Windows 11 Start Menu Goes Large and Single Page in Late 2025 Update

Microsoft has quietly begun replacing the familiar Windows 11 Start menu with a much larger, single-page design that rearranges pinned apps, promotes Microsoft’s recommendations, and folds the complete app list into the main surface — and it’s rolling out now as part of the late‑2025 feature and security updates.

Background​

The Start menu has been Windows’ most consistent user touchpoint since 1995, but it has also been a frequent battleground between usability, advertising, and evolving design trends. Windows 11 initially shipped with a compact, centered Start surface that downplayed the classic hierarchical app list and removed live tiles. That minimalist approach placated some users while frustrating others who relied on quick visual scanning and spatial muscle memory. Over time Microsoft has iterated, and the most recent changes — deployed in staged updates across October–November 2025 — mark the most significant Start menu overhaul since Windows 11’s launch.
This new design was included in Microsoft’s late‑2025 servicing releases for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 and became visible to broader audiences after the November cumulative updates. The shift reflects both Microsoft’s continuing attempt to unify mobile‑style paradigms (such as a single-scroll surface and collapsible mobile panels) and its desire to surface content that it considers valuable to users — including promoted apps and quick access to a connected phone.

---

What changed: the new Start menu, explained​

A single, vertically scrollable Start surface​

The most visible change is that the Start menu now occupies a much larger vertical canvas. Instead of a small centered popover, launching Start produces a tall, scrollable surface divided into three primary regions:

• Pinned — Your manually pinned applications, shown in a denser, multi‑column grid.
• Recommended — A suggestion area that surfaces recently used files, suggested apps, and (when enabled) promoted Microsoft Store content.
• All — The full apps list moved into the primary surface; it can be shown in multiple views.

This unified layout eliminates the old “page” or separate All Apps view and increases the amount of content visible without additional clicks. On larger displays the system shows more pins and categories by default; on smaller screens the menu still expands appreciably compared with earlier Windows 11 behavior.

Multiple views for the All apps list​

Microsoft added view modes that change how the All apps area is presented:

• Category view — Groups apps by type or category, surfacing often‑used groups at the top.
• Grid (alphabetical) view — Presents apps in a compact alphabetical grid for fast scanning.
• List (classic) view — A more traditional vertical list.

The Start menu remembers your last selection so returning to your preferred view is persistent across sessions.

Pinned apps: more density, fewer pages​

Pinned apps are now shown in a denser grid (up to eight icons per row on larger screens), with the default collapsed view offering two rows and a toggle to “Show more” or “Show less.” This introduces faster visual density for keyboard and mouse users but breaks the three‑row spatial layout many long‑time users have relied upon.

Recommended area — optional, but buried​

The Recommended section continues to show recently used files and apps, and it can also include suggested apps from the Microsoft Store. Microsoft has provided a way to disable Recommended, but it’s not a single‑click “hide Recommended” button; instead, users must turn off multiple toggles in the Start personalization settings to fully remove the feed. When hidden, recent‑file visibility and some jump‑list behaviors are affected.

Phone Link integration​

A new mobile device button now appears near Search in the Start surface. When you have a phone connected via Phone Link (formerly Your Phone), the Start menu can expand a collapsible sidebar showing recent phone activity, messages, photos, and quick actions. The idea is to surface a light version of the phone experience without switching apps.

Small but important UI and reliability tweaks​

The late‑2025 updates that introduced the redesign also included other UI and reliability changes: a refreshed battery icon and optional persistent battery percentage in the taskbar, an important Task Manager shutdown fix, and a number of underlying servicing and HTTP.sys protocol corrections. These non‑Start fixes shipped in the same cumulative updates, so users installing the November package receive both UX and security improvements together.

---

When and how this arrived​

Microsoft staged the rollout through the standard servicing channels. The redesign was included in optional and preview packages in late October 2025 and reached a wider audience with the November 2025 cumulative updates for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. The November cumulative update packages were published in mid‑November 2025 (the formal security update release dated November 11, 2025 in Microsoft’s servicing notes).
Because Microsoft is doing a phased deployment, not every device receives the new Start immediately. Some machines see the layout as soon as they install the cumulative update; others get it gradually as Microsoft enables the feature server‑side. For users who prefer to force the new Start menu immediately, community tools have been used to flip the hidden feature flags — a method I’ll discuss below along with the risks involved.

