment to look at the evolution of one of its most iconic features.

Of course, I'm referring to the Start menu for Windows. The menu was originally introduced in 1995, and it has undergone significant transformations, adapting to user needs and advances in technology.

The company has worked on many different menus over the decades. However, the Start menu available on Windows 10 is arguably (by far) the best approach as it combines modern ideas with a hint of classic elements and the best selection of customization options.

Thirty years is a long time for any feature to be around, so let's look at how the Start menu has evolved over the years.

Windows 95: The birth of the Start menu

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft introduced the Start menu as a central hub for accessing programs, documents, and system settings with the launch of Windows 95.

This innovation replaced the "Program Manager," offering a more intuitive and organized user experience.

In contrast, the "Program Manager" was technically something we can refer to today as a folder containing a list of items with sub-containers to access the different programs with no real organization.

An interesting fact is that the Taskbar (and Start button) also arrived alongside the Start menu with the release of Windows 95.

The menu was simple, with a pop-up in a cascading format, providing access to programs, documents, and system settings. Also, it had a left-hand sidebar that contained the "Windows 95" text.

The "Programs" folder provided a hierarchical list of installed applications, making it easy to launch programs.

The "Documents" folder displayed a list of recently opened files, allowing for quick access to frequently used documents.

The "Settings" folder provided access to the Control Panel, which allows users to configure their system. This menu also provided quick access to the Printers and Taskbar settings.

The Taskbar settings also included a few customization options for the Start menu, but the settings were limited.

The "Find" option enabled users to search for files and folders on their computer. However, the search didn't occur in the Start menu. Instead, the option would open the "Find" app on Windows 95.

The "Run" command allowed users to directly execute programs or open files by typing their names (just like we do today).

The "Shutdown" option provided a convenient way to turn off the computer.

Windows 98: Refinement and expansion

Although the Start menu for Windows 98 didn't look significantly different from the original design, the menu incorporated a new "Log off" option for the new multi-user functionality.

In addition, Microsoft added an option to access the "Windows Update" service through Internet Explorer to scan and download the available system updates.

Furthermore, the Start menu added a "Favorites" submenu to complement Internet Explorer's presence in the operating system.

Windows Me: Minor adjustments

Microsoft launched the Windows Millennium Edition (ME) in 2000, but the design of the Start menu didn't receive any significant changes.

The menu was identical to the version in Windows 98; the only difference was the branding on the side that indicated the name of the operating system.

This was the last time we had seen this version of this menu.

It's important to note that the classic version of the menu was an option until Windows Vista.

Windows XP: A new era

Windows XP was launched in 2001, and it unveiled a redesigned Start menu with a two-column layout. The left column featured pinned and recently used apps, while the right provided access to user-specific folders ("My Documents," "My Pictures," "My Computer," and "Control Panel") and system functionalities.

This design aimed to streamline navigation and enhance productivity.

A prominent user account picture was displayed at the top of the left column, adding a touch of personalization.

The left column dynamically displayed frequently used programs, making it easier to access commonly used apps. However, users could also pin apps to this section for quick access.

The "All Programs" menu, accessible from the left column, provided a hierarchical list of all installed apps.

The shutdown option was conveniently located at the bottom of the right column, making it easy to turn off or restart the computer.

On Windows XP, Microsoft introduced the "Luna" visual style, which gave the Start menu a more modern and polished look with rounded corners and vibrant colors.

However, the operating system also allowed users to revert to the "classic" Start menu style for those who wanted a more traditional experience.

Windows Vista: Enhanced search and organization

In 2007, Microsoft launched Windows Vista, a version of the operating system that also included a new Start menu version with search integration, allowing users to locate files and programs quickly without having to jump to another experience.

However, the interface and elements of the new menu were pretty much identical to the design of Windows XP.

The menu featured a two-column layout. The left column featured pinned and recently used apps, while the right provided access to user-specific folders and system settings.

In this release, the user account menu was located at the top-right corner, and elements like "My Documents" and "My Computer" dropped the "My" suffixed. So, the items became "Documents," "Computer," etc.

Windows 7: Just tweaks

In 2009, Windows 7 was released with an updated version of the Start menu that was identical to the one available in Vista. However, it added "Jump Lists," offering quick access to recent documents and tasks directly from the Start menu.

Also, the power options removed the "Lock" item and added it to the "Shut down" menu. Furthermore, on Windows 7, you were able to change the power button action, something that wasn't available on Vista.

Finally, in this version of the operating system, Microsoft also removed the ability to switch to the classic Start menu.

Windows 8 and 8.1: A bold departure

Things changed drastically in 2012 when the company released Windows 8. This version ditched the Start menu for a Start screen that covered the entire desktop and removed the Start button.

This shift aimed to create a unified experience across touch and mouse-keyboard devices but received mixed feedback.

This is one of the biggest mistakes Microsoft made for the operating system.

This full-screen approach was a core element of Microsoft's vision for a touch-centric operating system.

The Start screen was dominated by "Live Tiles," which represented applications and websites. These tiles could display dynamic, real-time information like weather updates, news headlines, and social media feeds.

Also, tiles came in various sizes, allowing users to customize the layout and prioritize information.

In addition, the Start screen introduced the "Metro" (later "Modern") design language, which is characterized by clean (flat interfaces), bold typography, and a focus on content rather than visual chrome.

One of the many problems was that the Start screen was heavily optimized for touch input, with large, easily tappable tiles. This design philosophy aimed to provide a consistent and intuitive experience across touch-enabled devices.

However, this change was a significant source of user frustration, particularly for those using desktop computers with a mouse and keyboard.

Since this version of the operating system didn't include a Start button either, Microsoft added the Charms bar, a sidebar that appeared with a swipe from the right side of the screen or by moving the mouse to the upper or lower right-hand corners of the screen. This bar contained common functions like search, settings, and share.

In a way, the Windows 8 Start screen represented a radical shift in the user interface, prioritizing touch interaction and live information. While it aimed to modernize the experience, it faced significant criticism for its departure from familiar desktop elements.

Then, in 2013, Windows 8.1 was launched; this time around, the company didn't bring back the Start menu. However, the Start button was reintroduced, linking users back to the Start Screen.

Windows 10: Merging legacy and modern design

Windows 10, launched in 2015, brought back the Start menu, combining the classic menu with modern Live Tiles in a customizable two-pane design, similar to the menus for Windows 7 and Vista.

This hybrid approach was aimed at desktop and touch users, balancing familiarity with innovation with a traditional left-hand column and a tile-based right-hand section.

The left column featured an alphabetical list of all installed apps, making it easy to find programs.

The left rail included access to the profile settings and quick access to folders (such as Documents, Pictures, File Explorer, and Settings). In this section, you can also find the power options (Shutdown, Restart, Sleep).

The right column displayed Live Tiles, allowing users to pin frequently used apps and receive dynamic updates.

Using the context menu in the Start menu, it was possible to resize, rearrange, and group Live Tiles. You were also able to turn tiles on or off, giving you control over the information displayed.

Windows 10 addressed the widespread criticism of Windows 8 by bringing back the familiar Start menu, and the hybrid design provided a balance between traditional navigation and modern tile-based access.

Furthermore, this version offered (perhaps) the most control over the appearance and functionality of the Start menu I've ever seen on Windows. You even had an option to show a full-screen version of the Start menu.

It's important to note that on Windows 10, Microsoft began to decouple search from the Start menu. Although you can start a search from the menu, in this version of the operating system, Windows Search has its own entry in the Taskbar and home interface. This also continues to be true on Windows 11.

On Windows 7 and Vista, the search occurred within the Start menu experience.

Windows 11: A centered and simplified design

In 2021, Microsoft launched Windows 11, which also introduced a centered Taskbar and a revamped Start menu that brought a significant visual overhaul to the menu, and it's safe to say they've generated a range of reactions.

One of the most noticeable changes was the centered Start button and Taskbar items, giving Windows 11 a more modern and streamlined look.

Some have argued about this placement, as it deviates from the traditional left-aligned Start button. As a result, changing the alignment to the left is one of the first configurations that users usually apply to a new setup.

The Start menu itself features a simplified layout, with pinned apps at the top and a "Recommended" section below, displaying recently opened files and applications.

Also, Live Tiles have been replaced with more traditional static icons, and this menu emphasizes rounded corners and a cleaner, more minimalist aesthetic.

You can also pin as many apps as you want by creating scrollable pages in the menu, and you can even organize apps in groups. However, many users who were accustomed to the Windows 10 Start menu have expressed frustration with the lack of customization.

A common criticism is the limited customization options compared to previous versions. For example, you can't resize the menu, remove the "Recommended" section, and it's no longer possible to show Live Tiles.

Another aspect of the Start menu is that Microsoft has been using it to push even more advertisements. Although the company has been known to promote apps from partners, you only used to notice this in new installations. However, on Windows 11, the "Recommended" section is also used to promote apps from the Microsoft Store dynamically.

Also, in the user menu, the company uses this area to promote its cloud services by luring users into backing up their files to OneDrive and Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

One thing you will notice about this menu is that it has a horizontal design, while the previous menus had a vertical design.

Although the Start menu for Windows 11 lacks customization options, you will continue to find familiar elements, such as the box to access Windows Search, the profile menu, power options, the ability to show folders, and the "All" menu to access all your installed apps.

Over the past three decades, Microsoft's Start Menu has continually been trying to adapt, reflecting the company's commitment to evolving with user needs and advances in technology. However, the company did not always get it right.

More resources

Find in-depth guides, troubleshooting tips, and the latest updates on Windows 11 and 10 here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

I use a lot of different tools on my Windows 11 PC every single day, but there's one I use more than any other; PowerToys Run.

Part of the excellent PowerToys suite (and if you're not using PowerToys yet, you're using Windows 11 wrong), Run is a launcher at heart, but so much more than that.

It started out as a way to launch things on your PC. I started using it because not only did it mimic a keyboard-first launcher such as I use on Linux, but also because the Start Menu on Windows 11 is horrible.

PowerToys Run has grown, though, and it's so much more than a way to launch apps with the keyboard. Here are seven other things you can do with it that make it a tool you simply have to use.

1. Windows Package Manager (winget)

I've been using a third-party plugin for PowerToys Run for a while that integrates the Windows Package Manager (winget). With this, I don't have to open the terminal to use winget to install new packages, simply trigger PowerToys Run and use the commands there.

However, soon this feature will be natively available, and slightly better even than the third-party offering. I use winget for almost all of my software installation and updating on Windows 11, being part of PowerToys just makes it even more convenient and awesome.

2. Quick access to a calculator

Sure, Windows 11 has a calculator app. But with PowerToys Run, you don't even need it. By triggering the launcher and using =, you can enter calculations or even equations, should you need those, and it will solve it right in front of your eyes.

It's definitely quicker and more convenient even than using PowerToys Run to launch the calculator app.

3. Executing terminal commands

Granted, this isn't like having a full terminal inside PowerToys Run, but it is useful for entering quick commands. For example, if I quickly want to jump into WSL and use a specific distro, I can enter it through PowerToys Run as below.

> wsl.exe -d Fedora

This will launch me straight into a terminal window, loaded into Fedora, ready to roll. Another neat little time saver for those of use who use the keyboard to do as much as possible in the course of the day.

The only drawback here is that if you need elevated permissions, aka, Administrator, you can't currently execute such commands automatically through PowerToys Run. For this you need to use your mouse (the horror!) and select the option to run as Administrator.

4. Searching Windows Settings

Naturally, you can also do this to some degree through the Start Menu, but the whole purpose (at least in my case) of using PowerToys Run is replacing the Start Menu.

By entering $ and then your search term, you're able to launch straight into the Settings app at the right place. I've actually found it to be more reliable, too, in finding some Settings options compared to the Start Menu.

5. File search

This is depending on making sure you keep on top of your indexing, but PowerToys Run is fantastic at quickly locating files on your Windows 11 PC.

It works in the same way as number four in this list, only you use ? instead, then type what you're looking for. It's lightning fast, too, and will respect any excluded folders you have set up in your Windows Settings regarding what gets indexed.

6. Quickly launching web addresses

There is actually a command (//) to do this, but it also just works by typing a regular website. Simply launch PowerToys Run, enter your favorite website (windowscentral.com of course) and it'll automatically launch it in a new tab in your default browser.

Again, you can do this in the Start Menu, but it'll always force you to open Microsoft Edge. PowerToys Run respects your choice of default web browser. So it's better.

7. Registry navigation

This isn't something I do a lot myself, but on the occasions I do go into the Windows Registry, I do it through PowerToys Run.

Why? Because, like everything else it does, it's fast and easy. By entering : and then starting to type the Registry term I need, it'll start bringing up suggestions and then just quickly launch the Registry Editor into the right place.

The Windows 11 Start Menu may look pretty, but it's cumbersome, and none of its 'features' actually make my life any easier on a day-to-day basis.

I started using PowerToys Run initially to replicate the experience I could have on Linux, being a keyboard-first way to quickly move about the system. Hopeful it could remove the need to use the Start Menu. These are just seven things you can do with it, but there's still plenty more on the table.

As it has grown, it's become more than just this, becoming an integral part of how I use Windows 11. I couldn't operate without it. The PowerToys suite is such an amazing creation, and if you're not using it, you're not using Windows to the best it can be.

As part of the Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2), you can also expect a few changes for the Start menu and Taskbar.

In this release, the Copilot button is no longer an option in the Taskbar, the Quick Settings flyout receives various resign improvements, and you will even find more elements. Also, in the Start menu, the Recommended section will now show app promotions and more.

In this guide, I will outline the biggest changes coming to the Taskbar and Start menu with the release of Windows 11 version 24H2.

What's new with the Taskbar and Start menu changes for version 24H2

Although this feature update won't significantly impact how you interact with the Taskbar and Start menu, you will find some interesting improvements.

Taskbar

In the Taskbar, Microsoft has removed the "Copilot" button from the System Tray, meaning it will no longer conflict with the "Show Desktop" button.

This change is due to the company removing the previous Copilot integration in favor of a new web application that the system installs through the Microsoft Edge browser. 

As a result, the Taskbar also includes a new Copilot icon alongside your other apps.

Windows 11 version 24H2 also introduces design changes for the Quick Settings flyout. In this new update, the flyout is scrollable, meaning you no longer have to edit the layout to add and remove buttons. You can now hover over the interface and scroll up and down with the mouse to access the available options. You even have some controls on the right to navigate between pages.

Also, when opening the "Wi-Fi" page, in the bottom-right corner, you will find a new "Refresh" button to refresh the list of available networks without having to wait for the system to refresh the list automatically, which can take a long time.

On the "VPN" page, Microsoft is making it easier to turn a connection on or off with a single click. If you have more than one connection in the list, this update will also make it easier to turn them on and off with fewer clicks.

In addition, if you have a Copilot+ PC, you can access Windows Studio Effects, a collection of features that allows you to customize various video and audio effects when using the camera with AI. Some of these features include  "Background effects," "Eye Contact," "Automatic framing," "Portrait light," "Creative filters," and "Voice Focus."

Furthermore, Microsoft is also adding a Studio Effects icon in the System Tray to access the available features when using an app that supports Studio Effects camera features. (You can still access the same settings from the Quick Settings flyout.)

Finally, the "Live Captions" button in Quick Settings is also new to version 24H2.

The design of the System Tray has not been modified, but if you have a Copilot+ PC and opted to turn on the Windows Recall feature, you will find the new "Recall" button alongside the other typical buttons. When you click on it, a new flyout will open with the latest snapshot taken by the feature and the options to open the app and temporarily pause Recall.

Also, while you can already invoke the "Windows key + T" keyboard shortcut to bring the focus to the keyboard, you can now press the first letter of the app's name to jump and select the app icon.

For instance, if you use the "Windows key + T" shortcut followed by the "M" key, you will highlight the Microsoft Edge app. If the app is open, it will launch the Jump List menu as well.

If you have more than one app that starts with the same letter, you can cycle through all the apps. 

If the Taskbar uses the option to uncombined apps, the system will use the window name.

If you press the "Home" or "End" key, the focus will go toward the first and last items in the Taskbar.

Finally, this new version also introduces a new feature that allows you to show hover cards for inactive and pinned apps in the Taskbar. If you turn on this feature from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors when hovering over apps, the Jump List menu will open automatically on apps. If the app is running, you will only see the thumbnails as usual. 

Start menu

In the Start menu, you will continue using the same interface, but the "Recommended" section will now be able to promote apps from the Microsoft Store.

If you do not want to see app promotions in the Start menu, you can disable this behavior by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off the "Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more" toggle switch.

In addition, from the Start menu, it's now possible to drag an app icon and pin it to the Taskbar. In previous versions, you had to right-click and choose the “Pin to Taskbar” option, but the new option makes pinning icons a little easier.

As part of the improvements to the Start menu, this feature update introduces a new floating sidebar next to the Start menu to access various pieces of information from your Android phone.

After you connect your mobile device using the Phone Link app, on Settings > Personalization > Start, you will find a new "Show mobile device in Start" toggle switch.

Once you turn on the feature, the next time you open the Start menu, the sidebar will appear with the name of the phone, connection, Bluetooth, and battery status.

You will also have quick access to messages, calls, and photos. Also, at the bottom, you will find the recent notifications. 

