Microsoft is expanding its redesigned Windows 11 Start menu to a broader audience following an initial October 2025 release, with wider availability arriving February 2026. User feedback drove the overhaul — people were tired of marathon-scrolling alphabetical app lists. The refreshed layout splits into Pinned, Recommended, and All Apps sections, adds a Category view, and borrows mobile conventions straight from the iOS playbook. There’s plenty more beneath the surface worth uncovering.
Microsoft is finally reshaping one of Windows’ most iconic features. The redesigned Start menu is now rolling out broadly across Windows 11 devices, following an initial October 2025 release, with expanded availability reaching wider audiences as of early February 2026.
The overhaul has been nearly a year in the making. Microsoft‘s new design splits the Start menu into three distinct sections — Pinned, Recommended, and All — each visible without extra clicks or buried navigation. The Pinned section defaults to two rows, fitting up to eight apps per row, whereas the Recommended section surfaces recent files, applications, and promoted Microsoft Store picks. The All apps list, previously tucked behind an additional button press, now resides directly on the Start menu homepage. That single change tells you everything about what Microsoft was trying to fix.
Microsoft’s redesigned Start menu puts Pinned, Recommended, and All apps front and center — no extra clicks required.
Why the redesign? Feedback Hub submissions were evidently loud and consistent. Users wanted easier app discovery. They were tired of marathon-scrolling through endless alphabetical lists just to find something they installed six months ago. In direct response, Microsoft introduced a Category view that groups apps into buckets like Productivity or Developer Tools — think iPhone App Library, but for your desktop. Grid and List views remain available for those who prefer a more traditional arrangement.
The Start menu similarly adapts intelligently to screen size. Smaller displays receive six columns of pinned apps and three category columns; larger monitors reveal eight pinned columns and four category columns. Each section resizes automatically based on content volume, so a sparsely pinned menu won’t leave awkward empty space — the other sections simply expand to fill it.
Customisation gets a modest but meaningful upgrade too. The old “All apps” button is replaced by a show more/show less toggle for pinning adjustments. Users can disable the Recommended section entirely, removing browsing history items and suggested apps from the menu if they’d rather keep things tidy. One notable limitation: Start menu size still cannot be manually adjusted, regardless of the flexibility offered elsewhere. Make of that what you will.
Philosophically, Microsoft describes the redesign as an effort to make the Start menu feel “faster, more personal, and calmer.” The mobile influence is unmistakable — the layout borrows heavily from iOS conventions, reflecting how thoroughly smartphone interfaces have reshaped expectations for digital navigation. If your Start menu now faintly resembles your iPhone home screen, that’s entirely intentional.
The rollout applies to Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, delivered in phased waves to allow gradual adoption across the user base. Not everyone has it yet, but the expansion is clearly accelerating. Users can also add system folder shortcuts near the Power button for quicker access to locations like Settings and File Explorer. Users seeking greater control over the experience have turned to third-party apps like Start11 to unlock additional customisation beyond what Microsoft natively provides. Whether the redesign earns lasting approval depends on how seamlessly it fits into daily workflows — but at minimum, Microsoft is asking the right questions this time.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft’s recent overhaul of the Start Menu in Windows 11 is a strategic response to long-standing user frustrations. As the rollout expands, it reflects the company’s confidence in this new design. The real challenge lies in whether it enhances productivity or merely rearranges existing issues. One thing is clear: Microsoft is more attuned to user feedback than ever before.
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