---

How to control the new Start menu (what you can and cannot change)​

Microsoft placed the new Start menu’s toggles under Settings > Personalization > Start. The controls are straightforward, but some useful options are intentionally indirect.

• You can switch the All apps view between Category, Grid, and List.
• You can expand or collapse the Pinned area with “Show more / Show less.”
• You can disable the Recommended feed — but you must individually switch off the options that feed that area (recent files, frequently used apps, and recommended app suggestions). There is no single “Disable Recommended” master switch.
• If Phone Link is connected, you can expand or collapse the phone sidebar from inside Start.

For experienced users who want to force the redesigned Start menu before it arrives via Microsoft’s staged rollout, a well‑known open‑source utility is being used to toggle feature identifiers. That method requires running command‑line toggles and a restart. It works, but it is unofficial and unsupported by Microsoft.
Important: forcing features with third‑party tools can have unintended consequences (edge cases, telemetry inconsistencies, and possible incompatibility with future servicing). Proceed only if you understand the risks and have backups or a recovery plan.

---

Deep analysis: strengths, pain points, and real user impact​

Strengths — meaningful improvements​

• Faster access to all apps: Putting the All apps list in the primary surface removes an extra click for many users. If you frequently search for apps in the full listing, the scrollable view reduces friction.
• Adaptation to large displays: On large monitors and high‑DPI setups, the expanded Start surface makes better use of space and reduces the need to hunt through tiny columns.
• View options provide flexibility: Category and grid views give more ways to arrange and scan your app list; that helps users who prefer groupings versus raw alphabetical lists.
• Phone Link inclusion is pragmatic: Many people use their PC and phone together; surfacing a condensed phone panel inside Start reduces context‑switching for quick tasks like checking recent photos or messages.
• Ability to remove Recommended (if you dig): Microsoft did provide a path to remove suggested content and recent files, which addresses privacy‑minded and distraction‑averse users — albeit with more clicks than some would like.

Weaknesses and risks — why the reaction is sharp​

• It’s visually and spatially larger than many users want: The new Start menu can occupy a very large percentage of the screen on 1080p and lower resolutions. Reports and tests show it can extend much closer to the top edge than the old design, and with Phone Link enabled it can appear nearly full‑screen on some configurations. This sudden change disrupts muscle memory built over years.
• No official “keep old Start” option: Users who prefer the compact Windows 11 Start or a classic layout do not get a straightforward toggle to keep the previous behavior. That forces third‑party tools or patch‑forcing for dissenters.
• Recommended still feels like product placement: Although you can disable Recommended by turning multiple settings off, the fact that the default design prominently includes promoted store items has reignited debates about advertising inside core OS UI.
• Usability regressions for some workflows: Users who relied on the three‑row pinned layout, the old paging dots, or quick mouse‑wheel page switches are encountering a learning curve and, in some cases, reduced efficiency.
• Phased rollout complicates support: Because the change is server‑side phased, help desks and IT documentation now need to account for mixed experiences across fleets: two identical devices could show different Start menus depending on rollout flags.

Accessibility and muscle memory​

Accessibility professionals and power users are right to be skeptical. A change in spatial layout affects users who rely on physical positioning, consistent icon rows, and predictable cursor movement. While the Start menu’s keyboard navigation remains, anything that scrambles spatial predictability increases cognitive load for users with disabilities or those dependent on fast, sightless navigation.

---

Enterprise and IT impact​

For enterprise admins and managed environments the new Start menu is a mixed bag:

• Training and documentation: Admins will need to update user training materials and quick‑reference guides. The consolidated All apps list and new view options mean screenshots and help workflows change.
• Group Policy and management: Microsoft’s enterprise controls still allow admins to configure Start layout and to limit certain personalization options, but some of the new server‑side rollout gating complicates predictable behavior. IT departments that patch to the November cumulative update can expect a phased feature rollout; thorough pilot testing is essential.
• Third‑party Start replacements: Vendors like Stardock’s Start11 continue to offer Start menu replacements and customization. Enterprises using such tools should test compatibility; vendors are already shipping updates to handle 25H2 idiosyncrasies. Expect some friction on mobile or touch‑heavy devices in mixed environments.
• Deployment cadence: Because the Start redesign was rolled into an overall cumulative update that also fixed important bugs, many organizations will install the security fixes and then be surprised by behavior changes. The safest course is to pilot the update on a subset of devices before broad deployment and to document rollback and recovery steps.

