Microsoft is testing a big redesign of the Start menu in Windows 11 25H2, and it’s finally rolling out to Windows Insiders. This update will be part of Windows 11 25H2, but it’s also coming to Windows 11 25H2, more on this in our articles:
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Right now, the Start menu is split into sections—Pinned apps, Recommended files, and All apps. But soon, all of that will be merged into one scrollable layout. That means everything—your pinned and installed apps—will be in a single, easy-to-navigate page.
But here’s the best part: you can finally turn off the Recommended section. That’s the feed that shows your recent files and apps. If you find it annoying, just go to Settings and flip the new toggle off. It also hides recent files in File Explorer, but Microsoft says they’ll fix that later with separate toggles.
There’s also a new “All apps” view. You’ll still get the alphabetical list, but now there are two more layouts—Grid and Category. The Category view is new, and it automatically groups your apps into things like Games, Productivity, Tools, and more. You can’t make custom categories yet, but it’s still a cleaner way to find your stuff.
Another change: the Start menu now adjusts its size based on your screen. On larger monitors, it looks wider and taller, so you can see more apps. On smaller screens, it shrinks down so it doesn’t take up the whole display. No more fixed-size menu like before.
One downside? You can’t switch back to the old layout. Once this rolls out, it’ll be the default for everyone.
That’s all for now. Let us know what you think of the new Start menu in the comments, and subscribe for more Windows 11 news.
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