Windows 11 Insider Preview: The New Scrollable and Customizable Start Menu

For the millions of Windows users who rely on the Start menu as the launchpad of their computing experience, every redesign feels personal. Microsoft’s latest overhaul of the Start menu, now rolling out to Windows 11 Insiders, is perhaps the most ambitious since the launch of the OS itself. It promises a smarter, fresher, and—most crucially—more intuitive navigation system, aiming to answer long-standing user desires for simplicity, customization, and flexibility.

The Start Menu Renaissance: What’s Changing?​

Microsoft’s latest Insider Preview build introduces a fundamentally new approach to Start menu organization. Gone is the old “See more apps” button, replaced by a seamless scroll-down experience that guides users into an “All” section. Here, apps are no longer jumbled together but thoughtfully grouped into dynamic folders such as Productivity, Social, Creativity, and Games.

From Cluttered Lists to Curated Folders​

At the core of the revamp is intelligent app categorization. Each folder, automatically created, showcases your most-used apps at the top, drawing from your real usage patterns. This is a step beyond static folders that required user setup—Microsoft now leverages its cloud intelligence for a system that adapts over time. For organizational purists, an “Other” category ensures nothing gets lost: apps that don’t neatly fit the main categories settle here, maintaining quick access without clutter.

Grid or List: Choice Returns to the User​

Another long-standing debate within the Windows community revolves around how best to display apps. The classic alphabetical list, so beloved in Windows 7 and 10, makes a return in this Insider build as “Grid view”—a toggleable option that instantly reshuffles all installed applications from A to Z. This caters directly to those who prefer muscle memory and alphabet-hopping over category-based exploration.

Responsive Design, Smarter Scaling​

Device diversity remains a challenge, and Microsoft’s new design explicitly addresses screen size. On expansive desktop monitors, users are rewarded with up to eight columns of pinned apps. Conversely, on compact laptops and tablets, the grid constricts to a more manageable six columns. The Pinned section finds a new default at two rows, though it intelligently shrinks to a single row if only a handful of favorites are pinned—a subtle change with major implications for minimalists and productivity enthusiasts.

Hiding the Noise: Customizing the Recommended Section​

Few Windows features have sparked as much debate as Start’s “Recommended” section, which highlights recently opened documents and suggested content. Power users, in particular, have clamored for ways to turn this off, citing privacy concerns and a preference for a cleaner interface. Microsoft now lets users hide this area entirely via Personalization > Start settings. It’s a win for those craving a distraction-free environment and could foster greater trust among enterprise users wary of sharing activity data.

New Mobile Integrations: Bridging Desktop and Smartphone​

Windows 11 has steadily introduced features to bring the desktop and mobile worlds closer. The addition of a dedicated mobile button next to the search bar furthers this mission: with a single click, the Start menu expands to surface vital info from your paired smartphone via the Phone Link widget. Users can check messages, notifications, and basic phone stats—all without leaving the familiar Start environment. For anyone working across devices, this is a significant, quality-of-life improvement.

How to Test the Scrollable Start Menu on Windows 11​

Being an Insider Preview feature, this smarter Start menu is not available to the general public just yet. To try it out, users need to enroll their device in the Windows Insider Program, ideally choosing the Dev or Canary channels, which receive new features first.
Step-by-step process:

• Join Windows Insider:
• Go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program.
• Link your Microsoft account and select the Dev/Canary Channel.
• Update Your System:
• Check for updates and install the latest Insider Preview build. A reboot may be necessary.
• Explore the New Start Menu:
• Open Start. You should now see scrollable app folders, the expanded “All” section, and category-based organization.
• Dive into Settings > Personalization > Start to tweak visibility and grid options.
• Try Mobile Integrations:
• Locate the mobile button beside the search bar.
• Set up or connect your device with the Phone Link widget to showcase live phone info within Start.

Note: Because this is pre-release software, bugs and minor glitches are possible. Microsoft encourages feedback through the Feedback Hub app; user input plays a pivotal role in shaping final features.

Critical Analysis: Strengths, Pitfalls, and Unanswered Questions​

Rolling out such a comprehensive redesign to one of the most visible elements of Windows is a high-stakes maneuver. There’s plenty to praise, but as with all things in the rapidly changing world of UI/UX, there are risks and open questions worth raising.

Strengths​

• Personalized Experience: Leveraging real-time app usage to surface most-used programs ensures relevance. The move towards intelligent categorization reflects broader industry trends seen in both Android and iOS, where context-aware homescreens drive engagement.
• Flexibility and Customization: By offering both category-based and alphabetical views, Microsoft sidesteps the classic “one-size-fits-all” trap. Users regain agency if they prefer an old-school experience.
• Cleaner Aesthetics and Minimalism: The adaptive resizing of Start’s rows and the option to nix “Recommended” content address long-standing complaints, especially from power users who detest UI bloat.
• Better Use of Space: Responsive design ensures Windows looks as good on a 27-inch monitor as on a 13-inch convertible. This is central to Windows’ claim as the world’s most versatile operating system.
• Ecosystem Synergy: The integration with Phone Link reduces friction for those living a cross-device lifestyle, potentially increasing stickiness to Microsoft’s ecosystem (and reducing the reliance on rival mobile OS integrations).

