{"id":1809,"date":"2025-10-29T19:36:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techrepublic.com\/?p=4333752"},"modified":"2025-10-29T19:36:06","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:36:06","slug":"windows-11-update-brings-customizable-start-menu-and-streamlined-app-discovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tecnoartesanos.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/29\/windows-11-update-brings-customizable-start-menu-and-streamlined-app-discovery\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 11 Update Brings Customizable Start Menu and Streamlined App Discovery"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"featured-image aligncenter wp-caption\"> <picture class=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"270\" height=\"203\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.techrepublic.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Laptop-1-270x203.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"A woman using her laptop while inside a cafe.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.techrepublic.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Laptop-1-770x513.jpg 770w, https:\/\/assets.techrepublic.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Laptop-1-270x180.jpg 270w, https:\/\/assets.techrepublic.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Laptop-1-540x359.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 50vw, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, (max-width: 979px) 100vw, (max-width: 1369px) 50vw, 770px\" decoding=\"async\"><\/picture><figcaption>Image: Envato<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p> <meta property=\"image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.techrepublic.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Laptop-1-770x513.jpg\"> <\/p>\n<p>Microsoft has finally begun rolling out a redesigned Start menu for Windows 11, to the relief of users of the world\u2019s leading operating system.<\/p>\n<p>Redesigned to deliver a more customizable, modern experience, the long-awaited update is available for users on version 24H2 and version <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techrepublic.com\/article\/new-start-menu-features-windows-11-22h2\/\">25H2<\/a> of the platform and arrives as a non-security preview update referred to as <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/topic\/october-28-2025-kb5067036-os-builds-26200-7019-and-26100-7019-preview-ec3da7dc-63ba-4b1d-ac41-cf2494d2123a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KB5067036<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The new Start menu introduces a revamped layout that prioritizes customization and improved discoverability. Key <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techrepublic.com\/article\/windows-11-cheat-sheet-everything-you-need-to-know\/\">new features<\/a> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Scrollable \u201cAll apps\u201d list:<\/strong> A single, unified surface that allows users to browse through all installed applications without opening a separate panel.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Customizable sections:<\/strong> Users can toggle off or hide the Recommended files\/apps section, and adjust\/collapse the pinned apps grid to simplify their workspace.<\/li>\n<li><strong>New layout views:<\/strong> Choose between \u201cCategory\u201d view, which groups apps by type, \u201cGrid\u201d view, which displays apps alphabetically with larger icons, or the classic \u201cList\u201d view for a traditional alphabetical layout.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phone Link integration:<\/strong> Start now connects with the Phone Link app, displaying mobile content directly within the menu for seamless continuity between devices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Enhanced personalization settings:<\/strong> More control over how app groups, layout density, and quick access areas appear, giving users a chance to tailor Start to their workflow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The update reflects Microsoft\u2019s continued effort to address long-standing criticism of Windows 11\u2019s rigid usability and limited customization. The company has been under steady pressure from its user community to restore more flexible features from earlier versions of Windows, which it addressed on its <a href=\"https:\/\/microsoft.design\/articles\/start-fresh-redesigning-windows-start-menu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Design blog<\/a> when unveiling the refreshed OS earlier in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDesign is a conversation, not a monologue,\u201d The company said. \u201cYesterday we listened with all ears, today we speak with pixels; tomorrow we\u2019ll take our turn and listen again. Install the latest Windows build, click that familiar logo, and let us know what sings \u2014 or what still needs tuning.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"pinbox right\">\n<h3 class=\"heading\">More Microsoft news<\/h3>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Tighter ecosystem integration<\/h2>\n<p>This latest iteration of Windows signals a shift toward greater personalization and tighter integration across the Windows ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p>The redesigned Start menu is currently available through the optional non-security preview update for users who have enabled the \u201cGet the latest updates as soon as they\u2019re available\u201d setting. Microsoft is taking a staged approach, meaning not all users will see the update immediately. Wider deployment is expected during Microsoft\u2019s regular Patch Tuesday release.<\/p>\n<p>While Microsoft has not stated whether the new Start menu will replace the previous version permanently, <a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/answers\/questions\/5520535\/how-do-i-revert-win-11-start-menu-to-a-win-10-styl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">documentation<\/a> suggests there is currently no built-in option to revert to the old layout once the update is installed. However, users can adjust or disable individual sections, such as the Phone Link panel, through system settings.<\/p>\n<p>For end users, the Windows 11 refresh is a welcome move toward a cleaner, more intuitive interface that allows better navigation between desktop, mobile, and cloud-connected devices. The unified app list and enhanced search make everyday tasks more efficient, while personalization options allow users to reduce clutter and focus on tools that they use most.<\/p>\n<p>The redesign also shores up Microsoft\u2019s broader strategy to keep Windows user-driven. It hints at tighter integration between Windows, Microsoft 365, and AI-powered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techrepublic.com\/article\/news-microsoft-windows-11-ai-copilot-update\/\">Copilot<\/a> features to cement the operating system\u2019s role as the hub for both personal and professional productivity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>After months of speculation over artificial general intelligence tensions, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techrepublic.com\/article\/news-microsoft-openai-reset-partnership\/\">Microsoft and OpenAI<\/a> have finally redrawn the lines of their partnership.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image: Envato Microsoft has finally begun rolling out a redesigned Start menu for Windows 11, to the relief of users of the world\u2019s leading operating system. Redesigned to deliver a more customizable, modern experience, the long-awaited update is available for users on version 24H2 and version 25H2 of the platform and arrives as a non-security [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1810,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Windows 11 Update Brings Customizable Start Menu and Streamlined App Discovery - TecnoArtesanos Tech Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tecnoartesanos.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/29\/windows-11-update-brings-customizable-start-menu-and-streamlined-app-discovery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Windows 11 Update Brings Customizable Start Menu and Streamlined App Discovery - TecnoArtesanos Tech Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Image: Envato Microsoft has finally begun rolling out a redesigned Start menu for Windows 11, to the relief of users of the world\u2019s leading operating system. 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