start menu

Microsoft made its latest Windows 11 Start menu personalization changes available to Insiders on May 29, 2026, through Experimental build 26300.8553, adding new size controls, section-level visibility toggles, a renamed “Recent” area, and privacy options for hiding account identity in Start. The...

Microsoft announced on May 15, 2026, that Windows 11 Insiders in the Experimental channel will begin testing a taskbar that can be placed on the top, bottom, left, or right edge of the desktop, alongside new Start menu controls. The practical news is simple: Microsoft is restoring a piece of...

On May 15, 2026, Microsoft said Windows 11 Insiders in the Experimental channel would begin receiving taskbar and Start menu personalization changes, including the ability to place the taskbar on any screen edge and choose smaller taskbar buttons and Start menu layouts. The move is not just a...

Microsoft began testing new Windows 11 personalization controls on May 15, 2026, giving Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel the ability to move the taskbar to any screen edge, shrink its height, and reshape the Start menu with new layout toggles. The timing is not accidental. After...

Microsoft began testing new Windows 11 personalization controls on May 15, 2026, giving Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel options to resize the Start menu, hide major Start sections, adjust file recommendations, obscure account identity in Start, and move the taskbar to any screen...

Microsoft began testing a Windows 11 taskbar and Start menu overhaul on May 15, 2026, in the Windows Insider Experimental channel, adding options to move the taskbar to the top, left, or right of the screen and to use a smaller taskbar layout. That is the factual fix; the larger story is...

Microsoft has defended Windows 11’s Low Latency Profile after online critics accused the company of “cheating” by temporarily boosting CPU responsiveness for app launches and interface actions, with Microsoft executive Scott Hanselman arguing in May 2026 that the technique is normal...

Microsoft has begun optimizing WinUI 3 itself as part of its Windows 11 performance push, with early File Explorer launch benchmarks showing fewer allocations, fewer transient allocations, fewer function calls, and less time spent inside WinUI code. That is the more important story behind the...

Microsoft is reportedly testing a Windows 11 “Low Latency Profile” that briefly boosts CPU frequency during common interactions such as launching apps, opening the Start menu, and invoking context menus, with early tests published in May 2026 claiming gains of up to 40 percent for some Microsoft...

Microsoft is reportedly preparing another Windows 11 Start menu overhaul in 2026, with new settings that would let users disable major sections, choose smaller or larger layouts manually, and reduce the clutter that has made Start feel less like a launcher than a promotional dashboard. The move...

Microsoft is using May 2026 Windows Insider builds and public blog posts from Marcus Ash to frame recent Windows 11 changes as proof that it is rebuilding trust through clearer testing channels, less disruptive updates, quieter defaults, and renewed attention to performance. That is the right...

Microsoft’s latest reminder that Windows 11 has a trust problem arrived this week through a fan-made Behance redesign by Raditya Aryaputra, spotlighted by Windows Central, that imagines a cleaner Start menu, quieter Search, simpler Widgets, and a desktop stripped of ads and AI clutter. The...

Microsoft’s reported Windows K2 initiative sounds less like a flashy product codename and more like an admission that Windows 11’s next battle is about trust, speed, and everyday usability. According to recent reporting, Microsoft is preparing a staged revival effort that would tackle...

Microsoft is preparing one of the most consequential Start menu revisions Windows 11 has seen since launch, and the significance is bigger than a fresh coat of paint. The new direction points to a native WinUI 3 foundation, more explicit user control over layout, and a clearer attempt to answer...

Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 direction suggests a rare admission: the company knows the Start menu and File Explorer have become symbolic pain points, and it is now trying to fix both in parallel. On paper, that should be good news for anyone who has spent the last three years grumbling about a...

Microsoft is reportedly preparing one of the biggest Start menu shake-ups Windows 11 has seen since launch, and this time the focus is not just on aesthetics but on real user control. If the report proves accurate, users will soon be able to choose a larger or smaller Start layout, hide or...

Microsoft’s next round of Windows 11 work looks less like a cosmetic refresh and more like an overdue correction. The Start Menu has been one of the operating system’s most visible pain points, and the latest reports suggest Microsoft is finally preparing a version that puts control...

Microsoft is quietly preparing one of the most important course corrections in Windows 11’s shell story: a more flexible Start menu that finally behaves like users have been asking for since launch. The broad thrust is simple, but the implications are not. Microsoft appears to be working toward...

Microsoft’s latest Start menu rethink is more than a cosmetic tweak: it is a signal that the company finally understands how much damage Windows 11’s original launch-era design choices did to daily workflow. The new direction reportedly centers on a WinUI 3 rebuild, stronger performance under...

Microsoft is not just patching Windows 11 this April — it is attempting to rebuild the trust it has spent four years quietly eroding. The April 14, 2026 Patch Tuesday release (KB5086672) delivers a focused set of quality-of-life improvements across Smart App Control, Narrator, Settings, File...