Important: As a result of Microsoft gradually rolling out new features and improvements for Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 24H2, not all the changes will be available on day one with the release of the 2024 Update. Also, some improvements meant for version 24H2 will eventually be ported to version 23H2. The company is even working on changes that will first be available on version 23H2, and then they will be ported to version 24H2. Also, it is worth noting that the feature update became partially available on June 18, 2024, for Copilot+ PCs, but with only some of the intended features, excluding Windows Recall, as it has been postponed until further notice. In October, the feature update will become more broadly available for existing devices. Finally, AI features may require new hardware (such as NPU) to be available.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources: 

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

What you need to know

• The latest Windows 10 preview build includes some hidden changes to the Start menu and Settings app.
• Microsoft looks to be toying with the position of the user tile in Start, and adding Microsoft 365 upsells to it, backported from Windows 11.
• The company is also toying with an updated Settings app design with more colorful icons and sign-in buttons.

Last year, Microsoft announced a recommitment to delivering new features and experiences to Windows 10 users after originally leaving the platform behind when Windows 11 launched. Since November, Microsoft has backported a handful of Windows 11 features to Windows 10 customers, including Windows Copilot and MSN widgets on the lock screen.

This week, Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 preview build to Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels which appears to include some hidden changes, first spotted by @phantomofearth on X. These changes include updates to the Start menu and Settings app, which seem to be designed to better promote Microsoft Accounts and Services.

First, Microsoft looks to be toying with the position of the user icon in the Start menu, and changing the menu that appears when you click on it. Currently, the user icon in Start is positioned above the power and settings icons in the hamburger menu, and clicking it opens a menu that lets you sign out and change account settings.

This latest Windows 10 preview build changes this position to be at the very top of the hamburger menu, and clicking it will now show a menu that gives you a brief overview of your Microsoft Account and subscription status. If you aren't subscribed to Microsoft 365, it will let you know. This is the same menu that was recently added to Windows 11.

Microsoft is also toying with the appearance of the Start menu, with some hidden variants including a hamburger menu that's slightly more visually distinguished from the rest of the Start menu. It's a curious change for an OS that's supposed to be reaching end of support in just over a year.

That's not the only curious change, either. Microsoft is also working on updates to the Windows 10 Settings app, swapping out monochrome icons for colorful ones in the top banner area when you first open the app. These changes are likely to encourage users to interact with those buttons, which usually recommend updating Windows, setting up OneDrive, or signing in with a Microsoft Account.

It's clear that many of the changes Microsoft is making to Windows 10 are designed to encourage users to link to a Microsoft Account and subscribe to a Microsoft service, whether that be Microsoft 365, OneDrive, Xbox Game Pass, or Copilot Pro. These changes are all about upsells, and less about user satisfaction or interface improvements. 

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft officially released Windows 95, its revolutionary operating system previously codenamed 'Chicago', to the public. I still remember when my parents upgraded the family PC from Windows 3.1 with a slew of floppy disks and the help of a tech-savvy friend, who helped sell them on the luxuries of a new, friendly user interface that would replace the archaic likes of the now-extinct 'Program Manager' app.

Twenty-nine years later, the impact of Windows 95 is still apparent in modern computing (and even popular culture as Finland embraced Windows95man,) with remnants of its old-school tools and apps still running quietly in the background of Windows 11.

• RELATED: YouTuber nostalgically ports 'thousands of apps' from Microsoft's Graveyard to Windows 95

In particular, I still rely on the 'more sound settings' panel to wrestle my microphone levels back to their proper numbers after Google Meet automatically adjusts them against my will. Prettier menus offer the same controls, but these retro 'Win32' apps still just work, thanks to Windows 95's foundations.

I could ramble about the iconic startup sound or how our costly printer never worked with Microsoft's 'Plug-and-Play' promises. However, one feature stands out more prominently than any other, and its legacy is a mainstay feature in Windows 11 with much less subtlety, even if Windows 8 previously tried to wrangle it into something entirely unrecognizable — the legendary and utterly iconic Start menu.

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Everything changed with the Start menu

It seems like a given that a modern operating system should have some form of a taskbar and Start menu unless you're a die-hard fan of the Terminal, like my Linux-obsessed colleague Richard Devine, who is ever-eager to boil the most complex tasks down to the command line without needing to touch a mouse. Still, for your average user, the Start menu was a self-explanatory hub for all your programs and settings on Windows 95.

• RELATED: Microsoft software engineer documents the Start menu as a Windows 95 feature

This pop-up menu was always snappy and responsive, at least if your processor wasn't bogged down with multiple programs running on a single core. It gathered all of Microsoft's stock applications (RIP Wordpad) and even listed any newly installed apps alongside them, divided into subcategories intended to keep things tidy. It wasn't uncommon to see a gigantic wall of tiled menus on some PCs as software libraries grew and larger hard drives (up to an unthinkable 32GB!) became more affordable, but a bit of housekeeping could clean it up.

The Start menu experience is inherently the same on the latest build of Windows 11, version 24H2. It's an all-in-one solution for your apps, settings, and shortcuts, and even a return to responsive widgets, vaguely reminiscent of the live tiles featured on Windows 8's contentious Start menu replacement, is in the works. It's become a much more simplified version of its former self, reduced to a compact Windows logo now that its use is broadly understood and no longer needs explanation.

• RELATED: Windows 11 Start menu's performance is "comically bad," says ex-Microsoft Senior Software Engineer

To have become so ubiquitous is a blessing and a curse for Microsoft. I can't imagine how well consumers would receive Windows 12 if it did away with the Start menu, no matter how well-designed a replacement might be. For now, I'm looking back at Windows 95 with fond admiration of the quintessential taskbar and Start menu combination, to the point that Stardock's flexible Start11 v2 replacement for the stock Start menu helps me restore some of its classic features. Happy birthday, Windows 95.

What you need to know

• Developers at Stardock have released Start11 v2, which replaces the stock Start menu, and now natively supports ARM64 for Windows on Arm devices.
• Microsoft's standard Start menu has undergone divisive changes in Windows 11, including app advertisements.
• Users can try Start11 v2 for free or pay for a $7.99 single-device subscription at Stardock's official website.

The Start menu is arguably the most iconic feature in Microsoft's operating system, initially introduced in Windows 95. It remains a staple in Windows 11, but changes to category views and a disappointing move to integrate ads in the top half of the Start menu have made it a divisive feature among users. Thankfully, software developers at Stardock have completed beta testing of its fantastic Start menu replacement 'Start11 v2' on ARM64 devices, now natively supported for Windows on Arm.

"With native ARM support for Start11 v2, this means that you can use the latest Windows 11 devices, powered by Qualcomm Elite chips, with Start11 v2 to make these new devices a more personalized and productive desktop."

The latest build has more updates than platform support for the best Windows on ARM laptops. However, it's the most exciting addition since I still use a previous-generation Surface Pro X and have long awaited a third-party fix for Microsoft's frustrating design changes. To be completely transparent, I'm a nostalgia addict with rose-tinted goggles firmly attached to Windows, so I'll always fall back to the old-style Start menu whenever I can, and I love it here with Start11 v2.

"Several other updates in this release including enhanced search for legacy Control Panel items – more legacy Control Panel items will now show up when searching."

• RELATED: Adobe Illustrator has a beta ARM version for Windows

Check out Start11's full range of features at the official Stardock website to see why I love it so much. Any native support for Windows on Arm devices receives high praise from all of us at Windows Central, as we saw first-hand the benefits of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processors running cutting-edge ARM64 devices like Microsoft's "stunning" Surface Pro 11. As soon as a 5G-capable Surface Pro 11 launches to general availability, I'll undoubtedly upgrade, but I'll still use Start11.

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How much is a Start11 subscription?

Stardock offers a free trial for Start11 v2, and single-device subscriptions start at $7.99. Alternatively, you can access it as part of Object Desktop, a more comprehensive suite of customizable options for Windows 11 that allows users to apply themes to their desktops and even restore Windows 2000 aesthetics. I recommend starting with Start11 v2 to test the Start menu customizations and graduate to Object Desktop to experiment with Stardock's full range of Windows 11 tweaks.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is working on a category view within the Windows 11 Start menu.
• The view groups apps in a way similar to what's seen on smartphones running iOS or Android.
• The new feature has not been announced by Microsoft and requires a third-party tool to enable it, so you can expect some bugs if you do try it.
• Once the new feature rolls out, it appears that you'll be able to toggle between Alphabetical, Grid, and Category views within the Start menu.

A new category view is in the works for the Windows 11 Start menu. While Microsoft has not announced the new feature, the option can be enabled through third-party tools if you're running Windows 11 build 22635.4010, which shipped to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel recently.

The change was spotted by X user phantomofearth, who also shared a video of the feature in action.

Category view works in a similar way to how apps are organized on iOS or Android. App icons appear within subsections, making it easier to find specific apps. The view differs from using folders, since Windows 11 groups the apps automatically and in a different type of grid.

The general concept of category view seems to work well, but I think the design needs refinement. Icons don't look natural within their grid layout and hover effects still seem to be a bit off. Since Microsoft has not even announced the feature yet, there is still plenty of time to refine its design and make improvements. Presumably, category view will also go through the Windows Insider Program, giving Microsoft more chances to receive feedback.

Windows 11 Start menu woes

The Windows 11 Start menu has received criticism since its early days. Design preference is subjective, of course, but there are some common complaints about the menu. Many dislike the plethora of promoted apps and ads within the Start menu, which have only become more plentiful since the initial release of Windows 11. Others dislike the lack of customization options within the Windows 11 Start menu, often turning toward programs like Start11.

Microsoft also removed some features when moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11, such as the ability to move the taskbar to the top of your monitor. The tech giant also added features that few requested. For example, the notification dot in the image above isn't for anything pressing. Instead, it's a prompt to add my phone number to my Microsoft account. I'm fairly certain Microsoft already has that information somewhere, but I doubt the Start menu knows that.

One comment on X made in response to the new category view in testing echoed sentiments I've seen shared several times. "Anything but removing Recommended," said Meriç Bağlayan. That comment refers to the fact that you cannot hide the Recommended section of the Start menu. Even if you disable all the content that would appear in that section, Windows 11 just wastes the space with a prompt to turn on Recommended content.

I don't hate the general concept of the Windows 11 Start menu. I'm okay with the fact that Microsoft moved away from Live Tiles and shifted toward a more launcher-like approach to opening apps. But Microsoft took out beloved features, added options few people want, reduced customization options, and refuses to address issues brought up by the community. A few design changes and customization options would go a long way for the Start menu. Until or unless those are made, at least we have a hideous version of category view to play with.

What you need to know

• A former Microsoft employee narrates how he wrote the Start menu for Windows 95.
• Windows 11's Start menu has received considerable backlash from users due to its flawed design and redundancy.
• Microsoft's recent move to bring ads to the Start menu in Windows 11 isn't popular among avid users.

Avid Windows users are in a love-hate relationship with the Start menu in Windows 11. But how did the app come into existence in the first place? Microsoft veteran Dave W. Plummer, aka Dave's Garage, known for his contributions across the Windows ecosystem, including adding ZIP file support to Windows over 30 years ago, recently narrated how he wrote the Start menu for Windows 95. 

In the 6-minute long YouTube video, Plummer admits that developing the Start menu was a team effort. While the former Microsoft employee says the Windows 95 team should take the "lion's share of credit" for developing the Start menu, his efforts are consistent across the app. "I wrote the stuff that paints the stuff that you see in the beginning, and that actually runs the program that you run at the end," added Plummer.

It's worth noting that Windows 95 already had a Start menu but was riddled with critical issues. And though it worked well enough, it said Windows 95. Plummer highlighted Microsoft's plans for the product wouldn't support that moniker. 

According to Plummer:

"We couldn't just change it to Windows NT because that was not going to be the name of the product long term it was Windows NT 4 Professional or Workstation or Advanced server, depending on what product skew you have. And so we needed to put that in the Start menu. And if we had that for all the different languages that Windows NT supported, that would be a huge Matrix of these Bitmaps we would have to create in advance and, hopefully, dynamically load on the fly when you went to render the Start menu, and not take up memory and cash it."

To avoid these issues, Plummer wanted to render the platform live using Graphics Device Interface (GDI) and painted the blue and black gradient on the Start menu. The software engineer indicated that the system would automatically dither the gradient if your PC didn't have all the colors. 

Plummer also pointed out that rendering text was also an issue since, at the time, you couldn't draw sideways text. While it was impossible on Windows 95, Windows NT shipped with a neat feature dubbed coordinate transformations that served as a workaround. It allowed Plummer to render the text at a 90-degree angle, allowing it to fit in the bar. And the rest is history.

Windows 11 users have no love for the Start menu

With a bit of context about the development process of the Start menu, it's evident that it's no easy feat. Over the years, Microsoft's Windows team has added different flavors to the Start menu, but Windows 11's Start menu has received a lot of backlash from users.

Microsoft's decision to bring ads to the Start menu in Windows 11 isn't making things easier. Windows 11's stringent system requirements and flawed design are among the main contributing factors to why many users continue to stick to Windows 10 despite its looming death slated for October 14, 2025. 

Interestingly, despite running Windows 11 on a sophisticated $1,600 device, a former Microsoft software engineer shared his frustrations and referred to the Start menu's performance as "comically bad."

The lack of love for the Windows 11 Start menu has also led to a few alternative options, including Start11 from Stardock, which lets users replace the original menu with one from various eras or make a custom one.

What you need to know

• The latest Windows 11 preview builds include early work for a new "all apps" grid layout.
• The layout takes inspiration from iOS's App Library, which groups apps into categories.
• Users will be able to choose between the traditional apps list or this new categorized grid view.

Microsoft looks to be working on a new layout for the all apps list in the Start menu on Windows 11 that takes some inspiration from the App Library found on iOS and iPadOS. On those platforms, the "all apps" list is automatically categorized and grouped by app type, rather than in a traditional alphabetical list.

This kind of layout looks to be exactly what Microsoft is toying with on Windows 11, as the latest preview builds include early work for such a view, first spotted by phantomofearth on X. While not yet functional, we can see the layout will consist of different categories of apps, along with a preview of four app icons to represent each grouping.

Based on the findings so far, the Start menu will categorize apps into the following groups:

• Productivity
• Photo & Video
• News & Weather
• Entertainment
• Utilities & tools
• Navigation & maps
• Developer tools
• Music
• Other

It seems Microsoft is working on multiple new layouts for all apps list in the Start menu on Windows 11. There's also an alphabetized grid view that doesn't group apps into categories, which appears to be in a much more functional state. This layout is more similar to the app drawer found on Android. 

The Start menu will present a drop-down menu in the apps list letting you switch between each layout on the fly. You can choose between the categorized grid view, the alphabetized grid view, and the traditional all apps list if you prefer. 

Microsoft is yet to officially announce these new layouts for the Start menu apps list, so they could still change or be canceled, but it is interesting to see Microsoft thinking about how it can improve or change the Start menu experience. The Start menu on Windows has remained much the same over the last decade, so it's good to see some potential improvements in the works.

Microsoft recently started rolling out a preview of the new floating sidebar experience for the Start menu, which brings direct access to your mobile device using the Phone Link app on Windows 11. However, this feature doesn't seem to be the best approach or even necessary, and here's why.

The problem

First, the company touts the experience as a feature that allows you to stay connected and effortlessly access your mobile device. However, the interface is nothing more than a collection of links to features inside the Phone Link app. 

The interface dynamically shows a few notifications from emails and messages and some phone details like battery and Bluetooth, but nothing more. You cannot interact with your messages, photos, or calls. Anything you click will open the Phone Link app on that specific feature, including opening a photo, sending or reading a text, or making and receiving calls. 

In other words, aside from the few alerts, you cannot do anything with this experience since you still have to open the Phone Link app to perform any task.

Also, if your phone is already connected to your computer, you probably already have the Phone Link app running on the desktop. As such, having multiple entry points for the same features seems redundant. Furthermore, remember that once you set up your phone, notifications will appear on the desktop and in the "Notifications" panel.

Even further, most users keep their most frequently used apps pinned in the Taskbar, which means that trips to the Start menu are less frequent. Therefore, if you depend on this integration to access your phone, you'll have to access the Start menu more often. Otherwise, you'll be better off using the Phone Link. (Personally, sometimes, I go days without opening the Start menu.)

I understand this is an early preview, and the design might change in the future. However, Microsoft has a history of calling "integration" simple interface elements that only provide links to drive users to other apps and services, which makes me skeptical and wonder if we're not already seeing the final design of this feature.

For instance, when the Copilot (formerly known as Bing Chat) feature was added to the operating system, the company marketed it as an integration. However, it was simply a button that opened the Microsoft Edge browser on the Copilot web page. (To this day, clicking that "Copilot" button from the Windows Search homepage behaves like a link that opens the chatbot AI on the web browser.)

The other issue I notice often is that even though the company rolls out early previews of new features to testers in the Windows Insider Program to get feedback, here is when I think many times Microsoft misses the opportunity to make a feature awesome from the get-go. 

The reason is that the company usually quickly builds and rolls out new features. As a result, sometimes, these features are rushed to users and later improved through updates, but more often than not, when those updates arrive, users are no longer interested because the feature wasn't complete from the beginning, and then we end up with features getting deprecated. 

