Windows 11 Start Menu Evolution: Features, User Demands & Future Outlook

Few aspects of the Windows user interface have been as hotly debated as the Start menu, and Microsoft’s decision-making around its design has fueled passionate discussions, heated feedback, and a proliferation of third-party alternatives. With the Windows 11 redesign gathering momentum and a new Start menu currently in preview for Dev and Beta Channel users, now is the perfect moment to examine what users asked for, what Microsoft actually delivered, and the enduring gaps in user experience. In this comprehensive exploration, we dissect the evolution of the Start menu from a user-driven perspective, verifying feature implementations, identifying what works, and highlighting where lingering frustrations remain.

The Historical Weight of the Start Menu​

Since its introduction in Windows 95, the Start menu has been synonymous with the Windows operating system—a structural pillar as central as the desktop itself. Over the years, it has evolved from a simple program launcher to a complex hub of live tiles, recommendations, and power options. Its design changes have often reflected shifts in Microsoft’s broader user experience philosophy—sometimes leaning conservative for continuity and familiarity, other times pushing bold innovation in the name of modernization.
Windows 10’s Start menu struck a balance between old and new, offering a blend of classic program lists and live tiles from Windows 8. For many, this seemed like an optimal middle ground. Yet, with the advent of Windows 11, Microsoft swung the pendulum toward minimalism, centering the Start button and streamlining the menu drastically. This revamp, while visually harmonious with Windows 11’s overall aesthetic, drew sharp criticism from long-time users who found beloved features stripped away or fundamentally altered.

User-Driven Demands: Top 10 Feature Requests​

Community feedback has been both vocal and persistent, consistently surfacing on channels like Feedback Hub, Reddit, and technology forums. In 2023, a crowdsourced list of the most-requested Start menu features for Windows 11 crystallized user expectations:

• The ability to turn off the "Recommended" section
• Expanded customization options
• Manual resizing of the Start menu
• A return to the Windows 10-style menu
• Introduction of a grid view for All apps
• Jump lists for right-clicked pinned apps
• Option for the Start menu to open with the All apps list by default
• A full-screen Start menu variant
• Resurrection of live tiles
• Start menu button following the system accent color

With the new redesign being tested in preview builds, has Microsoft finally listened and delivered on these widely-shared demands?

Reality Check: What Microsoft Delivered​

Let’s dissect each major request, comparing community aspirations against the feature set available in the new Start menu preview, with each claim verified against Microsoft’s own changelogs and hands-on community analysis.

1. Turn Off the "Recommended" Section – Delivered​

Few Start menu features have incited as much exasperation as the “Recommended” section, often seen by users as a clutter vector for recently added or suggested apps and files. With over 17,000 upvotes in Feedback Hub, this was the number one request—not surprising given privacy concerns and the desire for a tidy workspace.
Verification:
According to both Microsoft’s release notes for the relevant Insider builds and independent hands-on reviews (Neowin, Windows Central), users in Dev and Beta Channels can now toggle off this section entirely. Doing so removes recommended content and reclaims valuable screen real estate, marking a major departure from Microsoft’s earlier resistance to this change. This is a rare instance where outcry has yielded real product evolution.
Strength:

• Massive user demand met, restoring user control and visual clarity.

Potential Risk:

• By removing this, less-advanced users may miss potentially helpful shortcuts or files, although most feedback prioritized decluttering over algorithmic suggestions.

2. More Customization Options – Not Delivered​

Windows power users crave personalization—whether for aesthetics, organization, or workflow optimization. The ability to customize layout, color schemes, transparency levels, and icon sets has long been relegated to third-party utilities such as Windhawk or unofficial modding solutions.
Verification:
Current Insider builds allow only limited changes—toggling the Recommended section or switching list/grid/categorized views for All apps. Beyond these tweaks, the interface remains locked, with no granular controls for reshaping the experience, rearranging sections, or integrating widgets. Reviews from Neowin and user feedback on the Feedback Hub corroborate this limitation.
Strength:

• Limited options may reduce confusion for mainstream users.

Potential Risk:

• Power users will continue to flock to third-party solutions, perpetuating fragmentation and possible security risks.

3. Allow Resizing the Start Menu – Partially Delivered​

Resizing was a hallmark of Windows 10’s Start menu, offering adaptability for various display sizes and personal preference. In Windows 11’s initial release, resizing was conspicuously absent.
Verification:
The redesign brings adaptivity—the menu will show additional content on larger displays—but lacks manual resizing. Users cannot drag to expand or contract the menu at will, a limitation confirmed by every major review outlet and Microsoft's own feature listings.
Strength:

• Scalable layout benefits users with high-resolution monitors.