---

Privacy and advertising: what to watch for​

The Recommended area’s mix of recent files and promoted apps raises two concerns:

• Privacy — Recommended surfaces recent files and app activity. If you share a device or want to minimize surfaceable activity, disable the recent files and frequent apps toggles. Hiding Recommended removes that surface but also changes some jump‑list and recent‑file visibility behavior that some workflows rely on.
• Advertising — Microsoft has periodically promoted Store content inside Start. While the company frames this as “suggestions,” it behaves like a curated app promotion area for some users. The ability to turn these suggestions off is present but intentionally indirect — critics argue that a single master toggle would be cleaner for users who do not want promotional content inside essential UI.

---

Power‑user tips, workarounds, and safe toggles​

If you want to shape the new Start menu without forcing unsupported flags, here are practical, low‑risk steps:

• Open Settings > Personalization > Start.
• Turn off “Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer” to eliminate recent files from Recommended.
• Turn off any toggles labeled “Show recently added apps” or “Show most used apps” to reduce Suggested content.
• Use the view selector in Start to pick the All apps presentation (Category, Grid, List) that best matches how you scan applications.

For users comfortable with community methods who want the new Start before phased rollout completes: tools exist to flip feature identifiers. If you choose that path:

• Back up your system or create a restore point first.
• Understand that using such utilities changes hidden feature flags and is not officially supported.
• Expect that future cumulative updates may reintroduce or alter the flags, requiring reapplication of the tool or vendor updates.

If you prefer Microsoft’s old compact Start and want to maintain that layout permanently, third‑party Start menu products (for example, Start11 and other classic menu restorers) continue to refine compatibility with the new Windows 11 releases. Verify compatibility with the vendor’s latest version before deploying broadly.

---

Compatibility and performance considerations​

• Smaller screens and low DPI: On laptops with 1080p displays or smaller tablets, the expanded Start surface can feel overwhelming and may cover too much of the workspace. Users on such devices should experiment with the collapsed Pinned state and hide Recommended where appropriate.
• Touch devices: The single‑page, scrollable Start aligns with touch paradigms. However, some touch gestures and swipe behaviors are still OS‑dependent and may behave differently across devices.
• Third‑party tools and overlays: Utilities that modify shell behavior or taskbar interactions may need updates. Vendors have released patches for the 25H2 rollout; enterprise admins should coordinate vendor updates in testing cycles.

---

Verdict: an evolutionary push that will divide users​

The new Start menu in Windows 11 is a deliberate tradeoff: Microsoft prioritized a unified, scrollable Surface that brings the full app list into immediate view and integrates phone content. For many users — especially those on large displays, or those who appreciated Apple‑ and Android‑style single‑page launchers — this is a productivity win. The added view modes and Phone Link convenience are genuine usability improvements.
But the execution is blunt. Shrinking the choice to keep the old compact Start and making the Recommended removal indirect steers many users into an experience they did not ask for. The visual scale on smaller screens and the break with long‑standing spatial muscle memory guarantees strong reactions from power users, accessibility advocates, and organizations that rely on consistent desktop experiences across fleets.
Microsoft has softened some complaints by making aspects configurable and by shipping fixes alongside the redesign. Still, the rollout style — staged and partially server‑side — means troubleshooting and support will be more complex for the next few months.

---

Practical recommendations for readers​

• If you like experimentation: install the November cumulative update and try the new Start menu. Use the Settings controls to tailor the view and hide Recommended content if you prefer a quieter experience.
• If you manage devices in an organization: pilot the update on a small set of endpoints, update documentation and training materials, and coordinate with third‑party Start menu vendors to ensure compatibility.
• If you depend on spatial muscle memory or have accessibility needs: test keyboard navigation and consider delaying broad deployment until Microsoft provides more granular toggles or until third‑party replacements are validated.
• If you’re privacy‑conscious: disable recent items and suggested content under Settings > Personalization > Start to minimize what the Recommended area can surface.
• If you prefer the old layout and are considering third‑party tools: choose reputable vendors and test extensively. Keep backups and a recovery plan in case a future system update interferes with the replacement.