We have seen many features added and later removed, such as Your People, Meet Now, Chat, and the Copilot sidebar — to name a few.

The good news is that the "Start" settings page also has a new "Show mobile device in Start" toggle switch to turn this feature on or off when connecting a phone to your computer. 

The solution

In my opinion, the Phone Link sidebar for the Start menu is unnecessary since it's redundant and adds more clutter. In this particular case, Microsoft should be working on bringing back Live Tiles within the menu, the ability to resize the Start menu, or other ways to customize the experience without adding more clutter. 

However, if the company is internally planning to open up the sidebar to allow other apps to show different elements, then Microsoft should make a better effort to communicate while developing new features. (I still think the floating sidebar is not a good interface design approach.)

For example, Microsoft should say something along the lines of: This is the design we have today, and you can now perform these actions. However, our plan is to build these tools and settings so you can perform these tasks and make the feature work this way. Also, here's a mockup of the final version we intend to release. 

If the company were to lay out the plan for a feature clearly, users wouldn't be quick to rush to a conclusion about a feature.

It's important to note that an early version of this new sidebar interface for the Start menu was previously found in preview builds of Windows 11, and the design suggests that the company may not limit the sidebar to the Phone Link app. Instead, the feature will open to third-party apps, so developers can add widgets and other functionalities to the right or left side of the Start menu. 

The Phone Link sidebar for the Start menu is currently available for users with devices enrolled in the Beta Channel. It's only available for Android phones, but the company is also working to bring the support to iPhone.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources: 

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

What you need to know

• Microsoft just began testing new Phone Link features among Windows Insiders.
• Key features include being able to view phone information in the Start menu and picking up where you left off when switching from your phone to your PC.
• To try the new features, you need to be a Windows Insider in the Beta Channel.

Microsoft is testing several major additions to Phone Link that will connect your smartphone and your PC. Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel can now try three new features for Phone Link: viewing phone information in the Start menu, accessing phone messages, calls, and photos from the Start menu, and picking up where they left off when switching between a phone and a PC.

The new features are rolling out gradually to Beta Channel Insiders running Windows 11 Build 22635.3790 or later. The new features require Phone Link version 1.24052.124.0 or higher as well.

There are three key features on the way to Phone Link outlined by Microsoft:

• Effortless Connectivity: View your phone’s battery status and connectivity right from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PC.
• Unified Communication: Access your phone messages, calls, and photos directly from Start, ensuring you never miss an important update or moment.
• Continuity of Experience: Pick up where you left off with the latest activities from your phone, all seamlessly integrated into your Start menu experience.

Phone Link already allows you to connect your smartphone and your PC in several ways. The exact feature list depends on if you have an Android device or an iPhone. There's also some variation between different Android phones when using Phone Link. But the new features in testing integrate Phone Link more deeply with Windows 11, bringing information from your smartphone directly into the Start menu.

Though Microsoft has not announced it officially, the tech giant is also working on a feature that lets you navigate files from your smartphone through Windows 11's File Explorer when connected wirelessly.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's intrusive ads and AI campaign in Windows 11 continue to bother most users.
• Win11Debloat is a lightweight PowerShell script designed to remove bloatware apps, declutter the user experience, turn off intrusive interface elements, and block ads in Windows 11.
• The registry files in the 'Regfiles' folder allow users to quickly reverse changes made in Windows 11.

As always, running third-party scripts may potentially harm or render your device unusable. Proceed with caution!

Despite Windows 11 being available for over 3 years, its market share continues to struggle compared to Windows 10, which is set to hit its end-of-support in October 2025. According to StatCounter's desktop Windows version market share worldwide report, Windows 10 dominates the category at 69.89%, followed by a distant Windows 11 with a 26.19% stake.

Avid Windows users have openly expressed their reservations toward Windows 11, citing its flawed design, intrusive interface elements, ads, and bloated nature in general as reasons for choosing to stick to Windows 11 despite its imminent end of support. 

While Microsoft has yet to address some of these critical issues, developers are now taking it upon themselves to create solutions for some of them — Win11Debloat is a great example. 

"Win11Debloat is a simple, easy-to-use, and lightweight PowerShell script that can remove pre-installed Windows bloatware apps, disable telemetry, and declutter the experience by disabling or removing intrusive interface elements, ads, and more. No need to painstakingly go through all the settings yourself or remove apps one by one. Win11Debloat makes the process quick and easy!"

As highlighted above, the third-party tool potentially addresses some of the issues users have long complained about in Windows 11. While it doesn't have a workaround for Microsoft's stringent minimum system requirements, it keeps annoying ads and Copilot (for those who don't find it helpful) at bay. 

Chaff-free Windows 11

Win11Debloat lets users select the specific modifications they'd like to make in Windows. Alternatively, users can use its out-of-box default settings which include:

• Remove the default selection of bloatware apps from this list.
• Disable telemetry, diagnostic data, app-launch tracking & targeted ads.
• Disable & remove bing search & cortana in Windows search.
• Disable tips, tricks, suggestions and ads in start, settings, notifications, Windows explorer, and on the lockscreen.
• Disable Windows Copilot. (Windows 11 only)
• Show file extensions for known file types.
• Disable the widget service & hide the icon from the taskbar.
• Hide the Chat (meet now) icon from the taskbar.
• Hide the 3D objects folder under 'This pc' in Windows explorer. (Windows 10 only)

It's worth noting that you can quickly revert changes made to your system using the registry files that are included in the 'Regfiles' folder, including reinstalling removed apps from the Microsoft Store.  

The tool also ships with the features listed below:

• Remove bloatware apps, with the option to select exactly what apps to remove or keep.
• Remove all pinned apps from the start menu. NOTE: This applies to all existing and new users. (Windows 11 only)
• Disable telemetry, diagnostic data, app-launch tracking & targeted ads.
• Disable & remove bing search & cortana in Windows search.
• Disable tips, tricks, suggestions and ads in start, settings, notifications, Windows explorer, and on the lockscreen.
• Disable Windows Copilot. (Windows 11 only)
• Restore the old Windows 10 style context menu. (Windows 11 only)
• Show hidden files, folders and drives.
• Show file extensions for known file types.
• Hide duplicate removable drive entries from the Windows explorer navigation pane, so only the entry under 'This PC' remains.
• Align taskbar icons to the left. (Windows 11 only)
• Hide or change the search icon/box on the taskbar. (Windows 11 only)
• Hide the taskview button from the taskbar. (Windows 11 only)
• Disable the widget service & hide icon from the taskbar.
• Hide the chat (meet now) icon from the taskbar.
• Hide the 3D objects, music or onedrive folder in the Windows explorer sidepanel. (Windows 10 only)
• Hide the 'Include in library', 'Give access to' and 'Share' options in the context menu. (Windows 10 only)

Microsoft's ad campaign in Windows 11 has gotten extremely annoying, driving a programmer using Linux as her daily driving force to develop a third-party utility tool to keep ads at bay after "getting more and more annoyed by ads in random places."

Last month, a former Microsoft software engineer shared his frustrations with Windows 11 while using the Start menu, indicating it is "comically bad" and has performance issues. Multiple users echoed similar sentiments highlighting the Start menu's shortcomings, including how hard it is to find apps via the Start menu and failure to register keystrokes at times.

What you need to know

• A new third-party app will let you control the opacity of the Start menu and hide its Search bar in Windows 11.
• Microsoft's reluctance to fix the issues flagged by Windows 11 users over its "flawed" Start menu has contributed to the emergence of a multitude of third-party apps. 
• Perhaps this is one of the main reasons Windows 10 continues to dominate the OS market share despite its imminent end-of-support date slated for late next year. 

Am I the only one who feels like there's a third-party app popping up every day to help improve Windows 11's user experience? As it happens, there's a new app on the horizon that's designed to help improve some elements in the Start menu app in Windows 11. 

Windows 11's Start menu has received a lot of backlash over the past few years, mainly because of its flawed design and usefulness with a former Microsoft software engineer even referring to it as "comically bad" due to performance-related issues, despite running the OS on a sophisticated $1,600 device boasting a Core i9 CPU and 128 GB of RAM.

TranslucentSM is a new app designed to help Windows 11 users spruce up the aesthetic appeal of the Start menu (via Neowin). As the name suggests, the app will help you configure the opacity of the Start menu in Windows 11. 

Interestingly, the app features a new capability that lets users hide the Search bar if they don't find it useful in Windows 11's Start menu. If you've already been using the utility, the capability might not work as expected if you're running on older versions of the app. However, the issue has been patched via a new update bumping it to version 0.6.9. 

At the beginning of the year, former Windows Experiences lead Mikhail Parakhin admitted scrolling through apps via the Start menu in Windows 11 "annoyed the hell out" of him while responding to UX/UI requests by Windows users on X. He indicated that he'd push the team to address this issue to "make the Start menu."

Are third-party apps the only solution for Windows 11's flawed design?

Windows 10 continues to dominate the Windows OS market share globally despite Microsoft's big AI push in Windows 11, and its imminent end-of-support date slated for October 2025. 

Avid Windows users have blatantly expressed their reservations towards Windows 11, citing its stringent minimum system requirements and tough economic times (though the PC market is on an upward trajectory with the emergence of AI PCs) coupled with the OS's flawed design — the Start menu app in Windows 11, in particular, is unpopular among most users.

Consequently, there's been an increase in the number of third-party apps popping up specifically designed to "fix" Windows 11's flawed design. Stardock, the company behind Start11, WindowsBlinds, and more, has made a household name for itself when it comes to the best alternative apps for Windows 11. 

Last week, we covered a new third-party app dubbed Oh Frick Go Back developed by a programmer using Linux to help keep ads at bay on your Windows 11 device. Microsoft's intrusive and persistent ad campaign in Windows 11 even led to the reincarnation of Clippy from the Microsoft Graveyard powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT. Winpilot lets users control their device settings, but a recent update for the tool helps remove ads from Windows 11.

What you need to know

• Microsoft may be adding the ability to display widgets next to the Start menu on Windows 11.
• The latest Windows 11 preview build includes early plumbing work for showing "Adaptive Cards" in Start.
• Adaptive Cards is what developers can use to create widget-like experiences on Windows and in apps.

It looks like Microsoft is working on a significant update to the Start menu on Windows 11 that will allow users to display widgets (or widget-like experiences) on either side of the interface. 

Spotted by @thebookisclosed on X, the latest Windows 11 preview build appears to include early plumbing work for displaying Adaptive Cards alongside the Start menu. Specifically, there are references to a "CompanionCardReader," which sounds like an extensible framework that will allow widgets to appear on either the left or right side of Start.

Because this looks to be extensible, developers will be able to build their own experiences for the Start menu. The feature is in a very early state currently, so it's not actually functional just yet. Thanks to @thebookisclosed, we do get to see what this feature might look like, which includes a sidebar interface that floats alongside the left or right side of the Start menu. 

The ability to place widgets in the Start menu has been a feature that users have been asking for since Windows 11 first debuted in 2021. After live tiles were killed off, users have been yearning for an interface paradigm that can show more information about their favorite apps in the Start menu, and being able to show widgets alongside Start might just be the answer to those prayers.

It's unclear when Microsoft intends to formally announce this new feature, or if it's just an internal experiment that will never see the light of day. Microsoft is hosting a special Windows event on May 20 where it plans to unveil new Windows features, so maybe we will hear more about these Start menu improvements then. 

What you need to know

• Maddy, a programmer using Linux as her daily driver recently developed a third-party tool to help Windows users remove ads from Windows 11.
• "Getting more and more annoyed by ads in random places" prompted the programmer to develop the neat tool, Oh Frick Go Back (OFGB).
• The tool lets you check boxes of sections where you don't want ads to feature in your Windows OS without necessarily having to navigate to the registry, which can especially be a hassle for non-technical users. 
• There has been an increase in third-party tools emerging to help solve the ad issue in Windows 11, including Winpilot and Start11.

Microsoft shipped Windows 11 to broad availability over three years ago, but its performance has fallen short of many users' expectations. This is particularly because of its flawed design among other issues. 

The tech giant's decision to start testing showing ads in the Start menu's "Recommended" section on Windows 11 has been received with mixed reactions. The ads in the Start menu's 'Recommended' area on Windows 11 feature "recommended" websites and apps, alongside a brief description. Luckily, users can turn the ads off. 

As it happens, a new tool is on the horizon that will help you steer clear of these issues. While going through my feed on Reddit, I stumbled on a neat tool dubbed Oh Frick Go Back (OFGB). As the name suggests, it lets you disable ads in Windows 11, including Lock Screen Tips ads, Start menu ads, Personalized ads, and more.

I Got Tired Of Windows 11 Ads So I Made A Tool - OFGB from r/Windows11

OFGB is Maddy's brainchild ( (@xM4ddy on GitHub), a programmer who predominantly runs on Linux but decided to develop the tool after encountering an error while trying to run sudo pacman -R ads. It ships with a comprehensive list of ads you may encounter across the Windows operating system. More importantly, once you click on a checkbox indicating you don't want ads to feature in that specific section of your OS. The tool edits the registry to reflect the same information.

While speaking to our sister site, Tom's Hardware about the tool and why she prefers using Linux over Windows, Maddy indicated:

"I think the most important thing the tool has done is getting people to talk about ads and their place in paid software like Windows."

Maddy added competition is crucial for consumers, who should also consider dabbling with alternative software apart from the dominant Windows OS like Linux. Building on this premise, the programmer indicated removing ads on an operating system is a breeze, especially when running Linux. 

Despite being a Linux user, Maddy felt the need to develop the tool after "getting more and more annoyed by ads in random places." She says she found the answer to this issue immediately after coming across a .reg file by Shawn Brink. 

According to her, the app's GUI makes it more accessible to non-technical users since it provides a clear path to set registry keys without necessarily in-depth registry knowledge. Users also run the risk of mistakenly entering typos which could potentially lead to more complex issues. 

Users don't want ads in Windows 11

Interestingly, there's been an increase in third-party solutions for this issue, including Stardock's Start11. It is arguably the best alternative for Windows 11's Start menu since it ships with customization options that allow you to keep Microsoft's unwanted ads on the Start menu at bay.

Ads aren't the only issue riddling Windows 11's operating system or the Start menu. Last month, a former Microsoft software engineer shared his frustrations with Windows 11 while using the Start menu, indicating it is "comically bad" and has performance issues. Multiple users echoed similar sentiments highlighting the Start menu's shortcomings, including how hard it is to find apps via the Start menu and failure to register keystrokes at times. 

Microsoft's decision to integrate more ads in its Windows OS is an unpopular opinion among most users leading to the reincarnation of Clippy from the Microsoft Graveyard, but powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT. Winpilot lets users control their device settings, but a recent update for the tool helps remove ads from Windows 11.

What you need to know

• The next monthly Windows 11 update will add ads to the Recommended section of the Windows 11 Start menu.
• Microsoft adding ads to Windows 11 as a whole has proven controversial, and the new form of app promotion has drawn criticism.
• Start11, which allows you to replace the default Start menu with a customizable one, is currently on sale.
• An ad campaign for Start11's discount focuses on the fact that the application allows you to remove ads from your Start menu.

Windows 11 already has several ads within it, but Microsoft plans to add more next month. Starting with the monthly update set to roll out in May, the Recommended section of the Start menu will show promoted apps. These ads drew criticism from many when they entered testing and when they began rolling out in an optional update this week. While it is possible to turn the ads off, some prefer to shift away from the default Start menu entirely, which is where Start11 comes in.

Start11 is an alternative Start menu that has several customization options. You can choose different styles, such as replicating the look of the Windows 10 or Windows 7 Start menus. It can also make a cleaner version of the Windows 11 Start menu without any ads or promotional content. Right now, you can get Start11 with support for five simultaneous activations for $12.49. That discount cuts 16% off the normal price but requires you to use the code ADFREEAPRIL to get the deal.

If you only need Start11 on a single device, you can get a single activation for $9.99 (normal price).

Some have run into issues when using programs that alter the Windows 11 Start menu, but Start11 is unaffected by those blocks.

The sad state of Windows

You shouldn't have to use a third-party piece of software to get an ad-free experience on Windows 11. You definitely shouldn't have to pay to remove ads. But considering Microsoft doesn't even give you the option to use Windows 11 without ads, it's nice that Stardock stepped up.

Of course, Start11 is valuable for reasons other than its ad-free Start menu. It supports a variety of styles, is easily customizable, and plays nicely with the taskbar. But even if you only used Start11 to create an exact replica of the default Windows 11 Start menu but without ads, the program is worth trying.

Windows 11 was already a billboard for Microsoft services. It's now also virtual ad space for apps from other companies. I assume Microsoft makes quite a bit of money off these promotions or we'd see something like Windows 11 Home having ads and Windows 11 Pro being ad-free. The fact that Microsoft won't even allow people to pay to remove ads suggests the company makes more money off promotions than people would be willing to pay.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has began testing showing ads in the Start menu's "Recommended" area on Windows 11.
• The ads will consist of "recommended" websites and apps, along with brief descriptions.
• This change will apply to Windows 11 Home and Pro, but users can turn it off.

In the last six months, Microsoft has ramped up how and where it tries to advertise apps and services to you. The company is already bringing more of MSN to the Windows 10 and Windows 11 lock screen, the Widgets panel is a glorified advertisement board, and the Settings app now wastes no time trying to get you to subscribe to Microsoft 365.

