Microsoft's Revamped Windows 11 Start Menu Is Rolling Out - But I'll Stick With My Favorite Alternative

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The caller Windows 11 Start paper is now rolling retired to each users.
• The paper brings a much elastic layout to nan Apps section.
• Don't for illustration it? You tin still move to a Start paper replacement.

The Windows 11 Start paper has been a divisive alteration from nan get-go. Some group apparently emotion it, while others dislike it. (Yes, I'm successful nan second category.) Since nan OS debuted successful 2021, Microsoft has taken babe steps to effort to reside immoderate of nan menu's flaws. But now, it's undergoing a much melodramatic overhaul.

Following a lengthy period successful which nan caller paper was available only for testing among Windows insiders, nan redesigned Start paper is now rolling retired to each Windows 11 users. The revamped paper offers a much customizable and elastic layout meant to reside nan clumsiness of nan Apps section.

How to get nan caller Windows 11 Start menu

To drawback nan update, caput to Settings and prime Windows Update. Make judge you've enabled nan move for "Get nan latest updates arsenic soon arsenic they're available." You should past spot a preview update branded KB5067036. Allow that to download and install. Reboot your PC, motion in, and past click nan Start button. 

Also: How to upgrade your 'incompatible' Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 - 2 free options

If nan changes person reached your PC, you should spot nan caller menu. If not, you whitethorn request to hold a fewer days arsenic they're conscionable now rolling out.

How it's different 

So what will you find? Right disconnected nan bat, you'll announcement that nan Apps conception is nary longer a abstracted model that you person to click to open. Instead, this conception is now integrated into nan main page of nan Start menu, truthful it's automatically visible and accessible.

In a motion toward customization, Microsoft offers 3 different views for nan Apps section. With Category view, your installed apps are placed into folders that effort to shape them based connected type, akin to nan App Library connected iPhones and iPads. With List view, your apps are listed alphabetically and tin show your frequently-used ones astatine nan top. With Grid view, your apps besides look alphabetically, but pinch larger icons and much abstraction betwixt them, and pinch nan astir utilized ones astatine nan top.

Just click nan drop-down paper for View to move among nan 3 layouts. Windows will retrieve which 1 you take arsenic your favorite, truthful you don't person to support mounting aliases resetting it. All 3 views are scrollable, letting you easy move up and down nan menu.

The caller paper besides adapts to your surface size. On a ample show aliases display, you tin spot much pinned apps, recommended apps, and categories.

Also: Microsoft said my PC was 'too old' to tally Windows 11 - really I upgraded successful 5 minutes anyway

Your pinned apps still look astatine nan apical of nan paper for speedy access. But you tin prime a fastener to show much aliases less of them. The extremity present is to trim nan magnitude of scrolling and moving you person to execute conscionable to alteration your view.

The caller Start paper besides includes a conception for your mobile phone. Using the Phone Link app, you tin link and brace your telephone pinch Windows. This caller conception allows you to entree calls and texts from your connected iPhone aliases Android phone.

How to modify nan caller Start menu

Want to tweak nan caller Start menu? Microsoft offers a fewer ways to do that.

Go to Settings, prime Personalization, and take Start. You tin show Windows not to show recently-added apps, recommended apps, aliases astir utilized apps. You tin besides put nan kibosh connected tips and shortcuts and links to websites from your browsing history. Plus, you tin dispense pinch nan mobile telephone conception if you don't want that hogging up your desktop.

Also: I'd take this Windows gaming PC complete different pro laptops for activity - here's why

The latest preview update kicks successful a slew of features and fixes for different apps, astir notably File Explorer, nan taskbar, nan Click to Do characteristic connected Copilot+ PCs, and voice access. But nan biggest and astir glaring alteration is nan 1 for nan Start menu.

Windows 11 Start paper alternatives

With my disdain for nan Windows 11 Start menu, I've utilized an replacement app for respective years, specifically Stardock's Start11. I for illustration this 1 because it offers a accepted two-column paper past seen successful Windows 7 and good arsenic a big of customization options. Two different coagulated Start paper replacements are StartAllBack and Open Shell Menu.

I admit nan changes to nan built-in Start paper arsenic I deliberation they make it much usable. I don't usage Start11 connected my Windows 11 virtual machines, truthful nan caller paper will beryllium astir invited erstwhile I'm moving pinch my VMs. However, I'll proceed to usage Start11 connected my halfway Windows 11 PCs. If you're still not sold connected nan Start paper moreover pinch nan latest update, you whitethorn want to effort 1 of nan replacements to spot if you for illustration it.