Microsoft has quietly overhauled the Windows 11 Start menu, rolling out a restructured three-section layout — Pinned, Recommended, and All — to millions of devices since October 2025. Think of it as a reorganized toolbox: cleaner, faster, and less cluttered. Grounded in Feedback Hub data, the redesign prioritizes speed and discoverability, though limited customization options have frustrated power users. The full story behind the rollout reveals considerably more.
Microsoft has quietly overhauled the Windows 11 Start menu, rolling out a redesigned interface that divides into three distinct sections — Pinned, Recommended, and All — with the broader deployment accelerating through early 2026. This isn't just a minor facelift; it's a structural rethink of the most-used entry point in Windows, and millions of users are already waking up to a different desktop than the one they went to sleep with.
The phased rollout began in October 2025, seeded through Windows 11 build 26100.7019 and 26200.7019 across the 24H2 and 25H2 branches respectively. January 2026 widened the net considerably, and February's KB5074109 update pushed the new Single Page Start Menu layout to a significant new wave of devices.
Microsoft's deliberate, measured approach — staggering deployment to catch bugs before they reach millions of machines simultaneously — is textbook enterprise caution. It's a smart strategy, though it can be disorienting for users who didn't receive prior notice.
And disorienting it has been for some. Reports have surfaced of users encountering the redesign without any warning, returning to their computers to find an entirely unfamiliar layout. Such an overnight transformation, albeit well-intentioned, often fractures trust among those who rely on consistency in their daily workflow.
There is a shared frustration in those moments — a sense of being left out of a decision that directly affects your workspace.
So what actually changed? The Pinned section now anchors the top with two rows holding up to eight app pins each — clean, accessible, and familiar. Below it, the Recommended section surfaces recent files, frequently used apps, and yes, Microsoft Store promotions.
Users can deactivate this section entirely, which is a meaningful concession. The All apps section sits at the bottom in a square-box layout, though removing it isn't currently an option. Think of the whole thing as a reorganised toolbox: more logical in theory, but requiring some adjustment if you had your own system.
Microsoft grounded the redesign in Feedback Hub data and user research, targeting three core goals: speed, discoverability, and a calmer visual experience. Category views address a longstanding complaint — endlessly scrolling through alphabetical app lists felt like rummaging through a cluttered drawer. The new layout attempts to resolve that. Users who prefer hands-on access can also enable the new design through Windows 11 Settings without waiting for the rollout to reach their device.
Customisation, however, remains limited. Manual resizing of the Start menu still isn't possible, and the configuration depth falls short of what power users have come to expect. For those willing to dig, command-line tools exist to facilitate features outside standard rollout schedules. Notably, users who wish to revert to the old Start menu cannot do so without relying on third-party tools.
For everyone else, patience is the main option.
Whether the community embraces these changes or continues to push back will likely shape how aggressively Microsoft iterates on this foundation throughout 2026. For now, the Start menu has a new identity. The question is whether users will make it their own.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft's relaunch of the Start Menu in Windows 11 represents more than just a visual update; it's a fundamental shift in the approach to daily computing. As users navigate this change, the Brisbane City Computer Repairs Team is here to help you adapt seamlessly to the new interface. Our expertise ensures that you can make the most of these updates without hassle. Don’t hesitate to reach out—click on our contact us page to connect with us today!