Now, Microsoft is looking to open up advertising in another area of the Windows Shell, specifically, the Windows 11 Start menu's "Recommended" area, which the company says will now showcase apps and websites it thinks you might be interested in trying out. This change is currently in preview testing, so it may not ship if enough users file feedback about it.

If it does ship, users will have the option to turn it off if they want. To do this, just head into Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off "Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more" will disable the ads from showing in the Start menu. This is how Microsoft announced the "feature:"

"We are now trying out recommendations to help you discover great apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu. This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the U.S. and will not apply to commercial devices (devices managed by organizations). This can be turned off by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more.”

This change is just one of many recent ones designed to promote apps and services on top of Windows. Some users may find it useful to see recommended apps and websites in the Start menu, and app developers will definitely appreciate the extra opportunity to promote their app. 

What you need to know

• A former Microsoft software engineer recently shared his frustrations with Windows 11 while using the Start menu, which he says is "comically bad" and riddled with performance issues.
• Multiple users have reiterated the software engineer's sentiments and indicated that it's hard to find apps using the platform, citing that it fails to register some keystrokes.
• Microsoft is reportedly looking into the performance issues.

A former senior software engineer, Andy Young, who worked at Microsoft for over 13 years, recently took to his X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustrations, citing Windows 11 performance issues while referring to the Start menu as "comically bad" (via Neowin).

Attached to Andy Young's post on X is a video highlighting the performance issues he's talking about. This is despite running Windows 11 on a sophisticated $1600 device boasting a Core i9 CPU and 128 GB of RAM (well above Microsoft's strict minimum system requirements for Windows 11).

The post on X has gone viral with multiple users highlighting their frustrations with the app. Several users cited the Start menu's poor performance, indicating it often lags making it hard to search for apps. As sarcastically highlighted by Young, "My favorite Windows feature is opening the Start menu, typing "notepad", hitting Enter, and having it open Edge to a Bing search for "otepad"."

Interestingly, at the beginning of the year, Microsoft's former Windows Experiences lead, Mikhail Parakhin, highlighted some aspects of the Start menu in Windows 11 that he doesn't like. The most notable is the inability to scroll through their entire list of apps via the Start menu without clicking on the 'All apps' option. At the time, the Windows lead indicated that he was pushing his team to work on a fix for one of the most annoying things with the Start menu in Windows 11.

However, Microsoft's Windows department has a new boss now. The tech giant recently underwent a reorg that saw the Windows team transition back to the Engineering + Devices organization, led by Rajesh Jha. Pavan Davuluri, who previously led Microsoft's hardware efforts will also lead the Windows engineering team. 

Microsoft is seemingly more focused and inclined towards its AI efforts on Windows if the past few months are anything to go by. According to a leaked internal memo, the company is moving most employees from the Teams chat app umbrella to support its Copilot AI projects. This is despite the EU Commission's mounting pressure on it, which eventually prompted it to unbundle the Teams app from its Office 365 package globally.

This is amid Microsoft testing new features that could see Copilot pop-up like an unwanted ad on your desktop if you so much as tickle the taskbar icon. It is also testing a new update for Windows 11 that will change how users interact with the notification center on tablets. Instead of letting you access your notifications, it will now launch Copilot.

Could it get any worse at this point?

There might be light at the end of the tunnel after all. Andy Young shared that 'Jen' reached out to him and indicated that Microsoft is actively looking into the performance issues highlighted by users regarding the Start menu in Windows 11. 

RELATED: Microsoft aggressively pushes ads to Windows 11's Start menu

While this is left to speculation as Young didn't categorically say who Jen was, there's a high chance he was referring to Jen Gentleman. Jen is part of Microsoft's Windows engineering team and helps with feedback for the Start menu, Settings, taskbar, input, and more. She often shares neat keyboard shortcuts, too. 

At the end of 2023, we looked comprehensively at the state of Windows coming into 2024. Perhaps, what stood out the most was the reluctance of users to transition to Windows 11 despite Windows 10's imminent end of support date slated for October 2025.

According to StatCounter, Windows 10 still dominates the Windows operating system market share with a 69.04% stake. Windows 11 stacks miles from Windows 10 at second place with a mere 26.72% stake. A few factors have contributed to this, including Microsoft's stringent system requirements for Windows 11 and the operating system's flawed design.

READ MORE: Microsoft extends Windows 10 users a lifeline beyond 2025 but at an exorbitant price

Multiple Windows 11 users have blatantly expressed their dislike for Windows 11's Start menu, and these sentiments couldn't be any louder. This might be why we are seeing third-party alternatives for Windows apps like Stardock's Start11 become popular among users. A recent update for the app added rounded corners to Windows 11's taskbar, making the OS look like the next version of Windows.

What you need to know

• Windows 11 may soon show promoted apps within the Recommended section of the Start menu.
• The functionality was spotted in testing recently when a keen-eyed user noticed a subtle change in the text description of a Windows 11 setting.
• Microsoft has promoted apps in the Start menu before, though that decision proved controversial.
• Windows 11 pins some promoted apps within the Start menu when you install the operating system, but the new option would allow ads to appear within the Recommended section as well.

Windows 11 may soon have another way to promote apps through the Start menu. A setting that's now in testing by Microsoft will allow Windows 11 to show promoted apps within the Recommended section of the Start menu. The option was shown by X user PhantomOfEarth, whose screenshots show that the functionality can be enabled or disabled with a toggle.

"Looks like the Start menu's Recommended section will be getting app promotions, similar to suggested apps in Start in Windows 10," said PhantomOfEarth. "This can be toggled off from Settings (Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more)."

The concept of promoted apps is not new to Windows. Microsoft had apps appear in Windows 10, drawing criticism and causing controversy. While it was possible to uninstall the promotional apps and disable app suggestions in the Windows 10 Start menu, many were unhappy with Microsoft listing apps that users had shown no interest in.

Windows 11, even in its current state, is not immune from promoted apps. Clean installs of Windows 11 have several apps pinned to the Start menu. Many of those are not actually installed on your system, but instead are shortcuts to installing the app in question with a single click. The new option spotted recently is about promoted apps within the Recommended section of the Start menu.

Windows 11 can show apps in the Recommended section of the Start menu, but only newly installed apps. The setting currently reads "show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more." If you install an app on Windows 11, it can appear in the Recommended section of the Start menu if you'd like.

The phrasing shared by PhantomOfEarth states "show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more." It seems safe to assume that app promotion would be for apps you don't have installed.

The change would give Microsoft yet another way to promote apps through the Start menu. Assuming the company goes forward with the change, you'd see some promoted apps pinned to the Start menu when first installing Windows 11 and then more promoted apps in the Recommend section.

What's an ad?

The definition of an ad is surprisingly fuzzy these days. For example, just over half of polled participants (52.47%) considered a prompt in the Start menu to back up files to OneDrive an ad. 

Even Microsoft seems unsure if it should call app recommendations ads. According to PhantomOfEarth, some previous beta builds of Windows 11 referred to the recommendations as ads. The current text in testing refers to them as "app promotions." I'd certainly qualify the promotion of an app an ad, but I've been surprised by how people view prompts in Windows before.

Microsoft shifted its business model regarding Windows years ago. The operating system is no longer just a way to access popular programs. It is a pathway to monetization through Microsoft services. The addition of app promotion creates another revenue stream for Microsoft through its operating system.

What you need to know

• Stardock recently shipped a new update to its Start11 V2 app.
• The update ships with new features, including an auto-hide option for the taskbar and more.
• It also features several bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements.

Stardock recently released a new update to its Start11 v2 app, bumping it to version 2.06. The new build ships new features, bug fixes, and several quality-of-life improvements.

The update ships with a new option that lets users auto-hide the taskbar from the right-click menu. It also adds "universal apps, all apps, and steam apps as options for quick access shortcut menu links."

According to Stardock:

"All of these features are the result of direct feedback from our users and is our commitment to making Start11 v2 not only the most advanced Start menu experience for Windows, but also one that is shaped by those who use it every day."

As usual, the new Start11 update should roll out automatically, but you can trigger it manually by launching the app and having it check for newer updates.

Last year, Stardock shipped an update to its Start11 app that added rounded corners to the taskbar, ultimately making it look like the next version of Windows.  

Righting Microsoft's shortcomings one feature at a time

Multiple users have blatantly expressed dissatisfaction with Windows 11's Start menu. Besides the strict minimum requirements to run Windows 11, its flawed design is also one of the main reasons most users are reluctant to upgrade from Windows 10. This is despite Microsoft's relentless efforts to try and get users to transition (including the use of aggressive pop-up ads) and the fact that Windows 10 is set to hit its end-of-support in October 2025. 

While Microsoft has made subtle improvements to the app, it doesn't seem enough (at least for most users). Perhaps this is why we are seeing an influx of third-party software tools, like the Files app (which serves as an alternative to Windows 11's File Explorer app), aimed at fixing some of the issues outlined by users.

What you need to know

• Stardock recently shipped a new update to its Start11 V2 app, bumping it to version 2.05.
• The update ships with bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements.
• It also includes a new enhancement that will let users pin websites on the Start menu.

Stardock just shipped a new update to its Start11 v2 app, bumping it to version 2.05. The build ships with the usual bug fixes coupled with quality-of-life improvements. But perhaps the most notable addition to this new update is the capability to pin websites to the Start menu.

This means you can pin some of your most visited or favorite websites on your Windows 11 or 10 Start menu alongside your pinned apps and folders. Stardock shared their experience with the new capability in Start11:

"The way we use this feature at Stardock, is that we create web-links to many of our key dashboards on Jira and PowerBI. It's a small enhancement but one that continues to make Start11 v2 the most advanced Start menu experience for Windows 10 and 11."

The Start menu seems like a flop for most users

Users are less than impressed with the stock Start menu on Windows 11 for many reasons. Even Microsoft's Windows lead, Parakhin Mikhail, thinks the Start menu is annoying in some aspects, especially when users are forced to click on the "All apps" options to scroll through the entire list of apps installed on the device via the Start menu. However, the Microsoft executive pointed out that he is pushing his team to work on a fix for this.

One of our readers, naddy69, also shared the following sentiments on the same post covering Parakhin pushing his Windows team to fix the Start menu's most annoying issue:

"I swear I don't understand the purpose of the start menu. Other than right-clicking it to shutdown/hibernate, I have not used it in 25 years. To me, it is a colossal waste of time to launch apps via Start."

RELATED: Windows Central Start11 review

Another reader, Kaymd, also commented on the same post and pointed out that the Start menu was much better on Windows 10:

"There's actually also the very annoying case of newly installed apps.
In Windows 10, any newly installed app (Win32 or UWP) automatically shows up at the top of the all apps list. Simple, fast, and elegant solution. Immediately visible and accessible on clicking the Start button. You don't even need to remember the exact name of the app you just installed because it's featured right at the top of the all apps list in Start staring at you."

"Now in Win 11, it's amazingly been removed. If your 'Recommended' section is also disabled, you are out of luck because the all apps list does not feature this at the top of the list. You have to remember the exact name of the newly installed app to find it and 'Pin to Start' for quick access."

"Windows 10 Start is unquestionably superior to Win 11. It's not even close. I deliberately keep a few machines permanently on Win 10 to remind me of when Start was great."

If you have the Start11 v2 app on your Windows PC, the update should roll out to you automatically. Alternatively, you can trigger it manually by clicking on your taskbar and selecting Configure Start11. Next, click About and select Check Now to search for the latest updates. 

What you need to know

• Windows lead at Microsoft, Mikhail Parakhin, has pointed out that he'll push his team to work on a fix for one of the most annoying things with the Start menu in Windows 11.
• Users will soon be able to scroll through their entire list of apps via the Start menu without clicking on the 'All apps' option.
• Parakhin has also asked users to vote on which UX framework in Windows Microsoft should invest more, so we're likely to see more improvements throughout the year. 

For an operating system that has been available for over two years now, Windows 11's adoption rate is rather slow. A few factors can be attributed to this, including Microsoft's strict system requirements for the OS, the dramatic shift in the PC market, and flaws in its design.

The Start menu in Windows 11 isn't improving things, drawing criticism and causing controversy over the years. Our Managing Editor, Jez Corden, is also one of the Windows users who view the Start menu in Windows 11 as a flop. Further sharing the sentiments highlighted below:

"If you can't make it work for me, if you can't give me control over it, just let me bloody well turn it off, without punishing me with a passive-aggressive message and a pile of wasted Start menu space. It's straight-up bad design."

As it turns out, Jez isn't alone in this. Microsoft's lead for the Windows client, Mikhail Parakhin, shares the same sentiments, as spotted by Neowin. While ushering in the New Year, Mark Szili, a user on X (formerly Twitter,) reached out to the Windows lead with a request. 

The user pointed out how annoying and tedious it is to scroll through apps via the Start menu in Windows 11. If the app you're looking for isn't featured or pinned to the Start menu's home page, you'll need to click on the 'All apps' option to access all the apps on your device.

Parakhin shared the same sentiments as the user, further citing:

"That is so true! Annoys the hell out of me, too. Pushing the team - we need to make Start menu great again."

We're likely going to see this change soon. At the same time, Microsoft's next Windows 11 feature drop is slated for early 2024, and We expect the company to bring more quality-of-life improvements to the Start menu during this drop. 

RELATED: The state of Windows as 2023 ends 

For context, the conversation started when the Windows lead posted a poll on his X timeline asking users which UX framework in Windows the company should invest more in. At the time of writing, per the poll results, users seem more interested in WinUI 3 than anything else.

Third-party software feels like an "easy fix" for now

In the past few years, the emergence of third-party tools designed to serve as better alternatives for Windows 11 apps, including Stardock's Start 11 and the Files app.

READ MORE: How to get started with the Files app on Windows 11 to replace File Explorer

For instance, when you compare the stock Files Explorer app in Windows 11 with the Files app, you'll notice that the latter ships with a modern and different file manager experience. Perhaps the best alternative for a user looking to add a modern look to their File Explorer while looking to retain most of the platform's crucial elements.

Stardock is a master at its craft with Start11, which also serves as the best alternative for the Start menu in Windows 11. The company has doubled down in its efforts to push updates to the app frequently, potentially fixing most of the issues that Windows users have with the Start menu.

Admittedly, Microsoft has made several modifications and improvements to Windows 11. But is this enough to get people to transition from Windows 10 to Windows with the fast-approaching October 2025 end-of-support date? Share your thoughts in the comments!

What you need to know

• Stardock recently shipped a new update to its Start11 alternative to the stock Windows 11 Start menu.
• The update adds no new features but ships with improvements and fixes.
• Additional support for nine languages, including German, Spanish, French, and more, is included in the v2.03 update.

At the beginning of this month, Stardock shipped a significant update to Start11, which added rounded corners to Windows 11's taskbar, making the operating system look like the 'next version of Windows.' And now, the company has shipped another update to the platform yet again, bumping Start 11 to version 2.03 at Github. Compared to the previous update, version 2.03 doesn't ship with any new features, but it adds support for nine languages alongside many fixes and improvements. The long list of supported languages includes:

According to the release notes:

"There are other languages that have been included that have been submitted and maintained by the community. While they will be included in future releases, they will not be 'officially supported."

Windows 11 has been available for over two years now, but its adoption rate isn't where it's supposed to be, especially since its predecessor, Windows 10, is set to hit its end-of-support date in October 2025. 

This can be attributed to a long list of reasons, including the strict minimum system requirements for running Windows 11, the shift in the PC market, tough economic times, and more.

But what stands out (at least for many people) is the aesthetic appeal of the OS. Windows 11's Start menu seems to be a major issue and is considered a flawed design. Luckily, Start11 is here to help them personalize it based on their preferences. 