---

Conclusion​

The Windows 11 Start menu redesign is one of those updates that will be praised and criticized in equal measure. It modernizes access to apps, brings phone integration into an oft‑used surface, and offers new organizational views — clear improvements for many users. Yet it replaces a well‑understood, compact experience with a much larger, opinionated layout that default‑exposes recommendations and promoted content.
For power users and IT professionals, this requires active management: evaluate the update in pilots, adjust personalization settings, and decide whether to adopt Microsoft’s new approach or rely on third‑party starters. For everyday users, the change will either feel like a welcome simplification or an annoying reorganization.
Either way, this redesign signals Microsoft’s continued push to make Start a more discovery‑forward surface — and it’s a reminder that even the smallest UI elements can provoke big conversations about control, privacy, and productivity.

---

Source: bgr.com Your Windows 11 Start Menu May Look A Little Different Soon - BGR

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft’s latest Start menu rethink is no longer a tease: Windows 11 is getting a noticeably larger, single‑surface Start that folds the long-hidden All apps list into one vertically scrollable canvas, gives you new views for browsing apps, and tucks Phone Link access into the launcher — changes Microsoft began testing in preview and started enabling broadly as part of its late‑2025 servicing wave. ]

Background​

Microsoft first shipped the modern Windows 11 Start experience in 2021, but that launcher never escaped criticism. Users tired of the fragmented flow — pinned apps separated from the full All apps list and a Recommended area that sometimes felt like noise or promotion — have been asking for a simpler, more discoverable Start for years. In response, Microsoft pushed a redesign through Insider channels and preview updates during 2025, culminating in a staged rollout that arrived more broadly during November’s Patch Tuesday servicing.
The changes are delivered in two practical phases in Microsoft’s servicing model: an optional preview (identified by KB numbers such as KB5067036 in Insider/preview rings) and then a wider Patch Tuesday uplift (reported as KB5068861 in November 2025) that makes the new UI visible to many more devices as staged enablement completes. That rollout strategy is why some machines saw the Start refresh months before others.

---

What changed — the concrete features and behavior​

Microsoft’s redesign refactors Start from a two‑pane/dual‑page concept into a single, vertically scrollable surface with three clearly defined areas that adapt to available screen real estate:

• Pinned — your manually pinned apps remain visible near the top in a larger, more spacious grid that expands on wider screens.
• Recommended — Microsoft’s suggestions and recently used items remain present by default but can be hidden or minimized through Settings. This area is limited in visible entries on wider layouts.
• All — the full installed apps inventory now sits on the main surface instead of being tucked behind an “All apps” page. You can switch how the All list is shown: Category (grouped by app type), Grid (alphabetical, spaced icons), or List (compact alphabetical list).

Other notable touches include:

• Phone Link integration: a mobile device button adjacent to Search expands a Phone Link pane inside Start, surfacing recent phone activity and quick phone actions without opening a separate app. This is meant to speed cross‑device workflows for users who pair an Android or iOS device.
• Responsive layout: Start adapts to screen size and display density — larger displays show more pinned tiles and extra columns in Category view while compact devices compress the layout.
• Taskbar and shell companions: the rollout was bundled with other UI tweaks in the same servicing wave, notably an updated battery icon that can show a persistent percentage and color states, plus fixes to Task Manager behavior. These packaging choices reflect Microsoft’s approach of incrementally shipping UI and quality updates together.

---

Why Microsoft made these changes​

At a design level, Microsoft’s stated goals were straightforward: reduce friction when finding and launching apps, surface better suggestions, and make Start more adaptable for different device classes (desktops, laptops, tablets, and handheld form factors). Consolidating Pinned, Recommended, and All into one scrollable canvas reduces the number of clicks required to reach any installed app and brings the Start mental model closer to modern launchers on other platforms. Insider previews and company notes repeatedly framed the overhaul as a response to discoverability complaints and long‑running user feedback.
From an engineering perspective, the redesign also aligns with broader trends in Windows development: adaptive UI surfaces, tighter device convergence (Phone Link), and incremental staged rollouts so Microsoft can enable the experience selectively and monitor telemetry before enabling it universally.

---

What’s to like — benefits for everyday users​

The new Start has a number of clear, tangible advantages:

• Faster app discovery: with All apps on the main surface and the ability to pick Category/Grid/List views, users with many installed programs will find what they need with fewer clicks.
• Better use of screen space: the larger canvas takes advantage of modern high‑DPI and wide displays, reducing dense, tiny icon grids and making icons easier to hit on touch devices.
• Phone Link convenience: if you regularly move files, messages, or calls between phone and PC, the Phone Link pane inside Start can save time and avoid context switching.
• Customizability for the wary: Microsoft exposed toggles in Settings so you can minimize or hide Recommended entries and choose All apps layout modes; those who dislike Microsoft’s suggestions can opt for a cleaner app‑first Start.

