Microsoft is giving the Windows 11 Start menu a new look this month. The updated design is wider and lets you turn off the “recommended” section showing files and apps.
In a blog post, Microsoft showed five early versions of the Start menu. Some of them looked very different. One design had a rounder look with a special “For You” section that showed Teams meetings, YouTube videos, and recent files. Another design had this section on the side and grouped apps into categories.
One of the test designs made the Start menu take up almost the whole screen, with areas for shortcuts, apps, files, and even tools to link with your Android phone. Another idea made the menu look like a full-page layout you could scroll through.
The Microsoft team used lots of tools during the design process, including whiteboards, paper sketches, and Figma designs. They said they explored many ideas freely before choosing the final version.
To help make their decision, Microsoft tested the designs with over 300 Windows fans. They used things like eye-tracking and asked for feedback to see which ideas worked best.
The goal was to improve the Start menu without changing it too much, so it still feels familiar. The final version is bigger, faster, and more customizable. Many users will be happy that they can now remove the recommended section. The new menu also includes a phone panel that gives quick access to calls, messages, and phone files.
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Right now, Microsoft is testing this new Start menu with Windows Insiders. It will be available to all Windows 11 users in the coming months.