START11 v 2.03: FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS

• Initial language localization pass included. Please click here for more details.
• Resolved a possible crash when combining two groups as a tab group if no other tab groups exist
• Resolved issue 2.02 beta introduced with a crash when the icon cache changed on Win10
• Resolved issue where a Fence as a group would not save the number of rows it should show correctly
• Resolved an issue with an icon cache flush causing wrong icons to show in the UI sometimes
• Added registry key "S11_PutUniversalAppsInFolderByDefault" which when given a value of "1" will put universal apps in a Universal apps folder in the Win10/11/Pro/Launcher/App menus. Create in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Start8\Start8.ini\Start8
• Added registry key "S11_NoMenuAnimations" which when given a value of "1" which will turn off right click menu animations. Create in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Start8\Start8.ini\Start8
• Some tweaks to enhanced taskbar to prevent apps from sending too many messages to the taskbar causing it to slow down
• Recently installed now correctly shows Universal apps installed from the store
• Recently installed apps (Win10/11/Pro/App/Launcher) menus now only show items as 'recent' within 1.5 days of install
• Recent items popup menus now filter out some additional items
• Resolved issue with global font scaling in Start11 being deactivated briefly when opening right-click menus
• Added detection for Fences 5 installs when Fences 4 had not been installed before
• Resolved issue with Fences 5 show desktop button on the taskbar not working with Enhanced taskbar enabled
• Resolved taskbar icon changes not always being picked up correctly by Start11 with Enhanced taskbar enabled
• Resolved missing icons on the Start10 style search
• Added everything support to Start10 style search mode
• Resolved issue with shutdown and signout menus in Win10 style sometimes losing focus to what is under them
• Resolved the issue of having too many items in a folder resulting in being unable to see all of the items. It will now scroll them instead.
• Resolved autohide taskbar showing up on secondary when start menu open on the primary
• Resolved an issue with the taskbar opening from autohide too early if the taskbar was offset from the bottom of the screen in some situations
• Resolved issue with multiple column menus showing at the top of the screen sometimes
• Resolved issue with right-clicking on recent documents link and picking open causing an error prompt about a missing user account
• Menus with multiple columns now show A-Z per column rather than spreading A-Z over each column
• Added registry key "S11_DelayAutoHide" which when given a value of "1" will delay autohide show/hide. Create in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Start8\Start8.ini\Start8
• Resolved a crash issue with Win7 style on login in rare circumstances
• Resolved an issue with enhanced taskbar autohide when the primary monitor is to the right of the secondary monitor with desktop icon placement
• Resolved issue with clicking on pinned taskbar buttons set to only show on certain monitors not showing a right-click menu
• Resolved issue with mixed dpi setups where right-click menus may not detect dpi changes consistently
• Resolve the issue with offset taskbar mode with autohide on a secondary.
• Limited recent docs popup menu to 15 items (or OS setting if defined)
• Reduced a flicker when minimizing/restoring a window from the taskbar using the mouse
• Adjusted some init code to prevent threads from being allocated earlier than needed
• Tweak to extra control panel item showing
• Resolved issue with rounded taskbar causing clipped taskbars on primary monitor when using a touch-capable device with Win11 22H2 or later
• Resolved issue with taskbar offsets on secondary monitor without enhanced taskbar enabled not working correctly
• Tweaked shutdown menu to stop list under it taking focus sometimes
• Added registry key S11_AlwaysScrollMenus which when set to 1 will stop Start11 making menus multi column and instead use a scrolling list. Create in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Start8\Start8.ini\Start8
• Resolved issue with Win7/Modern style jumplists sometimes showing each item too small after switching menu modes
• Added a new registry key to control the right-click menu style on Windows 11. It is called "S11_MenuMode" and it has 3 options. 0 = translucent menus, 1 = solid menus, 2 = colour tinted translucent menus
• Resolved all apps/steam apps list not working from a pinned taskbar folder if you are using the Win7/Modern menu styles
• Resolved issue with sub menus showing far left of the screen when they would not fit next to the open menu on multi-column menus
• Resolved issue with new Start11 autohide taskbar mode triggering too far from the bottom of the screen vs the primary
• Resolved issue with Win 7/modern menu with Win10 style all apps tree not having Show Recently installed and suggested apps not refreshing the list instantly
• Resolved issue with right-hand list on start menu flickering over search results during animation to switch to search mode sometimes with Win 7/modern menu styles
• Resolved issue with leftover tooltip after launching an app from the menu if the tooltip was visible at the time
• Altered config UI to grey out the settings for rounded taskbars unless the rounded taskbar is enabled as this may be causing confusion
• Resolved menus sometimes being the wrong background color depending on OS color settings
• Resolved sub-menus showing on popup folder menus being shifted too far right on Win11 setups
• Resolved Win Launcher menu style when hiding search and username causing shutdown to overlap contents of the list

Are you a fan of Windows 11's Start menu, or do you use Start11 to add a bit of flavour to it? Let us know in the comments.

What you need to know

• Stardock recently shipped a new update to Start11, adding more than two dozen new features, including rounded corners to the taskbar.
• Start11 v2 is also getting an updated search experience with native integration with the Everything search engine.
• The update will allow users to backup and restore their settings from a file.
• Other notable changes include Improved animations when navigating within the Start menus.

If you're one of the many users who detests the Start menu on Windows 11 or would like to add a little flavor to it, then Stardocks's Start11 is right up your alley. For those unfamiliar with the program, it lets users customize the Windows 10 and 11 Start menu experience with unique features, designs and restores classic functionality from previous versions of Windows.  

A significant update recently shipped to the platform, adding three new Start menu styles, which, according to Stardock, neatly blend with Windows 11 and 10. Moreover, each style is focused on a different theme, ranging from Apps, Professional, and Launcher. Moreover, they are fully customizable.

The most recent update, shipping to the platform, allows users to round the corners of the taskbar. This adds a modern touch to it and, as highlighted by Stardock, "makes your desktop look like the next version of Windows."

Start11 v2 is also gaining an updated search experience with native integration with the Everything search engine. Users will also have the capability to backup and restore their settings from a file.

Other notable changes include:

• Improved animations when navigating within the Start menus
• Tinting for a unified icon experience
• Options for removing folders from the ‘all apps list’

Do you use Stardock Start 11? If so, let us know in comments the main reason (or feature) that makes you prefer it over the stock Start menu.

In the Windows 11 2023 Update, Microsoft is rolling out several visual changes and enhancements for the Taskbar and Start menu, making these experiences more valuable and customizable.

The Taskbar is the one receiving the most improvements. For example, in this release, you will once again be able to ungroup and show labels. A new entry has been added to terminate apps without resourcing to the Task Manager, and the Chat feature has been replaced for the Microsoft Teams free app, and you can now hide the clock from the System Tray.

As part of the Start menu changes, the second feature update for Windows 11 brings hover previews for cloud files, categorizes the system from non-system components, and adds new settings to control account notifications and more.

This guide will dive deep into the new changes and improvements that Microsoft includes in the Taskbar and Start menu for the Windows 11 2023 Update (and after installing the October 2023 update for version 22H2).

Taskbar changes on Windows 11 2023 Update

In this new feature update of Windows 11, the Taskbar is receiving several visual improvements and changes.

Combine buttons 

As part of the Windows 11 2023 Update, the development team is bringing back the ability to show labels and every instance of an application in the Taskbar. 

Once you install the feature update, on Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, under the "Taskbar behaviors" settings, you will find the "Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels" settings to allow users to show labels in different ways, including "Never," "When taskbar is full," or "Always." Also, the system offers a separate setting for turning this feature on for other Taskbars when using multiple displays.

The "Never" option makes sure that the Taskbar shows labels and removes the grouping feature for apps. 

The "When taskbar is full" option also shows labels and ungroups apps, but when the Taskbar is full of items, the system will start grouping apps again, and it'll continue to show labels when possible.

The "Always" option maintains the original configuration of the Taskbar.

Volume mixer 

In this release, the Taskbar is also introducing a redesigned volume mixer through the Quick Settings fly out. The updated interface now includes a modern mixer to change the audio levels per app and the ability to change device output on demand.

If the device is compatible, it's possible to turn Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos on or off from the Quick Settings fly out.

Furthermore, you can now use the "Windows key + Ctrl + V" keyboard shortcut to open the volume mixer.

Cast 

On Windows 11, Cast is a feature that allows you to extend the display canvas to another monitor from another computer, external display, or television wirelessly.

Although the purpose of the feature remains unchanged, on version 23H2, the development team is making changes to make the feature easier to find and set up. The company is accomplishing this by adding suggestions to make use of the feature through a toast notification when the system detects that you're engaging in multitasking activities or using Snap Assist.

In addition, the feature has been updated to provide steps to manually install the "Wireless Display" feature, as it's an essential part of the experience, and it offers improvements to make it easier to find the device in other devices through the "Project this PC" page.

Camera

On Windows 11, when the camera has issues, the system will provide a toast notification that allows you to open the "Get Help" app to troubleshoot and resolve the problem.

End task 

As part of the improvements, the Taskbar context menu is gaining an "End Task" option that allows you to terminate an application without opening the Task Manager or Settings app.

The only caveat is that you must enable the option manually on Settings > System > For Developers, as the "End task" option was primarily designed for developers who are more likely to come across problems during the development process of applications.

Also, the context menu for the network icon in the System tray will now include the "Diagnose network problems" option to access the "Get Help" app to troubleshoot and resolve networking issues faster.

Chat

On the Windows 11 2023 Update, you will also notice that the "Chat" button is missing and no longer available from the "Taskbar" settings, and that's because the experience is being replaced by the Microsoft Team (free) edition.

Since this experience is no longer attached to the Taskbar, you can right-click and unpin the app. You can also remove the app from the "Installed apps" page in the Settings app.

Copilot

The Taskbar will also include the option to interact with the new Windows Copilot. 

"Windows Copilot" or "Copilot" is the new AI chatbot that Microsoft is building to replace Cortana on laptops, tablets, and desktop computers.

The chatbot is the Bing Chat experience with support for third-party extensions and deeper integration with the operating system, which allows AI to perform additional tasks, including changing system settings.

You can always add or remove the feature from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar under the "Taskbar items" section.

Taskbar settings

In the Taskbar settings page, you will also find a few new changes in addition to the "Copilot" option. For example, the company is separating the "Search" settings into another section where you can choose the style and whether the search home should open on hover.

Also, as mentioned above, in the "Taskbar behavior" settings, the development team is adding settings to control labels and the grouping of apps.

Furthermore, it's now possible to hide the time and date from the System Tray, but the option isn't on the Taskbar page. Instead, the "Show time and date in the System Tray" option is available on Settings > Time & language > Date & time.

Notifications

On the notification side of things, Microsoft is updating the bell icon in a few ways. For example, the icon will no longer show a counter for the number of unread notifications. Also, when there are no notifications, the bell icon will appear empty, and when you have new notifications, the icon will be colorized using the accent color of Windows 11.

Furthermore, when critical notifications are displayed when the "Do not disturb" feature is enabled while using applications at full screen, a "View notification" button will now appear to view the content of the notification. 

Task View 

Also, in the Task View, when navigating between the available virtual desktops, labels will be shown, and new sliding animations have been implemented when switching desktops with trackpad gestures, touch gestures, keyboard shortcuts, or clicking on the Task View fly out.

Start menu changes on Windows 11 2023 Update

The Start menu on the Windows 11 2023 Update isn't receiving a lot of improvements, but in the "Recommended" section, you can now hover over files to view a preview of its content.

The information available in the preview will depend on the location of the file. For example, on devices enrolled using an Azure Active Directory account, the preview will include richer information. On the other hand, when using a Microsoft account, you will only be able to see the path, a link to open the file, and comments.

If you right-click a document stored in the cloud, the context menu will also offer an option to share the file using the OneDrive sharing interface.

Starting on Windows 11 version 23H2, the Start menu now adds the "System" labels for features, tools, and apps considered system components. You will notice this label in the "All apps" menu and search results.

Also, on Settings > Personalization > Start, you will find two options, including "Show websites from your browsing history" and "Show account-related notifications."

The first option allows you to decide whether to display recent websites in the "Recommended" section of the Start menu.

The second option allows you to control badge notifications for Microsoft and local accounts. For example, if you enable the feature and you use a Microsoft account on Windows 11, you may receive notifications to set up a file backup to your OneDrive account.

On the other hand, if you use a local account, the Start menu may show you notifications in the profile menu to sign up and the benefits of using a Microsoft account.

Microsoft also notes that European Economic Area (EEA) users will now require consent to share data between the operating system and Microsoft services. If you don't accept the consent, some functionality in features may be unavailable.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

What you need to know

• Microsoft's latest update for Windows 11, version 22H2, is causing a major issue for third-party UI customization apps (KB5028254).
• The issue is breaking the Start menu.
• Third-party software developers are to blame for this issue, according to Microsoft.
• ExplorerPatcher has been identified as one of the platforms affected by this issue.
• Microsoft has indicated that the software developers are using "unsupported methods," which is why users are experiencing this glitch.

Microsoft has identified an issue affecting third-party UI customization apps, which breaks the Start menu on Windows 11. The company has narrowed the issue to a recent Windows 11, version 22H2 update, KB5028254.

And while the company has acknowledged the issue, it has categorically indicated it's not at fault. The issue seems to be on the third-party software developers' end. Essentially, third-party UI customization apps are designed to enhance and improve the visual appearance of the operating system.

At this time, Microsoft has already identified ExplorerPatcher as one of the platforms impacted by the issue. The company further highlighted that third-party customization software leveraging "unsupported methods" is the main reason why the Start menu in Windows 11 is breaking. 

As highlighted by Microsoft in the advisory notice posted on the Windows Release Health page:

After installing KB5028254 or later updates, the Start menu might not open on Windows devices with some third-party UI customization apps installed. The known affected third-party UI customization app is ExplorerPatcher but others might also be affected. These types of apps often use unsupported methods to achieve their customization and as a result can have unintended results on your Windows device.

To this end, there's no fix available for this issue. But as a workaround, Microsoft recommends the uninstallation of any third-party UI customization apps before the installation of the update. 

However, if you've already installed the update and you're experiencing the issue, the company advises users to contact customer support for the developer of the app installed on their devices.

Windows Central take

Since Microsoft launched Windows 11, multiple users have been vocal about the operating system's flawed design, blatantly expressing hate for the Start menu in Windows 11. As such, there has been a rise in the development of third-party UI customization apps, such as Stardock's Start11 app (which hasn't been affected by this issue), ExplorerPatcher, and more. 

It's apparent that people want to have more control over the UI on their Windows PCs, and third-party UI customization apps are one way around this. It seems the issue might be a subtle way of preventing users from enabling the Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11. 

This is a developing story; we'll keep tabs on it as it develops and update this post accordingly...

What you need to know

• Users might soon be able to preview files in Windows 11's Start menu Recommended section.
• The hidden feature was discovered in Builds 23506 and 23493.
• Aside from letting you preview the content hidden in the file, the feature will also let you know when the file was last edited and its location in your drive.

Windows 11's adoption rate has significantly stagnated, considering it's been available for nearly two years. Several users have pointed out that the OS's set minimum system requirements and system design are among the main reasons why they haven't made the transition.

The Start menu in Windows 11, in particular, isn't a fan favorite for many (even amongst my colleagues). Multiple users have found the feature flawed and redundant, despite Microsoft's efforts to ship new updates and features to enhance the Start menu's experience.

However, Microsoft's latest attempt to enhance the Start menu's user experience might be worth your while. As spotted by Windows enthusiast, PhantomOfEarth on Twitter, Microsoft is currently testing a new feature that lets users preview files in the Recommended section of the Start menu.

The Windows sleuth mentioned that the change was spotted in Builds 23506 and 23493 in the Windows 11 Dev Channel. This is a welcome change as it will help enhance the user's productivity by saving time since they'll no longer need to open a file to see what's inside. 

Windows 11 and Windows 10 users already have the capability to preview files via the thumbnail feature in File Explorer, and it now seems that Microsoft is extending this functionality to the Start menu.

Users can hover their mouse cursor over files such as .txt, .pdf, .jpg, .jpeg, .png  to preview their context without necessarily opening the file itself. It's also worth noting that aside from getting a quick preview of the file, the user will also get a detailed account of the file's location and the last time it was edited. 

Windows Central's take

"The thumbnail feature" is still in the testing phase, and as is often the case, it's still in a very raw state. Microsoft tends to make more enhancements and improvements to these features before shipping them to general availability.

This explains why the feature wasn't included in the original changelog, and users had to leverage the capability of third-party tools to access it. Notably, most of these hidden features aren't stable, so you risk bricking your device or running into other issues by enabling them before Microsoft releases them officially. 

This is a nifty feature that will enhance Windows 11's Start menu's user experience. It's also likely that this feature will roll out as part of Microsoft's Windows 11, version 23H2 update.

Today, we're kicking off a new series that will run over the next handful of weeks that we're calling "Windows Unshipped" that will explore Windows OS features and ideas that never saw the light of day, all of which were internally conceptualized (and sometimes even partly developed) throughout the Windows 10 timeframe.

Over the 12 years I’ve been covering Windows, I’ve had the privilege of talking with countless people inside and outside of Microsoft who have at one point been privy to features, concepts, or ideas that sadly never shipped. Unshipped features have always been fascinating to me because it often represents a directive or vision that isn’t always publicly told.

Of course, the most famous example of this in recent memory is Windows Sets, a feature that aimed to bring tabs to every app on Windows. But that isn't the only feature that never shipped. In fact, there are possibly hundreds of features that were conceptualized during the Windows 10 era between 2015 and 2020 that never fully got off the ground.

While we won't be diving into that many unshipped ideas, this series will be highlighting a handful that I've seen or heard about for Windows 10 back in the day that really stood out to me. That's what Windows Unshipped is all about: Documenting features that never shipped (and are long since rested) for Windows 10.

Chapter 1 is about some interesting features I had heard about for the Windows 10 Start menu back in 2017-2018, designed to make it more useful and easier to customize. Let's dive in!

Chapter 1: Start Menu

The Windows 10 Start menu was a welcome sight in 2015, merging the concept of live tiles first introduced on Windows 8 with the traditional “menu” UI popularized by Windows 7. It came as a reaction to the negative response that the Windows 8 Start Screen had generated, but while users and critics were responding positively to its return, Microsoft had another problem on its hands.

According to many contacts familiar with this era of Windows 10 development, not long after Windows 10 launched, it became apparent that a lot of users weren’t taking the time to customize or use the Start menu outside of pinning new apps to the Taskbar. Users found the menu to be redundant since most preferred accessing their apps from the Taskbar or via search.