Potential Risk:

• Lack of user control is a step back for those who want a compact or expanded menu on-demand.

4. Restore the Windows 10-Style Start Menu – Not Delivered​

Nostalgia and efficiency drive this persistent request—users loved the “at-a-glance” density and flexibility of the Windows 10 menu. But Microsoft shows no sign of reviving this legacy design.
Verification:
There is no official option to revert to the Windows 10 layout. Some third-party Start menu replacements replicate the previous experience, but native support is absent and not on Microsoft’s roadmap as of the latest Feedback Hub and Insider program communications.
Strength:

• Consistency with Windows 11’s overall modern aesthetic.

Potential Risk:

• Alienating long-time users, feeding the cottage industry of unofficial mods.

5. Grid View for All Apps List – Delivered​

A grid layout—previously unavailable—has now been introduced, empowering users to organize and navigate their app library more visually.
Verification:
Both Microsoft’s Insider Program documentation and user demo videos confirm this feature. Users may toggle between a classic list view, a grid, or even a categorized grouping, meeting and arguably exceeding the original request.
Strength:

• Flexibility enables productivity.

Potential Risk:

• Multiple views may create minor confusion, though the implementation is intuitive.

6. Jump Lists for Right-Clicked Pinned Apps – Buggy Implementation​

Jump lists, which appear when right-clicking pinned apps to quickly access recent or common tasks, are critical for workflow speed. While Windows 10 handled this elegantly, Windows 11’s original design often failed to surface these options.
Verification:
Jump lists are functional—unless the user disables the Recommended section. Turning off Recommended inexplicably disables jump lists on both the Start menu and the taskbar (user reports on Feedback Hub and Neowin walkthroughs). This counterintuitive linkage is neither documented in release notes nor backed by obvious design reasoning.
Strength:

• Feature present when default settings are maintained.

Potential Risk:

• Tying jump lists to the Recommended section confuses users, potentially driving them to third-party solutions or causing workflow disruption.

7. Start Menu Opens on All Apps List By Default – Delivered​

Previously, launching the Start menu required a second click for “All apps.” The redesign adopts a single-view interface: the user sees All apps immediately below pins and recommendations.
Verification:
Community reviewers confirm this UI simplification. Users only need to scroll instead of clicking through extra menus.
Strength:

• Streamlined access to content; eliminates hidden navigation.

Potential Risk:

• None significant; the design is widely praised.

8. Full-Screen Start Menu – Not Delivered​

Windows 10, and especially Windows 8, championed a full-screen Start experience for touch-based workflows and tablet users. While some Insider prototypes were shared hinting at this return, the final design so far does not include this as an option.
Verification:
Despite visible prototypes shared by Microsoft designers (as seen in official blogs and social media), no testing build or Insider feature exposes a full-screen mode in the Start menu.
Strength:

• Retains visual discipline for desktop users.

Potential Risk:

• Underserves tablet-first Windows devices, which could benefit from a more immersive launcher.

9. Live Tiles – Not Delivered​

Live tiles were once seen as innovative, merging static icons with real-time updates for news, emails, and weather. Yet in Windows 11, they are conspicuously absent.
Verification:
No visual evidence, insider documentation, or credible rumor suggests a return of live tiles. Their removal aligns with Microsoft’s retreat from its earlier “metro” aesthetic and mobile-first efforts, as confirmed by every reputable Windows coverage outlet.
Strength:

• Simpler, more focused menu.

Potential Risk:

• Loses dynamic at-a-glance information, reducing utility for some.

10. Accent Color Support for Start Menu Button – Not Delivered​

Personalization remains limited—the Start button does not reflect system accent color, staying steadfastly blue regardless of chosen theme.
Verification:
Menu theming remains hard-coded as of the latest Insider builds. Even with system-wide color changes, the Start button color is resistant to alteration.
Strength:

• Maintains brand consistency.

Potential Risk:

• Missed opportunity for deeper customization and visual polish.

Evaluating Microsoft’s Approach: Incremental Progress or Missed Opportunity?​

The redesign of the Windows 11 Start menu demonstrates a complex interplay between user demand, design discipline, and technical constraint. On the one hand, Microsoft has directly responded to some of the loudest user requests, particularly the removal of the Recommended section, refined layout options, and more accessible views. These changes reflect genuine movement toward a more user-driven product.
On the other hand, resistance remains palpable on deeper customization, restoration of classic features, and breaking perceived linkages between unrelated elements (like jump lists and recommendations). Many advanced users are left wanting, reliant on third-party utilities that, while powerful, introduce security and reliability concerns.

