Microsoft is expanding its redesigned Windows 11 Start menu to more users, and the reason behind the overhaul is notably straightforward — people asked for it. Feedback Hub submissions revealed users wanted faster app access with less scrolling, prompting a merged Pinned apps and All Apps layout organized into clean, adaptive rows. Canary Insiders on build 27965 got first access, with broader waves following. The full picture of what changed gets more interesting from here.
Microsoft is overhauling the Windows 11 Start menu in a significant way, rolling out a redesigned experience to more devices following its initial October 2025 debut. The wider release is occurring in waves, with Canary Insiders on build 27965 already experiencing the new layout. Most users are simply waking up to find it waiting for them, with no action required.
Microsoft’s redesigned Windows 11 Start menu is rolling out now, arriving quietly and automatically for most users.
So what has actually changed? The redesigned Start menu eliminates the previous friction between pinned apps and the All Apps screen. Everything is now integrated. Pinned apps are arranged in two default rows, accommodating up to eight pins each. Below that, the Recommended section showcases recent files, frequently used apps, and occasional prompts from the Microsoft Store. The All section expands directly within the menu itself, removing the context shift that previously interrupted workflow momentum, akin to a speed bump on a highway.
Three views are available, including grid and category options, with a scrollable interface that makes browsing installed apps feel less like an archaeological dig. Microsoft has been transparent about the reasons behind this change. The company states it reviewed Feedback Hub submissions and heard a consistent message: users wanted quicker access to apps, disliked scrolling through lengthy lists, and desired an experience that felt personal rather than clinical.
The redesign is Microsoft’s response, centred on the idea that the Start menu should feel calm and fast, not chaotic. The menu adapts intelligently to screen size, which is arguably one of its more underrated features. Smaller screens display six pinned columns and three app categories, while larger monitors reveal eight pinned columns and four categories. Pinned rows scale accordingly.
This thoughtful scaling is something that third-party tools like Start11 only partially replicate, whereas Microsoft’s implementation handles it automatically and completely. Customisation options are available, albeit within limits. Users can disable the Recommended section entirely, but it’s worth noting that toggling it off also impacts File Explorer and Jump Lists. The All section can switch between Grid and Category View.
Notably absent is a manual resize option, and the layout setting that previously existed in Start settings has been removed. Whether this feels liberating or limiting depends entirely on an individual’s preference for customisation. Compared to third-party alternatives, the new Start menu offers some genuine advantages. Adaptive resizing is fully automated, and live categories populate without manual configuration.
Phone integration through a sidebar remains exclusive to Windows 11, a feature no external tool currently matches. However, it does not provide classic menu emulation or extensive customisation for power users looking to completely rebuild the Start menu. The rollout coincides with broader Windows 11 updates, including 24H2 and 25H2. Users eager to access the new design sooner can enable the latest updates option within Windows Update settings to receive it ahead of the gradual wave deployment. User feedback had consistently indicated a strong preference for all apps being immediately visible upon opening the Start menu, a key reason Microsoft pursued this overhaul.
The community is growing into this new design together, and that shared evolution is precisely what Microsoft intended.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft’s Start Menu redesign is a strategic move based on user behavior in today’s Windows environment. The expanded rollout indicates confidence in the new layout, which aims for a cleaner and more streamlined experience. However, user habits can be challenging to change. If the feedback remains positive, this might be the Start Menu that encourages users to move away from pinning everything back to the taskbar.
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