Microsoft also had data that suggested users found the actual process of customizing the Start menu cumbersome, having to manually pin and unpin apps one at a time, and having to find those apps by going back and forth between the apps list and tile area. Then there was the process of figuring out which tile sizes and positions your favorite apps would fit in to make your menu actually look nice.

Microsoft wanted to combat this problem and conjured up several concepts and ideas designed to help make customizing the Start menu easier, as well as making it less redundant so that users would feel more inclined to use it. Sadly, none of the ideas detailed here made it past the early development stages.

To start, let’s take a look at a concept idea called "Pin in place" that was designed to help make customizing the Start menu easier.

Pin In Place

A big focus point for improving Start menu customization was reducing the distance your mouse needed to travel to add new things to the Start menu. Instead of going back and forth between the apps list or Settings app to pin app tiles or folders to the Start menu, Microsoft thought about using Fluent Design ‘reveal’ effects to hide “+” buttons in the tile and hamburger menu, which would appear when you moused over empty spaces.

For the tile interface, Microsoft toyed with recycling an old UI paradigm it called “MixView” which would present a number of additional tiles in an exploded view once the + button was clicked. From there, users could choose any of the tiles in the exploded view to pin to Start, reducing cursor travel distance significantly.

MixView is a phrase that Windows Phone diehards will be familiar with. It was the name of the interface that was enabled when using 3D Touch on the unreleased Lumia McLaren. Hovering your finger over a live tile on the Windows Phone Start Screen would pop up a number of smaller live tiles that users could tap to jump into specific areas of an app.

It was an excellent idea, but it never shipped because the hardware that it required was canceled. The UI was a fun, natural evolution of how live tiles could work, so it’s no surprise that the company was thinking about recycling it for Windows 10 a number of years later.

On Windows 10, this UI would use machine learning and cloud-based recommendations to show both locally installed apps that it thinks you might want to pin, as well as webpage or Microsoft Store app recommendations it thinks you might want to try.

The same + button reveal method was also experimented with in the Start menu’s hamburger menu, which would make it much easier to pin folders like Documents and Downloads to Start without having to go into the Windows Settings app first.

Start Places

Up next, I want to share another conceptual idea that never saw the light of day, which was designed to increase the usefulness of the Start menu by adding other Windows features to it and turning it into a launchpad for more than just installed apps. 

This idea was rooted in an effort focused on decluttering the Taskbar, which was becoming quite convoluted with many buttons and features throughout the 2017-2018 releases of Windows 10. In fact, we'll be talking more about this effort in the next installment of Windows Unshipped next week.

For now, one idea Microsoft had was to move the Windows Ink Workspace and My People interfaces into the Start menu and turn the Start menu itself into an area for different "places" of Windows. You'd be able to access everything from Documents to Timeline straight from the hamburger menu (now called Places menu) within Start.

Thanks to reverse engineer Albacore who helped us out with this project, we can even take a look at working code from old Windows 10 builds which showcase an early implementation of My People in Start. It includes a list of contacts, plus your most recently accessed contacts at the top, and the entire interface is accessible via the hamburger menu in Start.

I'm told Microsoft had even envisioned being able to drag different places from the hamburger menu back onto the Taskbar if the user wanted quicker access. Here's a very rough mockup of the Places menu from a program manager that I was shown:

Other minor changes Microsoft had thought about for the Start menu that never shipped included an accented hamburger menu to make it stand out a little more. There was also briefly a “My Stuff” area at the top of the apps list that Microsoft had toyed around with, which listed the most frequently accessed folders from within the File Explorer.

Unfortunately, I was never able to figure out why Microsoft canned these concepts, as they really would have helped make customizing the Start menu easier. Perhaps internal customer research suggested these ideas wouldn't have done much to increase usage, and therefore the overhead of delivering such features wasn't worth the resources. We'll never know, though that would explain why the Windows 11 Start menu is so bare of customization features.

Anyway, that was chapter 1 of Windows Unshipped! Next week, I'll be taking a look at a few features and ideas I was hearing about for the Windows 10 Taskbar and Action Center in 2018, which includes a flyout called Control Center and Cortana in the Action Center. You won't want to miss it! 

What you need to know

• Microsoft is testing prompts within Start menu flyouts that suggest people sign up for a Microsoft account or use OneDrive.
• The promotional items seem to have first rolled out with Windows 11 Build 25227.
• Several online have complained about the prompts.

Microsoft is testing a controversial change within the Start menu of Windows 11. In recent Insider builds of the operating system, the Start menu shows prompts to back up files through OneDrive or sign up for a Microsoft account within flyout menus. While the promotional content is only in testing, it has drawn criticism from many around the web.

"What imaginary person wants this?" asked Twitter user tumult. Others took more aggressive approaches or shared jokes about the change that mocked Microsoft.

From what we can tell, Microsoft began testing this change with Build 25227, which first shipped to the Dev Channel on October 19, 2022. Under the "Changes and Improvements" section, the changelog states, "we are trying out a small change to the Start menu where some Insiders will see badging on their user profile notifying them that certain actions need to be taken."

It appears that the badging mentioned by Microsoft refers to the prompts within the Start menu to use OneDrive or sign up for a Microsoft account.

Twitter user Albacore highlighted the prompts on Twitter.

This isn't the first instance of ads appearing within core elements of Windows. Microsoft controversially tested ads within File Explorer earlier this year. The company claimed that the ads were not meant to be published externally but did not dispute that they were in testing.

We have a guide on how to disable annoying ads on Windows 11 if you'd like to turn off some of the operating system's prompts and promotions. There is a section within that guide to remove ads from the Start menu, but it covers a different set of ads than those that were recently spotted in Build 25227.

Windows 11 continues to evolve its Start menu experience. The original design introduced a cleaner layout without Live Tiles, a simplified app grid, and a more streamlined set of personalization controls.

In the latest version of the operating system, Microsoft has introduced a refreshed Start menu layout that changes how apps and recommendations appear by making the interface larger and merging the "Pinned" section with the "All" menu, giving users even more flexibility.

Since the company is still rolling out the design, both versions of the menu remain in use. The Settings app still provides extensive options to tailor the experience to your preferences, including managing the "All" view, adjusting or reducing the "Recommended" section, customizing quick-access folders next to the Power menu, choosing accent and background styles, and switching the menu alignment to the left for a more classic feel.

In this how-to guide, I'll show you how to customize Start menu settings so it works the way you like, regardless of the design on your computer.

How to customize the Start menu on Windows 11 (new)

Similar to the (now) legacy version of the menu, the new version's settings are also available from the "Start" page.

Show or hide recently added apps

To control recently added apps from appearing in the "Recommended" section, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show recently added apps" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, recently installed apps will appear grouped in the "Recommended" list, depending on your settings.

Show or hide opened items

To show or hide recent files, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, if you turn on the option, recently opened items will appear in the Start menu, and when you right-click an app to view the Jump List in the Taskbar and Quick Access page in File Explorer.

Show or hide recently visited websites

To control your web history appearing in the "Recommended" section, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show websites from your browsing history" toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, your web history when using Microsoft Edge will appear in the section, according to your configuration.

Show or hide newly installed apps and other items

To decide where newly installed apps, tips, and shortcuts appear in the "Recommended" section, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, the new configuration will apply to the Start menu.

Show or hide the Recommended section

To remove all the items from the Recommended section of the Start menu, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.
4. (Option 1) Turn off all the settings from the "Recommended" settings to disable the feature.

5. (Option 2) Turn on at least one option in the "Recommended" settings to enable the feature.

Once you complete the steps, if you turned off all the settings, then you will no longer see the "Recommended" section in the Start menu.

Show or hide most used apps

To control the visibility of the most used apps in the "Recommended" section in the new Start menu, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show most used apps" toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, frequently used apps will appear grouped in the "Recommended" list, depending on your settings.

Show or hide the mobile sidebar

To enable or disable the sidebar that appears next to the Start menu when you have an Android or iPhone connected to Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show mobile device in Start" toggle switch.

Alternatively, you should be able to toggle the sidebar on or off using the button at the top-right of the Start menu.

Show or hide account notifications

To decide where the system should display account-related notifications in the account manager menu in the Start menu, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show account-related notifications" toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, notifications for your account will appear in the menu, depending on your configuration.

Show folders next to the Power menu

To add or remove items next to the Power menu, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.
4. Click the Folders settings.

5. Turn on or off the toggle switch to show or hide items next to the Power button:

• Settings.
• File Explorer.
• Documents.
• Downloads.
• Music.
• Pictures.
• Videos.
• Network.
• Personal folder.

After you complete the steps, only the shortcuts you turned on will appear next to the Power menu in the Start menu.

Change Start menu color

To change the new Start menu color scheme, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Colors page on the right side.
4. Select the Custom option for the "Choose your mode" setting.
5. Select the Dark option for the "Choose your default Windows mode" setting.

6. Turn on the "Select accent color on Start and taskbar" toggle switch.

7. Select the Start menu color under the "Accent color" section.

After you complete the steps, the new Start menu will reflect the color scheme you've chosen.

Align the Start menu to the left side

To align the Start menu to the left of the screen, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
4. Click the Taskbar behaviors settings.
5. Select the Left option for the "Taskbar alignment" setting.

Once you complete the steps, the redesigned menu will open from the left side as in previous versions of the operating system.

How to customize the Start menu on Windows 11 (old)

On Windows 11, the customization settings for the Start menu are available through the "Start" page, while some related settings can be found on the "Colors and Taskbar pages.

Show or hide recently added apps

To control recently added apps in the "All apps" list, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show recently added apps" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, those apps you installed recently will appear grouped in the "All apps" list, depending on your configuration.

Show or hide most used apps

To manage the visibility of the most used apps in the "All apps" list, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show most used apps" toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, frequent apps will appear grouped in the "All apps" list, depending on your configuration.

Show or hide recently opened items

To show or hide recently used files and documents, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off the "Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, if you turn on the option, recently opened items will appear in the Recommended section of the Start menu when right-clicking an app to open the Jump List in the Taskbar and Quick Access page of File Explorer.

Show or hide Recommended section

To remove all the items from the Recommended section of the Start menu, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Turn on or off these options to manage the contents from the Recommended section.

• Show most used apps
• Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer
• Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more

After you complete the steps, the Start menu Recommended section will no longer show apps or files.

Show folders next to the Power menu

To add or remove items next to the Power menu, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

4. Click the Folders settings.

5. Turn on or off the toggle switch to show or hide items next to the Power button:

• Settings.
• File Explorer.
• Documents.
• Downloads.
• Music.
• Pictures.
• Videos.
• Network.
• Personal folder.

Once you complete the steps, only the items you turned on will appear next to the Power menu in the Start menu.

Change Start menu color

To change the Start menu color scheme, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Colors page on the right side.

4. Select the Custom option for the "Choose your mode" setting.
5. Select the Dark option for the "Choose your default Windows mode" setting.

6. Turn on the "Select accent color on Start and taskbar" toggle switch.

7. Select the Start menu color under the "Accent color" section.

After you complete the steps, the Start menu will reflect the color scheme you selected on the settings page.

Show or hide mobile sidear in the Start menu

Microsoft is working on a new sidebar next to the Start menu to show Android and iPhone details, including phone information and messages after linking the device using the Phone Link and Link to Windows apps.

If, when the feature leaves the Windows Insider Program and rolls out to everyone, you don't want to use it, you will have to disable it with these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.

1. Turn off the "Show mobile device in Start" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, the Start menu will no longer show the mobile sidebar.

Align the Start menu to the left side

To align the Start menu to the left of the screen, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.

4. Click the Taskbar behaviors settings.
5. Select the Left option for the "Taskbar alignment" setting.

Once you complete the steps, you will be able to open the Start menu from the left side of the screen, like on Windows 10.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

What you need to know

• A shared digital canvas called Place was live on Reddit earlier this week.
• Several groups coordinated artwork placement on the canvas, such as adding flags, movie scenes, and political statements.
• Windows enthusiasts added a Start menu along the bottom of Place.

Reddit shared a digital canvas called Place on April 1, 2022 that remained live for a few days. Users of the social media platform could replace individual pixels of the canvas one at a time. Several subreddits rallied together to coordinate creating artwork on Place, such as adding a country's flag or an image of a favorite movie. Among those enthusiasts were Windows fans that added a Start menu to the bottom of the collaborative digital canvas.

Specifically, the Windows faithful added artwork of the Windows XP Start menu along the bottom of Place. Other groups joined in on the fun by adding programs and icons to the menu.

Now, you can watch a timelapse of Place to see how it evolved throughout the days that it was live.

Note that there are some images that are not suitable for work, only a few of which were censored by Reddit.

The Start menu appears over halfway through the video and remains there until the end. You may not be able to see it without zooming in. If you'd like a closer look at the Start menu and any other artwork that appeared on the digital canvas, you can check out the complete history of Place. The canvas history is scrubbable and supports zooming in enough to see individual pixels.

Place was an interesting social experiment that showcased several sides of the internet. Some groups gathered together to defend their artwork, while others went on the offensive. The canvas contained flags, iconic movie scenes, lude images, and a variety of other pieces of art at various points.

After taking a week off, Microsoft is back with another Windows 11 Insider Preview build for the Dev Channel. Today's build is 22509, and features a handful of notable new changes and improvements that are the result of direct feedback from Insiders testing Windows 11 since June. Microsoft is finally adding a more adaptive layout to the Start menu, and bringing back the ability to display the clock on secondary monitors!

One of Windows 11's big complaints with the new Start menu has been that its layout isn't very flexible. In the current shipping build, you're stuck with three rows of pinned apps, and three rows of recent documents. In today's build, that's now changing. Users can now configure the Start menu to show either more pinned apps, or more recent documents by increasing the size of each area of the Start menu.

Additionally, Microsoft has responded to another bit of feedback regarding secondary monitors. This build finally allows you to re-enable the clock on extended monitors, a feature that was weirdly omitted from the shipping build of Windows 11. Here's the complete list of changes in today's build:

• We have been working on a collection of improvements to web browsing with Microsoft Edge and Narrator. Specifically, typing in edit fields should now be faster, when navigating around the web more useful information is provided, and lastly you will have a more consistent navigation experience with Narrator.
• Starting in this build, you can right-click on Start to quickly access Start settings and choose the "More pins" or "More recommendations" layout option to show an extra row of either pins or recommendations, respectively.
• When a secondary monitor is connected, your clock and date will now also be displayed on the taskbars of the secondary monitor or monitors for glanceability.
• For apps that send notifications for calls, reminders, or alarms that leverage Windows notifications in the OS, 3 high priority notifications will now be shown as stacked and shown at the same time. This means at any given time, you might see up to 4 notifications at the same time – 3 high priority notifications and one normal priority notification.
• We have moved the advanced sharing settings (such as Network discovery, File and printer sharing, and public folder sharing) to a new page in Settings app under Advanced Network Settings.
• We've made some updates to the device specific pages under Printers & Scanners in Settings to show more information about your printer or scanner directly in Settings when available.
• Some of the entry points for network and devices settings in Control Panel will now redirect to the corresponding pages in Settings.
• Added a new option to the Installed Apps page in Settings to sort the list from Name (Z to A), and accordingly, updated the previous "Alphabetically" option to now be called Name (A to Z).
• We'll now remember if you turn on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi while in airplane mode. Next time you use airplane mode, the radios will reflect your preference and stay on to make it easier to keep listening to headphones and remain connected while travelling.
• Windows Sandbox now supports reboot inside of its virtualized environment (for example, if you were to click the Restart option under the Power button in Start).

There's also a number of new fixes as well:

• The Start, Search, Task View, Widgets, and Chat icons in the Taskbar should no longer be unexpectedly large when the system scaling is set to 125%.
• Pressing the Windows key plus (the number corresponding to an app icon's position in the Taskbar) should cycle now through the app's windows if you repeatedly press the number instead of stopping at the last window.
• When Narrator focus is set to the Task View button and the Desktops flyout appears, Narrator will now let you know information about the Desktops.
• Fixed an explorer.exe crash some Insiders were experiencing in recent flights related to updating badges in the Taskbar.
• Handwriting should be working again now when the language is set to Chinese.
• Mitigated an issue related to the mouse that was causing some Insiders to experience a bugcheck during hibernation sometimes in recent flights (making it appear as if the computer had rebooted).
• Updated the Chinese Simplified IME candidates to be center aligned with the candidate window height has been customized.
• Fixed touch keyboard invocation in PowerShell so it should work now.
• Hovering your mouse back and forth between different desktops in Task View will no longer result in the displayed thumbnails and content area unexpectedly shrinking.
• CompactOverlay should be working again in this build (aka the option that some apps use to create a small always on top window).
• Fixed a race condition that was causing explorer.exe to crash sometimes when closing a snap group of 3 or more windows in Task View.
• Removed the unexpected tilt animation when clicking down on a corner of the New Desktop button.
• Made a tweak to address an underlying issue that was causing the context menu to animation down to the mouse instead of away from the mouse when right clicking a Desktop in Task View.
• Fixed a high hitting DWM crash in recent flights.
• Fixed some overlapping text for certain languages on the Installed Apps page in Settings.
• Clicking the Uninstall button when using the Installed Apps page in grid view will now show a confirmation dialog.
• Changed the new ms-settings:installed-apps URI to now be ms-settings:appsfeatures, to address scenarios where existing links expect the latter to lead to the list of installed apps, for example, when selecting the App Settings option after right clicking a UWP app in Start.
• Fixed an issue that was causing some Insiders to see error 0x8007001f when trying to upgrade to recent Dev Channel builds.
• Fixed an issue where some PCs are unable to install new builds, or other updates with an error code 0x80070002.
• Fixed an issue causing some devices to roll back with error code 0xc1900101-0x4001c when installing new builds.
• Did some work to help address an issue leading to the Wi-Fi connection getting lost after resuming from sleep.