Potential Risks and Weaknesses​

• Learning Curve: While organized folders sound great on paper, for users accustomed to hunting apps by muscle memory, automatic grouping might be disorienting at first. Microsoft’s track record of shifting UI paradigms (such as the Windows 8 Start screen) offers a cautionary tale for over-ambitious reorganizations.
• Misclassification of Apps: Automatic sorting relies heavily on metadata and usage patterns. Apps could be incorrectly slotted (for instance, a creative tool might be misfiled under Productivity), introducing friction for users who want precise control. Early user reports on the Insider channels will be crucial for refining these algorithms.
• Feature Fragmentation: Since only Insiders currently get access, there’s a risk of feature fragmentation. Enterprise and education customers, in particular, may have trouble adopting or standardizing workflows if Start functions differently across versions and hardware.
• Performance and Reliability: Expanding Start to accommodate scrolling and more dynamic content increases complexity. On lower-end devices, rendering eight columns or managing dynamic widgets could introduce lag or bugs. Microsoft will need robust telemetry and feedback loops to catch issues early.
• Privacy Implications: Surface-level toggles to hide “Recommended” content help address privacy anxieties, but Microsoft must remain vigilant about what telemetry data feeds Start’s intelligence. Transparency about data usage and local/cloud processing boundaries is essential.

Unanswered Questions​

• Launch Timeline: When will these features trickle down from Insider builds into mainstream releases? Microsoft’s roadmap remains opaque, although precedent suggests staggered rollouts over several cumulative updates.
• Enterprise Controls: Will IT admins have granular policy controls over Start menu behavior in managed environments? Past updates occasionally left enterprise users scrambling to mitigate unwanted changes.
• Usability for Accessibility: How well do new navigation patterns work for keyboard users or those relying on screen readers? Microsoft claims accessibility-first design, but these claims require detailed, independent verification as features pass through Preview channels.

Community Reception: Early Impressions and Feedback​

Browsing through Insider forums and feedback hubs, sentiment appears mixed—but mostly optimistic. Users with large app libraries appreciate the scrollable, categorized layout, noting reduced cognitive load when seeking out rarely used programs. Minimalists praise the new ability to minimize Start’s footprint, hailing it as the “cleanest” Windows menu in years.
However, apprehension is present. Some fear a repeat of the Windows 8 debacle, where usability was sacrificed for novelty. Others question whether automatic categorization will be editable or overrideable. Power users request more robust tools for manual folder creation and sorting, highlighting an enduring desire for hybrid approaches.
A minority voice concerns about privacy implications, noting that smarter sorting could easily tip into over-collection of user data unless Microsoft is fully transparent about what’s processed locally versus synced to the cloud.
Microsoft has signaled that feedback from these channels will drive iterative improvements—a recognition, perhaps, that Start is too integral to get wrong.

SEO-Driven Q&A: What People Want to Know​

How does the new Windows 11 Start menu compare to Windows 10?​

The most obvious difference is the adoption of scrollable, categorized folders instead of a static alphabetical list. Windows 10’s Start was more rigid, often criticized for inefficiency and wasted space, especially on large screens. The new Start is smarter, adapting to user behavior and offering multiple display modes.

Can I revert to the old Start menu?​

As of the latest Insider Preview, no formal toggle exists to completely restore the Windows 10 Start menu. However, alternative third-party tools, such as StartIsBack or Open-Shell, continue to fill this gap for users resistant to change. Microsoft does provide an “A-to-Z” grid as a compromise for those seeking a classic feel.

Is it possible to remove the Recommended section?​

Yes. Open Settings > Personalization > Start, and select the option to hide the Recommended section. The change is immediate and restores Start to a more minimalist appearance.

Will these changes be available to everyone?​

Currently, only devices enrolled in the Windows Insider Program (Dev and Canary channels) can access the smarter Start menu. General availability will likely follow after several months of bug-fixing and polishing based on Insider feedback.

Broader Implications for Microsoft and the Windows Ecosystem​

This Start menu redesign embodies a larger philosophical shift for Microsoft. The company appears increasingly committed to delivering proactive, personalized experiences that leverage both local and cloud intelligence—all while respecting individual preferences and data boundaries.
By providing tangible evidence of listening to feedback (such as restoring alphabetical lists and letting users nix Recommendations), Microsoft positions itself as a responsive steward of the Windows platform. Successfully balancing innovation with stability and customization could set a strong precedent for future Windows 11—and ultimately Windows 12—updates.

Final Thoughts: A Step Forward, With Caution​

For a feature so central and visible as the Start menu, the stakes are always high. Microsoft’s push to make Start more intelligent, scalable, and user-led stands out as a thoughtful response to years of community input. In its current form, the redesign emphasizes flexibility, cleanliness, and better handling of the sprawl inherent to modern computing life.
However, the true test will be how these changes land outside the relatively forgiving sphere of Insiders. Mass adoption brings out both edge cases and edge complaints. Automatic intelligence is only as good as its ability to adapt to user expectations—and, most importantly, to let users overrule it when needed.
If Microsoft nails the balance between adaptivity and control, the smarter Start menu could become Windows 11’s defining quality-of-life upgrade. If not, it risks stoking another round of nostalgia for the “good old Start” of previous eras.
For now, the verdict lies with the power users and intrepid testers braving the bleeding edge. Their input—and Microsoft’s willingness to listen—will shape not just the Start menu, but the broader direction of Windows itself for years to come.

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Source: Mint https://www.livemint.com/gadgets-and-appliances/microsoft-rolls-out-smarter-scrollable-start-menu-in-windows-11-here-s-how-to-test-it-now-with-insider-preview-11750074098578.html