These improvements will matter most to users who install lots of software, use hybrid laptop/tablet modes, or want quicker phone‑to‑PC interactions.

---

What’s not to like — complaints and real risks​

But the redesign isn’t universally loved, and several practical concerns have surfaced:

• Perception of bloat and screen takeover: many users describe the new Start as huge — it occupies a lot of on‑screen real estate, especially on smaller laptops, and cannot be resized by a simple drag action. For people who prefer a compact launcher, the larger default sizing feels intrusive. Coverage from early hands‑on reporting and user threads documented that concern widely.
• Recommended = promotion?: a recurring critique is that the Recommended area sometimes pushes apps or content Microsoft would like you to use rather than strictly surfacing what you personally choose. For critics, the Recommended area blurs the line between helpful suggestions and platform promotion — harmful if Start is supposed to be the fastest path to your apps. The AOL item provided alongside this query notes that some users saw the Recommended area as a kind of advertisement and were unhappy with how Microsoft surfaced those entries.
• Partial or confusing opt‑outs: some reporting and community testing showed that fully eliminating recommended content can require disabling multiple settings (for example, browsing history and recent apps) and, in some cases, applying administrative policies; that complexity gives the impression Microsoft prefers some suggestions to remain by default. This has created frustration among privacy‑minded and power users.
• Rollout and enterprise impact: because Microsoft staged the enablement, IT admins have seen uneven behavior across fleets. In businesses, a sudden, larger Start surface can affect kiosk setups, training materials, and user orientation. While Group Policy and administrative templates can control some Start behaviors, not all elements are instantly reversible for managed devices.

In short: the redesign helps discovery and modernizes Start, but it also increases visual density and reintroduces tensions around promotional suggestions vs. user control.

---

How to control or tune the new Start (practical steps)​

If you’ve already got the new Start and want to tweak it, here are the most reliable options reporters and hands‑on guides have confirmed:

• Open Settings > Personalization > Start and toggle options:
• Disable Show recommended items (or similar wording) to hide the Recommended area. Note: on some builds you may also need to turn off Show recently added apps and Show recently opened items to get the compactest result.
• Change the All apps view:
• In the All section of Start, pick Category, Grid, or List to match your scanning preference. Start will remember the last view you used.
• Phone Link panel:
• If Phone Link shows up in Start and you don't want it, disconnect your phone from Phone Link or collapse the Phone Link pane from the Phone Link button inside Start.
• For managed environments or power users:
• Use the Group Policy administrative template path (Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\Remove Recommended section from Start Menu) to remove the Recommended area entirely at scale. Note that registry and policy changes should be validated on a test device before broad deployment.

If the new menu hasn't appeared on your PC, make sure you have the appropriate servicing update installed (preview KB for early testing, or the November Patch KB for broader enablement), and remember that staged rollouts are enabled server‑side by Microsoft — installation of the KB does not always immediately flip the UI for every machine.

---

Enterprise and admin considerations​

For IT teams, the Start overhaul is important for three reasons: user training and documentation, device provisioning scripts, and policy enforcement.

• Training and UX documentation: help desks and onboarding materials must be updated to reflect the single‑surface Start, the All apps views, and how to toggle Recommended. Screenshots, step‑by‑step guides, and short walkthrough videos will reduce ticket volume when the new Start lands on user devices.
• GPO and MDM: administrative templates already include settings around Start behavior; organizations will want to test those templates in a lab and verify whether toggling Recommended or related visibility flags behaves consistently across Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 builds. Some settings that hide UI elements still depend on multiple toggles and may require coordinated changes to prevent surprises.
• Compatibility and kiosk scenarios: devices used for public kiosks, digital signage, or locked‑down point‑of‑sale terminals must be validated because a larger Start surface changes clickable areas and may break assumptions baked into custom shells or kiosk shells.

Enterprise admins should view this as a staged UX migration: validate, pilot, and then schedule wider enablement while communicating to end users.

---

Privacy, telemetry, and the “Recommended” debate​

The Recommended area is the lightning rod here. Microsoft’s Recommended feed surfaces recently used files, new apps, and what it thinks you might want. For some users this is convenient; for others it’s an unwanted surface for promoted or algorithmic content.