Be sure to check out the Windows Blog for the complete changelog, including a list of known issues.

It's the spookiest time of the year, Halloween. In honor of the holiday, we have a horrific poll this weekend. We'd like to know which Microsoft product or service you'd like to see brought back from the dead. From MSN Messenger to the Windows 10 Start menu, Microsoft has a kill count higher than Michael Myers. In fact, it was difficult to keep the list of options short enough to make a functional poll. So: If you could pick just one item to have Microsoft resurrect, which would it be?

We expect Windows Phone to take the lion's share of the votes, but there are some other beloved Microsoft services that have been buried over the years. Many miss Windows Media Center being the center of the living room. There are still Zune enthusiasts, including one fan who made a digital coffee book dedicated to the history of the music player. Others mourned the end of Minecraft Earth.

If your favorite dead Microsoft product or service didn't make the list, please share it in the comments below. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, you can check out Killed by Microsoft for a complete list of everything the company has axed over the years.

Some Microsoft services are already honoring the spirit of Halloween. The Kinect is being used by ghost hunters looking to search out the undead. Some claim that the camera can track "skeletal figures that aren't there." We can't verify that claim, but we can confirm that it worked well with Sonic Free Riders, one of the favorite Kinect games of our news editor Robert Carnevale.

It's no secret: People are divided over Windows 11's Start menu. It does a number of things to differentiate itself from other Windows Start menus and tries to be particularly welcoming to average users. These adjustments have caused friction with many PC enthusiasts who are used to having more options and functions at their disposal.

Those are a few of the reasons some people hate the Start menu. Developers have noted that anger and began to accommodate for it, promising disgruntled Windows 11 users ways to force their Start menu preferences onto the new OS. Start11 and StartIsBack are two of the tools on the table for those who want to regain control of their experience.

Many moons ago, back when Windows 11 was still relatively fresh off its initial announcement and dipping its feet in the Insider preview waters, we polled readers to see who wanted the Windows 10 Start menu back. Now that we have tools to force that wish into existence, a new question is formed: What do you think of the Windows 11 Start menu, which will become the new Windows standard on October 5?

Vote with your heart, even if that means voting that you just don't care either way about the topic. After all, Windows 11 is more than just a new Start menu... at least, to some people it is. If you're adamant that the Start menu is either making or breaking your Windows 11 experience, say so!

And if you grow tired of the incessant chatter about the Start menu, consider perusing other Windows 11 discussions, such as whether the new operating system is Microsoft creating a consumer gateway to its cloud-centric long-term ambitions.

The Windows 11 Start Menu sucks. At least in my humble opinion. The lack of customizability is a travesty for a company as big as Microsoft, particularly while working on a feature as important and embedded as the Start Menu.

In Windows 11, Microsoft is killing off Windows 8 and 10's Live Tile system, in favor of a simpler phone-like app icon interface, complete with a recommended box that surfaces files you may (or, may not) want to use. I get why they've done it this way — the Live Tile interface was too complicated for regular users. Finding apps that supported Live Tiles properly was not easy, and even then, configuring them to actually work for you can be a chore. As an IT guy in a previous life, I know all too well how virtually nobody in my organization bothered to customize their Live Tile setups, leading me to eventually just disable them via group policy.

What if there was another way, though? A way that could bridge the gap between customization and functionality? This simple but obvious change was explored recently by Gusion Claude, who emailed us this compelling concept below.

In my previous article on the topic, I lamented the fact that much of the Live Tile at-a-glance information I've enjoyed for the past several years is being moved out to a separate panel, which I will most likely end up never using. I argued that the widgets should be present in the actual Start Menu, and Claude has essentially delivered on that idea.

Removing the horribly unconfigurable recommended box, Claude's Start Menu vision bridges the gap between Windows 11's elegant simplicity and Windows 10's configurable and informational design. Many apps simply do not need live tiles, like Microsoft Word, Photoshop, and so on. But I really enjoyed the Weather tile, the Photos tile, and the Calendar tile in particular. Some of that functionality remains in the new widgets panel in Windows 11, but as I said, it's an extra, unnecessary click.

I have no idea if Microsoft has even built the Start Menu with these kinds of capabilities in mind, but if their design teams had forethought, this is exactly how the Start Menu would work on Windows 11. Give me the option to combine the widgets panel and the Start Menu into a single customizable feed, you know, like my phone that you're clearly trying to emulate.

If you want Windows 11 to be familiar to phone users, which is where I think some of this design ideology comes from, you need to make it as customizable as my phone too, Microsoft.

I'm sure none of this will happen in reality, with the more likely outcome being that Microsoft eventually just kills the widgets panel due to the fact nobody will use it. I'm sure people would use widgets if they were part of the Start Menu, though. Alas, one can dream.

On Windows 11, Microsoft introduced many interface changes and features, including a redesigned Taskbar that centers all items (such as the Start button and Start menu) on the screen. This modern approach aims to bring you closer to the apps and files you use frequently. However, not everyone prefers this new layout.

If you’ve installed Windows 11 and prefer the classic alignment, the Taskbar settings page lets you easily move the taskbar to the left, mimicking the look of Windows 10, or keep it centered.

In this how-to guide, I'll explain how to move the Start menu and apps to the left or center.

How to move the Start menu on Windows 11

To move the Start menu and app buttons to left or center, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.

4. Click the Taskbar behaviors settings.
5. Use the Taskbar alignment drop-down menu and select:

• Left to align the Start menu and buttons to the left like on Windows 10.
• Center to align the taskbar items to the center of the screen.

Once you complete the steps, the Start menu will be relocated to the position you selected in the settings.

More resources

Find in-depth guides, troubleshooting tips, and the latest updates on Windows 11 and 10 here:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know

What you need to know

• Windows 10 build 20257 is now available for Dev channel Insiders.
• This build brings lots of fixes and a slight tweak to the way Start Menu tile theming works.

Microsoft rolled out another new Windows 10 Insider build for the Dev channel today, bringing the build number to 20257. This week, the build is mostly concerned with fixes. However, Microsoft has also tweaked the way Start Menu theming is done.

The Start Menu tile theming logic will now no longer make adjustments based on contrast ratio. However, this tweak doesn't apply to Microsoft Edge PWAs that are pinned to Start.

Here's a look at the full list of changes and fixes included in this build:

• Based on feedback, we're updating our Start menu tile theming logic such that the tile background for Win32 apps will no longer adjust based on detected contrast ratio, except in the case of pinned Microsoft Edge PWAs.
• We fixed an issue starting with Build 20236 where installing games from the Store to a secondary non-OS drive would result in the secondary drive becoming inaccessible.
• We fixed an issue causing some devices to experience a DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION bugcheck in recent builds.
• We fixed an issue resulting in some apps crashing on launch in the previous flight, including Microsoft Jigsaw and Microsoft Minesweeper.
• We fixed an issue resulting in File Explorer having a transparent line across the top when maximized on systems with multiple monitors.
• We fixed an issue resulting in win32 app titles being unexpectedly highlighted in the title bar after enabling and disabling high contrast.
• We fixed an issue where the windows.old folder is not completely deleted when performing disk cleanup.
• We fixed an issue where if you reset your PC then and re-connected your MSA, then your MSA picture might never sync down.
• We fixed an issue impacting Windows Hello Face recognition if the device was trained in a different orientation than the orientation used at unlock time.
• We fixed an issue where setting up a kiosk (assigned access) account wouldn't work the first time you tried, only subsequent tries.
• We fixed a deadlock that could result in unexpected CPU usage. If you continue experiencing other performance issues, please take a moment to file feedback including details about the issue you're seeing, and a performance trace. More info about collecting a repro trace is available here if needed.
• We fixed an issue resulting in recently some apps being slower to accept keystrokes into text fields.
• We fixed an issue that could result in links from apps failing to launch the browser.
• We fixed an issue from the last couple flights that could result in audio playback unexpectedly stopping.
• We fixed an issue that could result in not hearing audio after streaming certain content then turning your Bluetooth headset off and back on.
• We fixed an issue that could result in Movies & TV failing to play some recorded HDR videos with error 0x80004001.

For more on this release, you can check out Microsoft's full release notes. Otherwise, Insiders in the Dev channel can download build 20257 now via Windows Update.

Because Windows 10 supports so many different types of applications, you can end up with a variety of Start Menu icon styles on your PC. UWP apps appear one way, Win32 programs appear another way, and progressive web apps (PWAs) have their own style. This results in an inconsistent Start Menu with icons of various sizes and styles. EdgeTile Creators aims to fix that by allowing you to create custom tiles for just about anything. It works with files, folders, websites, and apps. It can even work with progressive web apps, but that takes more work than it should.

In addition to unifying the style of your Start Menu tiles, EdgeTile Creators is a helpful tool to swap out logos you don't like. For example, I prefer the old Slack logo over the new one, so I created a custom tile with the old Slack logo that opens up Slack.

What you'll love about EdgeTile Creators

I think it's a good thing that Microsoft is playing around with concepts for a refreshed Start Menu. In my opinion, the entire thing requires a refresh. Icons from different types of apps show up with different sizes and styles. It's far from elegant, and the concept shown off recently looks much better than what we have now. EdgeTile Creators can't change everything about your Start Menu, but it can change the icons within it.

Pinning files, folders, and websites to your Start Menu is easier than pinning other content such as programs or PWAs. You can click to create a tile, pick the images you'd like, and then pick the path for the tile. You can also customize aspects of each tile, including if it should show text and the background color you'd like.

When you click the tiles from the Start Menu, you don't see a splash screen. I didn't break out a stopwatch, but they didn't seem to launch any slower than tiles created by Windows.

It takes a bit of time, but with EdgeTile Creators, you can create tiles for all of your favorite content and customize the icon of the apps and programs you regularly use.

What you'll dislike about EdgeTile Creators

While EdgeTile Creators can create custom tiles for programs, apps, and progressive web apps, it takes a lot of effort to make some of them work. To launch an executable file, you need to pick its path, and in some cases, you need to add several arguments to make it work.

I was frustrated by the setup process to make a progressive web app that's installed through Edge work with a custom tile. While you can just create a tile that opens up a website, that website opens within your default browser. I have several PWAs and other websites installed through Edge, including Disney+, Slack, AirTable, and WhatsApp. Creating a custom tile for each of these involved a complex process of finding the shortcut for the app, copying it's target into EdgeTile Creators, and cutting specific parts of the target data into different arguments.

The app needs a cleaner way to add programs and progressive web apps. People shouldn't have to dig through specific code within target data to make a custom tile. For example, please look at the text below that's needed to make a custom tile for Disney+:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge_proxy.exe" --profile-directory=Default --app-id=mbjafbmjpcimpkkihihoideiofnoalmh

I doubt many people would know how to break that up to make it work with EdgeTile Creators. The answer is that you need to.

1. Take the first part in quotes, in this case, "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge_proxy.exe" and place it within Path. (Note, you have to remove the quotes)
2. Take the last part of the line, including the two dashes into Launch Argument 1. In this case, it's "--app-id=mbjafbmjpcimpkkihihoideiofnoalmh"
3. Take the middle part, including the two dashes, and place it inside Launch Argument 2. In this case, it's "--profile-directory=Default"

I got in touch with the developer who walked me through the process, and I'll write up a detailed how-to soon, but that shouldn't be necessary. I understand fixing it might be difficult, but I think the experience could be improved.

Should you buy EdgeTile Creators?

It's tough to say if EdgeTile Creators is worth it right now. On the one hand, it allows you to customize all of your Start Menu icons, whether they lead to folders, files, apps, or websites. On the other hand, it takes some awkward steps to make some of those work.

I initially reviewed EdgeTile Creators a few years ago, and at the time, gave it a 4/5. But PWAs have come around and grown in popularity since then, so being able to pin them to the Start Menu in a way you like has become more critical.

If you're tech-savvy enough to follow the steps to create the custom tiles you need, then EdgeTile Creators is worth $6, in my opinion. You probably interact with the Start Menu quite a bit throughout the day, so making it look nice could be worth a bit of money and effort. If you want to make a bunch of tiles for PWAs and don't want to deal with the steps above, I wouldn't grab EdgeTile Creators. Maybe an update could streamline the process and make it more worth it for casual users.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc says that "Live Tiles are not going away."
• Microsoft showed off a concept of a Start Menu without Live Tiles in a recent webcast.
• The concept has Live Tiles turned off, meaning that they could be turned on as well.

Microsoft staff members discussed Live Tiles and the Start Menu in a recent episode of the Windows Insider Webcast. During the webcast, they showed off a concept of what the Start Menu could look like if Live Tiles were turned off. The concept uses Microsoft's new icons and features transparency that helps the icons pop. While the concept has Live Tiles turned off, Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc states that "Live Tiles are not going away, we have not announced anything of the sort."

This design isn't intended to be a final product. The people on the stream discuss it as a direction they're exploring. They state that the concept's new design helps "visually differentiate the Start menu from something that's chaotic color to something that's more uniform." The design replaces the large colored squares and rectangles of the current Start Menu with transparent blocks with Microsoft's refreshed icons in the middle of each block.

The design also shows how Microsoft's new icons look in a Recent apps list outside of squares. Instead of having logos within squares, each icon stands alone next to its respective program's name. This helps each icon stand out and makes it easier to scan through visually.

LeBlanc explicitly stated during the webcast that "Those that enjoy their Live Tiles will continue to be able to do so." If Microsoft went in the direction of this design, it seems like it would focus more on making icons pop when Live Tiles are turned off. It's worth noting that you can turn Live Tiles off in the current Start Menu.

Recent reports state that Microsoft could move away from Live Tiles in the future, but LeBlanc's clarification seems to rebut this. Despite LeBlanc's statement, it's likely that as Windows design evolves, and as Microsoft tests the waters with Windows 10X, the Live Tile UI may eventually go away.

What you need to know

• Windows 10's live tiles could be removed soon as part of a redesign of the Start Menu.
• A report claims that static icons could replace live tiles in the upcoming Windows 10 20H2 update.
• We first explored if Microsoft was moving away from live tiles last year when a new Start Menu leaked.

The upcoming Windows 10X operating system features a redesigned Start Menu and static icons rather than live tiles. Now, it seems that Windows 10 might receive a redesign in the same direction. A report from Windows Latest states that Microsoft is planning to replace live tiles within the Start Menu. The move would line Windows 10 up with Windows 10X and allow Microsoft to use its redesigned icons in Windows 10's Start Menu.

Windows Latest cites "people familiar with the development" of Windows who stated that "Microsoft is planning to replace live tiles with icons in a future update after Windows 10's 20H2 release." If those reports are accurate, live tiles could be on their way out in 2020 or 2021.

Early last year, our senior editor Zac Bowden asked if Windows 10's live tiles were dead since they hadn't received updates for a significant amount of time. This question gained more fuel when a leaked build from last year showed a Start Menu with static icons rather than live tiles. That leak led our senior editor Zac Bowden to explore why Microsoft was considering pivoting away from live tiles. Now, it seems even more likely that Microsoft will scrap live tiles.

Microsoft recently redesigned its vast library of apps icons. These "icons of the future" extend across platforms and add depth over their flat predecessors. If live tiles are on the way out, Microsoft has prepared for the switch with these new icons that follow Microsoft's Fluent Design language. Some of these icons appear in the preview of Windows 10X, so we could have a glimpse of what Windows 10's Start Menu could look like without live tiles.

On Windows 10, "Windows Explorer" (Explorer.exe) is the process responsible for starting and displaying most of the user interface (UI), including the desktop, taskbar, Action Center, Start menu, and File Explorer.

Usually, the process can work without a glitch for a long time, but eventually one or more of its elements could break causing Windows 10 to freeze or stop responding entirely, leaving you unable to open the Start menu or interact with the taskbar or other experiences. When this occurs, most users will just reach for the power button to fix the problem, but it could be an issue that you may be able to resolve by simply restarting the process without the risk of losing unsaved changes.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through several ways to quickly restart the Explorer.exe process to fix UI problems.

• How to reset Explorer.exe using Task Manager
• How to reset Explorer.exe using batch file

Important: Although many of the UI problems can happen because of issues with the Windows Explorer process, it can also be a graphics driver related problem, including when the screen flashes or flickers.

How to reset Explorer.exe using Task Manager

On Windows 10, you can reset the Windows Explorer process in at least two different ways using Task Manager.

Restarting Explorer using Processes tab

To restart Explorer.exe with the Processes tab to fix common UI issues on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Use the Ctrl + Shift + ESC keyboard shortcut to open the Task Manager experience.Quick tip: There's not just one way to open Task Manager, you can access the experience in various ways. For example, through the Ctrl + Alt + Del keyboard shortcut, power user menu (Windows key + X keyboard shortcut ), searching for the app in the Start menu, and more. However, if you're having problems with the UI, the Ctrl + Shift + ESC keyboard shortcut is perhaps the most direct way to the experience.
2. If you're using the Task Manager in compact mode, click the More details button in the bottom-left corner.