Table: Windows 11 Start Menu Requests vs. What Was Delivered​

User Request	Delivered?	Notes
Turn off Recommended section	Yes	Toggle in settings, declutters start menu
More customization	No	Still limited; mods/third-party needed
Manual resizing	Partially	Adaptive but not user-resizable
Windows 10 style return	No	No option; only via third-party
Grid view for All apps	Yes	New option: list/grid/categorized
Jump lists for pinned apps	Buggy	Turn off Recommended kills jump lists
All apps list default on open	Yes	Single view by default now
Full-screen start menu	No	Prototypes seen, not implemented
Live tiles	No	Feature dead, not coming back
Accent color for Start button	No	Hard-coded blue

Perspectives and Community Sentiment​

What Users Are Saying​

A scan of user reviews, forum threads, and polls reveals mixed feelings. Mainstream users who favor simplicity and less visual “noise” generally approve of Microsoft’s re-embrace of clarity and focus. The capacity to remove the Recommended section is broadly celebrated and may ease concerns around privacy or workflow distractions.
Power users and productivity aficionados, however, consistently express disappointment. The absence of deep customization and classic layout options feels like a disregard for Windows’ historical ethos of user choice. The fact that major requests remain consistently ignored across multiple product cycles implies that Microsoft is unwilling to fracture its user interface vision in service of user niche preference, even when those preferences are strong and clearly documented.

For and Against: Strengths and Weaknesses of the Redesign​

Notable Strengths​

• Decluttering enabled: Turning off recommendations directly addresses privacy and mental load complaints.
• More powerful app views: Choice of grid/list/categorized makes finding apps easier for different user types.
• Simplicity for most: The reduced menu complexity means fewer “how do I find X?” help requests from less tech-savvy audiences.
• Modern, attractive visuals: The design feels cohesive within the wider Windows 11 aesthetic.

Enduring Weaknesses​

• Customization gap: Users cannot significantly tailor the Start menu, from size to layout to color.
• Feature linkages: Jump lists and Recommended section being inseparably tied is frustrating and illogical.
• No option for the old guard: Users wanting a Windows 10-style or full-screen menu are compelled to use third-party mods, with attendant risks and support ambiguity.
• Static information: With the death of live tiles, at-a-glance dynamic updates are gone, reducing glanceable productivity.

Cautionary Language and Unanswered Questions​

While the Windows 11 Start menu redesign rolls out in public preview, not all features may be present or working as expected in every build. Third-party utilities can, and often do, break with future system updates. Microsoft’s historical oscillation between openness to feedback and top-down design means that even “delivered” features could change or regress as the company refines its roadmap.
Furthermore, some new behaviors—like the disabling of jump lists when the Recommended section is off—raise critical usability red flags that Microsoft has yet to fully address. Until such quirks are resolved, users considering disabling the Recommended area must weigh improved focus against reduced workflow speed.

What the Future Holds​

Microsoft’s handling of Start menu feedback with Windows 11 signals a cautious willingness to compromise but with clear limits. While a few of the most upvoted user requests have finally made it in, the list of unaddressed or only partially addressed features remains extensive. The Start menu in Windows 11 today feels more modern and cleaner for the average user, yet it continues to disappoint those seeking power, flexibility, or a nostalgic edge.
For users looking to experiment, the new menu can be enabled in preview builds, though the usual caveats about beta software apply. Third-party alternatives—ranging from open-source tools to fully commercial products—remain a viable, if sometimes shifty, alternative for those unwilling to compromise.

Conclusion: Evolution, Not Revolution​

The evolution of the Start menu in Windows 11 is a study in balancing large-scale design vision against persistent user-driven demands. Microsoft has, to its credit, delivered on a handful of much-asked-for features, streamlining the interface and restoring some lost clarity. Yet the company’s reluctance to fully embrace personalization and historical preferences continues to impede satisfaction among significant swathes of the Windows user community.
Those waiting for a “perfect” Start menu may be disappointed, but the latest redesign offers meaningful progress after years of stasis. As ever, the future of Windows’ most iconic interface will likely be shaped by the perennial push and pull between Microsoft’s designers and the vast, diverse corps of Windows users who rely on it every day. For now, the new Start menu stands as a meaningful, if incomplete, step forward—one that’s finally starting to feel a little more like home, even if it’s not quite the one users remember.

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Source: Neowin Redesigned Windows 11 Start menu: What users wanted and what Microsoft delivered