• Transparency: Microsoft documents that Recommended derives from local usage signals and cloud‑backed features (for example, OneDrive and cross‑device activity when enabled). To fully remove recommendations you may need to disable related history settings and/or change policies that permit Windows to surface cloud‑linked items.
• Privacy posture: If you treat recent activity or browsing history as private, check Settings > Privacy & security and review what Windows is allowed to track and surface. Disabling features like Let Windows improve Start by showing recent items will reduce what the Recommended section can show. However, the UI still reserves space for the area in some builds unless you explicitly hide or policy‑remove it.

If you encounter behavior where Recommended appears to suggest apps even after toggles are off, note that Microsoft has adjusted behaviour and rollout logic over several preview cycles — if you see unexpected behavior, check for the latest cumulative updates and consider registering the device in the Windows Insider Release Preview to receive fixes earlier.

---

Workarounds and power‑user options​

For customers who want to push further than built‑in Settings allow, these are the common approaches observed in tester communities and technical writeups:

• Use Group Policy or MDM to enforce the removal of Recommended at scale (preferred for organizations).
• Use third‑party Start menu replacements or shell customizers if you desire the old Start look (be cautious: third‑party shell mods can break with major OS updates and may present security concerns).
• For early adopters who don’t see the feature yet, advanced toggle tools (like ViVeTool) have historically been used to enable preview UI server flags — but this approach is unsupported and can cause instability; Microsoft’s staged enablement exists to avoid such issues.

---

Critical assessment — design tradeoffs and long‑term implications​

This redesign is a smart move from the perspective of discovery and modern UX: putting the full app list on the main surface reduces clicks and helps new or infrequent users locate software faster. Category view is an especially interesting compromise; automated grouping reduces reliance on users to manually maintain folders in Start and mimics app‑drawer behaviour from mobile ecosystems.
However, the tradeoffs matter:

• User expectation vs. platform economics: Microsoft still derives value from surfacing recommended experiences and promoting services. Even if the Recommended area is optional, the default presence and the friction required to fully suppress some suggestions creates a perception problem.
• One‑size responsiveness: the larger Start fits well on a Surface Studio or a desktop monitor but may feel heavy on a 13‑inch laptop. Microsoft’s adaptive layout helps, but a true size adjustability option would be a sensiblut complexity**: staged server‑side enablement reduces risk but increases user confusion (why does my coworker have a different Start?). Microsoft must continue to clarify rollout timelines and provide clear admin controls so organizations can plan.

Ultimately, the redesign is an incremental step forward with sensible modern features — but the execution around defaults, opt‑outs, and enterprise controls will determine whether the change is widely applauded or simply tolerated.

---

Final verdict for Windows users​

If you rely on quick discovery and cross‑device workflows, the new Start will likely be a net win. The ability to choose Category/Grid/List modes, the Phone Link integration, and improved use of wider displays are all meaningful productivity upgrades. For organizations and privacy‑conscious users, the story is more mixed: some settings are available to limit recommendations, but complete control sometimes requires administrative templates or multiple toggles.
For everyday consumers who dislike radical change, the best approach is pragmatic: install the November (or later) cumulative updates when convenient, test the new Start on a secondary machine or within a pilot group, and use Settings > Personalization > Start to tailor the experience. If you’re an admin, treat this as a UX migration: pilot, policy‑lock the behaviors you care about, and update your help documentation.
Microsoft’s Start redesign addresses long‑standing complaints while also reintroducing old ones in a new form. Whether you love or hate the change will depend on which side of that control/curation divide you sit.

---

Quick checklist — what to do right now​

• If you want the new Start: ensure your device has the latest cumulative updates (preview KBs for early access; November Patch KB for wider rollout) and be patient as staged enablement completes.
• If you want to hide recommendations: go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off recommended/recent items; consider using Group Policy for enterprise‑scale enforcement.
• If you need to train users: update screenshots and short how‑tos that show the Category/Grid/List views and how to collapse Phone Link.
• If you’re an admin: pilot the update on a controlled group before broad deployment and validate policy settings on a test device.

---

Microsoft has finally rethought a piece of Windows that users have argued about for a decade: the new Start is an attempt to be faster and more flexible, and for many it will hit the right balance between discovery and organization. But the redesign also resurrects familiar tensions — how much should the OS promote curated content versus remain a clean launchpad for what you want? That question won’t be settled by code alone; it will be decided by defaults, admin tools, and how easily Microsoft lets users reclaim control of their Start.

---

Source: AOL.com Your Windows 11 Start Menu May Look A Little Different Soon