3. Click on the Processes tab.
4. Under the "Windows processes" section, select the Windows Explorer process.
5. Click the Restart button on the bottom-right corner.

Once you complete the steps, the process will terminate and restart automatically, fixing common problems, such as when the Start menu won't open or you can't interact with the taskbar or File Explorer.

Restarting Explorer using Details tab

To restart Explorer.exe with the Details tab to fix common UI issues on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Use the Ctrl + Shift + ESC keyboard shortcut to open the Task Manager experience.
2. If you're using the Task Manager in compact mode, click the More details button in the bottom-left corner.

3. Click on the Details tab.
4. Right-click the explorer.exe process and select the End task option.

5. Click the End process button.

6. Click the File menu, and select the Run new task option.
7. Type the following command to restart the process and click the OK button:explorer.exe

After you complete the steps, the Explorer.exe restart again hopefully fixing freezes and other issues with the desktop environment.

Windows Explorer process changes with the May 2019 Update

Starting with the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, the Start menu will appear as a separate StartMenuExperienceHost.exe process to streamline debugging and isolate the feature from possible problems.

However, you won't necessarily need to terminate both processes to troubleshoot issues, as ending the Explorer.exe will also automatically reset the new Start process. Just keep in mind that if you end the StartMenuExperienceHost.exe process it won't terminate the Explorer.exe process. Also, unlike Explorer.exe, whether you terminate or restart the process, StartMenuExperienceHost.exe should always start again automatically.

In the rare case that the Start menu doesn't start automatically (no pun intended), then you can force it using these steps:

1. Use the Ctrl + Shift + ESC keyboard shortcut to open the Task Manager experience.
2. If you're using the Task Manager in compact mode, click the More details button in the bottom-left corner.

3. Click the File menu, and select the Run new task option.
4. Type the following command and click the OK button:%SystemRoot%\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\StartMenuExperienceHost.exe

How to reset Explorer.exe using batch file

Alternatively, you can also create a batch file that includes the commands to quickly terminate and restart the Windows Explorer process automatically using these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Notepad and click the top result to open the app.
3. Copy and paste the following script to the text file:taskkill /f /im explorer.exestart explorer.exe

4. Click the File menu, and select the Save As option.
5. Type a descriptive name with a .bat file extension.Quick tip: It's recommended to save the batch file in the desktop, in case the experience freezes, and you need a quick way to restart the process.
6. Click the Save button.

Once you complete the steps, when you're having problems with the taskbar, Start menu, or File Explorer, simply double-click the batch file to reset the Explorer.exe process.

Microsoft allows app developers, game makers, and website owners to create custom tiles when you pin one of their products to the Start menu. Sadly, the way some of these tiles look is just plain ugly. But what if you could get more control over the appearance?

WinTileR is a cheap app for Windows 10 that allows you to customize the way your tiles look and function on the OS. It costs just $0.99 and comes with a free trial to help you decide whether or not to pick it up. Here's how it works.

See at Microsoft Store

WinTileR app and plugin

After grabbing WinTileR from the store, it will prompt you to download an .exe plugin that helps the tiles communicate with programs on your computer. You'll still be able to create tiles without this, but they won't be able to launch programs as expected. Once you have installed the plug-in, select "Done."

How to create a custom tile

To get started creating your own tiles, follow these steps:

1. In WinTileR, select Programs to set up a new tile.

2. Select Select File and browse for the app you want to create a tile for.

3. Next, you'll need to create graphics for the tile. (I searched in Bing for a logo, then simply cropped it into a square shape to fit the tile boxes.)
4. Click the tile boxes on the right to add the tile images you want.
   • You can customize additional options, such as setting a background color, the name of the tile, and conditions for displaying the name of the tile on the left.

5. Once you are satisfied and have added images for each tile size, select Pin to Start menu.

You should see your shiny new tile appear on the Start menu, complete with executable functionality from installing the plugin. From WinTileR's main menu, you can also perform the same tile creation for websites, folders, and music. Sadly, WinTileR's Steam integration feature for creating tiles for your PC games seems to be broken as of writing. I've found it quite hard to find custom Windows 8.1 or Windows 10-style tiles on the internet, since many apps that previously worked for creating custom tiles have fell into disrepair with subsequent Windows updates.

See at Microsoft Store

Your thoughts?

Do you create custom Windows 10 Start menu tiles? What do you use? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Pin More lets you create custom tiles for games, folders, documents, and websites. These fit right in and look as good as many native UWP app's tiles, and better than some of the poorer tiles.

The app does more than just create squares and rectangles that link to your content, it can search through sites or certain games for information to display on the tiles. It then creates a little redirecting app to pin to your Start Menu — it's essentially an app to launch another app.

It's available for $2.99 and also offers a free trial.

See in Windows Store

What you can pin

The whole idea with Pin More is to allow you to pin more things to your start menu without it looking like a bland collection of icons. Games from non-Microsoft Store services, documents, and more are no longer restricted to just generic icons with Pin More.

Games

Games alone make using Pin More worth it. You can pin tiles from Steam, Battle.net, and Uplay. In the case of Steam games you can make live tiles that display achievements.

The Windows Store has gained some big name titles over the last few months but many users still use and prefer other gaming platforms. Pin More is a big plus to gamers who want to use their platform of choice but don't want their Start Menu to be ugly.

Pinning tiles for games also lets you get to your games quicker, skipping some steps you'd usually have to go through to launch them.

Documents

Documents and folders look terrible when you pin them directly to Start. They don't preview the contents inside and don't even fill out the entire tile. Pin More lets you create custom tiles for any document or folder. You can choose between five photos to cycle between to prevent your Start Menu from growing stale.

As with games, this can save a bit of time as well since you can skip going through the file explorer and jump straight to your content. It's great for if you just need to jump to your folder of memes in as few steps as possible.

Websites

Websites are one of the most impressive things that Pin More handles. Not only can you create custom tiles with photos, it can also retrieve content from many websites and cycle through the latest news. In some cases it can grab the lead image from the article as well.

This makes your custom tile appear a lot more like a news app or native UWP app than a static image.

Sharing Tiles

A handy feature Pin More has is the ability to import and export tiles that you've created. You can either use this as a way to backup your custom tiles, perfect for if you need to reset your PC, or share them with friends.

Overall thoughts

Pin More is an easy-to-use and well-designed app. It adds functionality to your PC and also helps your Start Menu look nicer.

Because of how Pin More works — creating apps with pretty Live Tiles to launch other apps that don't have pretty Live Tiles — you're hit with a quick Pin More splash screen on every launch. It's not the best experience, but it's quick enough. In an ideal world you'd set this up and never think about it again.

In the future it would also be nice to be able to add custom tiles for apps where the developer hasn't made tiles to user's preferences.

See in Windows Store

Similarly to my recent "What's on your Start Screen?" post, in which I shared the pinned apps on my phone, I'm sharing some of my most used and favorite apps on my desktop PC.

My desktop experience is usually very different than everybody else's. I know most of you love pinning things to the taskbar, creating shortcuts on the desktop and making everything as easily accessible as possible. But that's not what I like. I like everything to be extremely clean and tidy, meaning I have very few apps pinned to my taskbar and absolutely no shortcuts on the desktop if I can help it.

Everything I use frequently is pinned to the Start menu, as I consider that a hub for all my apps. I know it's an extra step for launching said apps, but I'm OK with that. I really like being able to glance at all my live tiles, even on desktop, without having to open the app in the first place.

I use the apps on my desktop completely differently than the apps on my phone. Of course, some of the desktop apps I use aren't even on my phone, but for the ones that are, my usage scenarios may surprise you. Let's dive in.

My pinned PC apps

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is my choice of web browser when it comes to PCs. I know there are far better browsers out there, but Edge gets the job done. I often use the Windows Ink integration to take notes when researching for a report, and I love the upcoming "save tabs later" feature which makes it much easier to keep my browser clean and simple when it comes to tab management. I also enjoy the data syncing between Edge on all my Windows 10 devices.

Outlook Mail

I use Outlook Mail as my default email client, for its simplicity more than anything. I'm not a big email person. I much prefer instant messaging over long, strung out email threads. But when I do email, the Outlook Mail app has never faulted me. It's incredibly fast to launch, syncs emails super quickly and has great integration with the Calendar app and my Outlook contacts. It also supports actionable notifications, including profile images and more.

Outlook Calendar

Outlook Calendar is another app I use less often than I probably should. Every couple of days, I'll go in and add events and stuff, but I mainly just use Cortana for reminders. I enjoy having the Outlook Calendar app on my Start menu, because it gives me live updates on what's next, as well as the current date.

Twitter

I'm a huge Twitter user. I have the Twitter app on my phone, and I have the same Twitter app on my desktop, but I don't open it. I'm one of those people who basically do 96 percent of everything through a web browser, meaning when I'm at my desktop, I use the TweetDeck for all my Twitter needs. The only reason I have the Twitter app installed is for notifications, which come through and allow me to immediately interact with tweets or direct messages. The live tile is a nice addition to my Start Menu also.

Cortana

I use Cortana mostly for reminders, but I also sometimes use it for quick updates on the biggest headlines, as Cortana is good at showcasing them via a card and on a live tile. It's rare that I'll use voice commands, but I do often search for apps and files, and sometimes even do a Bing search through the Cortana search bar on the taskbar. And yes, I have the search bar switched to on, because I like how it looks. I know many prefer to hide the bar, but I like it.

GroupMe

I use GroupMe to stay in contact with some of the Windows Central team outside of work. It's an incredibly well-built app, one with actionable notification support, which is a must-have in my book.

Groove Music

I'm a huge Groove Music fan. I have an active subscription, and it's where I go for all my music. It's a well-built app and one I don't think I could live without. I have the same app on my phone, so I appreciate the same experience across devices thanks to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). The app is constantly getting updated with new features and fixes as well, which is always a plus.

Skype Preview

I have both the Skype and Skype Preview apps installed on my PC. I like the Skype Preview app for its lightweight experience and simplicity. However, it's nowhere near ready to be my only Skype client. It has too many issues. So does the Skype desktop app, but the desktop app is somewhat more powerful. The desktop app also has plugin integration, another must-have for me.

Slack

We use Slack to communicate at Mobile Nations, so this is one "must have" app that I install on all my devices, whether that be a phone, tablet or PC. Slack recently added its desktop app to the Windows Store, meaning installing the app is now just a one-click process. It's incredibly convenient, and I don't have to mess with annoying program installers and whatnot. Just a single click and my app is ready to go. I love the Windows Store.

News

Another app that I don't actually open, but I really love the live tile. I use it to keep up to date on whatever is happening in the world, and if there's a headline that catches my eye, I'll open the app and read it. I mostly catch headlines through Edge's default home page, however.

Weather

Again, this is an app I don't actually open, but I love the live tile. I rarely ever open it to check the weather, as the live tile gives a good enough overview of the upcoming week. If I'm planning an event in advance, however, I will open it up and check ahead to make sure it isn't raining or something.

Office

Depending on the device, I'll have either Office 2016 or Office Mobile pinned to my Start Menu. On my desktop, I have the Word 2016, PowerPoint 2016 and Excel 2016 apps pinned, along with the universal OneNote app. I use the full desktop experiences on my desktop because the desktop apps are far more powerful, and I'm more likely to want to take advantage of that on my desktop. The Mobile apps are for devices that I take on the go, like a laptop.

XSplit

Here at Window Central, we do several videos a week. For our podcast, gaming show and screencasts, I use XSplit to record them. Without XSplit, we wouldn't have any of those shows. This is a must-have app for me. I love the customizability and modularity of XSplit, and it's super easy to learn and get familiar with. I prefer it over OBS, and it's cheaper than other professional broadcasting software, like WireCast!

Elgato Game Capture

Sometimes I have to make screencasts on Xbox, usually for our gaming show, but sometimes for tutorials, as well. For that, I use the Elgato Game Capture software, sometimes in conjunction with XSplit. This is another app I simply can't live without.

Premiere Pro

To edit all the videos, I use Adobe's Premiere Pro suite. It's an incredibly powerful piece of video editing software that even Hollywood uses to edit movies together. I use it to edit the podcast, and I also use it to edit our screencasts, and sometimes unboxings. It's an incredibly powerful tool, and without it we'd have very unprofessional looking videos.

Audition

This is an app I use once a week, and I use it to render out the podcast audio for editing alongside the video. It's a necessity for the show, which is why I have it pinned to the Start Menu.

This PC

I like direct access to the This PC area in File Explorer. The normal File Explorer shortcut takes you to the Quick Access area, which is not where I like to go. The "This PC" shortcut takes me directly to my drives, which is where I normally want to be when opening File Explorer to begin with.

Windows Update

Being part of the Windows Insider Program, I'm often checking for updates via Windows Update. So, I thought it'd be convenient to stick a shortcut to Windows Update directly on my Start Menu, so I can get to Windows Update as quickly as possible when a new build or update is rolling out.

Your PC apps

Which apps do you have installed and pinned to your Windows 10 PCs?

The first anniversary update of Windows 10 packs a lot of new improvements and features. In this release, Microsoft is focused on making the operating system more secure. There is a big push for pen support with "Windows Ink", notifications get vastly improved, Microsoft Edge gets support for extensions, and the Start menu gets redesigned with enhancements for "efficiency and discoverability".

Ever since Microsoft removed the Start menu in favor of the Start screen, the way we access apps and settings have been an area of controversy for many users. However, on Windows 10, the classic Start menu style returned with a design that combines the Windows 7 Start menu with the Start screen introduced in Windows 8. And on the Anniversary Update, the menu gets new improvements, which according to Microsoft, aims to reduce clicking and scrolling.

In the new design that Microsoft introduces with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update improves the Start menu for the desktop and mobile devices.

The redesigned Start menu

The new menu is being updated with the same modern design language we see with the Windows Store apps. The Start menu now features a navigation pane on the left with a hamburger button at the top-left corner, and the user profile menu button has been moved to the bottom, above the Power, Settings, and File Explorer buttons, which have also been relocated to this section.

When you click the hamburger button, the left rail will expand revealing the labels for each item listed to have a better understanding of what each button does. Interesting enough, you'll also notice the "Start" label next to the hamburger button, a word that Microsoft hasn't show in the menu since Windows XP.

The new design also removes the "All apps" button to access your apps. Instead Windows 10 now shows a single view that includes the "Most used" and "All apps" items. Basically, you can now open Start, hover over the menu and scroll up and down to quickly find and launch the app you want to use.

Of course, you can always click the letter (or number sign) to jump immediately to the letter listing the app you want to open.

The "Recently added" group now appears at the very top of the new unified list, and apps you have recently installed from the Store will stay listed for seven days, instead of three. Finally, the scroll bars now hide as soon as you move the mouse away from that area, rather than staying visible for a long period of time.

The redesigned Start screen

The Anniversary Update also brings similar improvements to the Start screen, when you use the menu on tablet mode or full-screen mode.

The new Start screen design continues to show the default Live Tile view, but it implements all the new changes found in the Start menu and a few more.

When clicking or tapping the hamburger button, the left rail will expand similarly to the regular menu, but you'll notice that the tiles view won't get pushed to the right. Instead, the new rail will overlay on top of the tile view.

Unlike the regular menu, the Start screen also features two new buttons to switch between "Pinned tiles" and "All apps".

The most noticeable change on the Start screen is the "All apps" list. The new list follows the same design as the smaller menu, but is optimized for touch.

Previously, when you could access all your apps with a simple list from the left pane. Now, on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, you can click or tap the "All apps" button to access the new view that takes the entire screen.

The new "All apps" list implements a grid-like view that provides an efficient way to take advantage of the real estate of the Start screen on your touch-enabled device. The new list view is a balance between grouping as many apps as possible in one area, but without making the list too crowded to the point that it becomes too difficult to find the app you want.

The default view will show three columns of apps, but depending on your screen resolution, the list can be divided into more columns.

As part of the Start screen changes with the Anniversary Update, you can now take full advantage of the entire screen when using Windows Store apps by choosing the auto-hide the taskbar while in tablet mode. You can configure this new feature under Settings > System > Tablet Mode and turning on the Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode option. Once the feature is enabled, the taskbar will automatically hide when running apps, but you can always swipe from the bottom up or dragging the mouse to the bottom of the screen to bring it back.

Chaseable Live Tiles

On the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Live Tiles remain with the same look and feel, but they are getting smarter. Remember when you opened the Start menu and, for example, the News app tile showed you the latest headlines, you clicked one of the titles, the app opened, but the article you saw is nowhere to be found?

To address this issue, Windows 10 introduces a new feature called "Chaseable Live Tiles" that let you click a story, picture, or another type of content on a Live Tile and open the app to that particular content, instead of just opening the app.

While Chaseable Live Tiles is part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, it's not something that works automatically with every app. It's up to developers to update their apps properly to support the new feature.

Wrapping things up

After radical changes were made to the Start menu with Windows 8, Microsoft brought back the familiar menu with Windows 10, and now the company is being careful what goes in new improvements. In the new update, new changes are being introduced, but retaining the same Start design that matches the modern design language throughout the operating system with a familiar user interface.

Do you like the new improvements in the Start menu? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central