start menu

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 is testing early code for a Windows 10-style smaller Windows 11 taskbar in preview build 26300.8346, restoring a customization path it removed when Windows 11 launched in 2021. The feature is unfinished and hidden, but its appearance matters because the taskbar has become the symbol of...

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...

Microsoft’s latest admission about Windows 11 search problems matters because it confirms something users have complained about for years: the system’s most basic discovery tool still feels inconsistent, slow, and overly eager to mix in web content when people just want to launch an app or find...

Windows 11 remains a study in tension: it is the only broadly supported Microsoft desktop platform now that Windows 10’s regular security updates have ended, yet it still frustrates a large slice of power users with defaults that feel more opinionated than optional. The good news is that many of...

These Windows 11 annoyances are not just cosmetic irritations; they reveal the operating system’s bigger identity crisis. Microsoft has spent years pushing a more cloud-connected, more account-driven, and more AI-infused Windows experience, while many power users still want the opposite: less...

Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 search push is less about flashy AI and more about fixing something far more fundamental: making the Start menu behave like a reliable launcher again. Microsoft appears to be responding to one of the longest-running complaints from power users and everyday PC owners...