Ever since its introduction in Windows 95, the Start menu has served as the heart of the Windows user experience—a place equal parts command center and comfort zone. With Windows 11, Microsoft has shown a willingness to experiment, shuffle, and sometimes backtrack on Start menu features, always in response to the evolving needs of its vast and diverse user base. This year, a significant Start menu revamp is headed to Windows 11, and Microsoft has bucked tradition by inviting users behind the scenes. Not only has the company detailed the user feedback that guided its choices, but it has even unveiled sketches and mockups for three major Start redesigns that were ultimately abandoned. By openly sharing what didn’t make the cut, Microsoft gives us rare insight into both its design process and its commitment—however imperfect—to usability and trust.
The journey to the latest Start menu update is a story written as much by users as by engineers. According to Microsoft, the development team pored over an enormous collection of feedback: reams of data from the Windows Feedback Hub, input from thousands of remote interviews, and live collaboration sessions with hundreds of dedicated Windows fans. Whether this is the start of a new era of transparency for Microsoft or a one-off remains to be seen, but the company’s willingness to show off “what could have been” is notable. This collaborative, feedback-centric approach is echoed in official blog posts and was covered in detail by technical publications and Windows community channels.
Surveys, interviews, and direct user sessions all pointed to the same set of demands: “Help me find my apps faster. Let me bend Start to fit the way I work.” Hidden inside that quote, Microsoft says, is a powerful design principle: the Start menu should not only be navigable and quick, but customizable and flexible to individual workflows.
The outcome is a new single-panel Start menu design, replacing the previous two-panel layout, optimized for speed, focus, and ultimately, user control. Most critically, Microsoft is adding toggles that allow users to remove the recommendations panel altogether—meaning those who want a clean, app-only view can finally have it. This point, previously a source of vague speculation, has been confirmed in both official communication and hands-on previews.
Its clean lines and intentional simplicity are undermined by distribution of key features into different places, and the design leans too far in favor of a smaller subset of hardware, risking alienation of traditional PC users. User feedback suggested many wanted less fragmentation, not more. Functionality, not flair, won the day.
However, in testing, this design seemed out of place both visually and functionally. The contrast between new Windows 11 UI paradigms and older flourishes like the left-hand category pane made for uneasy bedfellows. As a result, while some users enjoyed the idea of regressively returning to “the good old days,” others found the mixture jarring. Microsoft’s final rejection of this nostalgia-fueled design was a nod to both coherence and progress.
While this design provided quick access to many functions, it committed a cardinal UI sin: trying to be everything, everywhere, all at once. The interface became so busy that ease of use—an ironclad user requirement—suffered. Feedback was clear: more isn’t always better, and over-ambitious feature stuffing is a fast track to confusion, not productivity.
It’s too early to know whether this approach is a permanent change or a one-off PR exercise. But it has undeniably generated goodwill and richer discourse among long-term Windows users, many of whom remember the backlash to the Windows 8 Start Screen and the half-steps taken in Windows 10 to steer the ship back on course.
Moreover, the approach Microsoft has taken with the latest redesign process is widely seen as validation of modern software development’s agile, feedback-loop-based methodologies. No longer can a tech giant dictate design from an ivory tower. Users expect—and now demand—both transparency and tangible influence over the software they rely on.
However, a vocal minority laments what they see as Microsoft’s persistent tendency to change the familiar for its own sake, or to introduce features (like recommendations and AI integrations) that serve commercial interests more than user needs. As with any major OS update, “wait and see” is the watchword—especially as the new menu is rolled out to the wider public and tested against the wide variety of workflows found in the real world.
IT professionals, meanwhile, should be ready for another round of user education and transitional support. Though the learning curve is expected to be mild due to the design’s inherent simplicity, organizations with less tech-savvy users will need to prepare quick guides, update onboarding documentation, and watch for confusion stemming from changes to the app list and panel layout.
As always, the real test will be measured over the next year: Will users embrace the cleaner approach? Will the new customization features win over both power users and casual adopters? And will Microsoft’s newfound transparency extend to other corners of the Windows user experience? Only time—and continued feedback—will tell.
For now, Windows 11 users can look forward to a Start menu that finally feels tuned to them, not just engineered for them. In an era where user control and clarity are ever more precious, that’s a development worth celebrating.
Source: TechRadar 3 bad Windows 11 Start menu redesigns we're glad Microsoft dumped
The Road to the New Windows 11 Start Menu
The journey to the latest Start menu update is a story written as much by users as by engineers. According to Microsoft, the development team pored over an enormous collection of feedback: reams of data from the Windows Feedback Hub, input from thousands of remote interviews, and live collaboration sessions with hundreds of dedicated Windows fans. Whether this is the start of a new era of transparency for Microsoft or a one-off remains to be seen, but the company’s willingness to show off “what could have been” is notable. This collaborative, feedback-centric approach is echoed in official blog posts and was covered in detail by technical publications and Windows community channels.Surveys, interviews, and direct user sessions all pointed to the same set of demands: “Help me find my apps faster. Let me bend Start to fit the way I work.” Hidden inside that quote, Microsoft says, is a powerful design principle: the Start menu should not only be navigable and quick, but customizable and flexible to individual workflows.
The outcome is a new single-panel Start menu design, replacing the previous two-panel layout, optimized for speed, focus, and ultimately, user control. Most critically, Microsoft is adding toggles that allow users to remove the recommendations panel altogether—meaning those who want a clean, app-only view can finally have it. This point, previously a source of vague speculation, has been confirmed in both official communication and hands-on previews.
Start Menu Concepts Microsoft Rejected
Microsoft’s newly public design discard pile contains a grab bag of ideas—some more radical, some more conservative, all abandoned for various reasons. Let’s tour the three most prominent, as discussed in Microsoft’s recent blog post and highlighted in major Windows coverage.1. The Tablet-First, Split “All Apps” Menu
The first scrapped idea seems tailor-made for two-in-one devices and touch-first workflows. The menu is sleek, modern, and ideal for tablets, with a blurred background for visual polish. But functionally, it stumbles on a familiar pitfall: the “All apps” list is relegated to a separate panel instead of being tightly integrated into the main menu. For desktop and laptop users—the bread and butter of the Windows ecosystem—this split presents yet another layer of click-through friction.Its clean lines and intentional simplicity are undermined by distribution of key features into different places, and the design leans too far in favor of a smaller subset of hardware, risking alienation of traditional PC users. User feedback suggested many wanted less fragmentation, not more. Functionality, not flair, won the day.
2. The Windows 10 Redux
This concept brought back almost wholesale the Windows 10-style Start menu, right down to the category lists and familiar iconography. For anyone nostalgic for the old order, this was tantalizing—though visually, critics noted that it felt shoehorned into the slicker Windows 11 aesthetic.However, in testing, this design seemed out of place both visually and functionally. The contrast between new Windows 11 UI paradigms and older flourishes like the left-hand category pane made for uneasy bedfellows. As a result, while some users enjoyed the idea of regressively returning to “the good old days,” others found the mixture jarring. Microsoft’s final rejection of this nostalgia-fueled design was a nod to both coherence and progress.
3. The Kitchen Sink (aka “Explosion in the Start Menu Factory”)
Perhaps the most chaotic of the lot, the third discarded concept was described in dramatic terms by testers: it looked as though “a hand grenade had gone off in the Start menu.” Panels, reminders, recommendations, and app lists sprawled across multiple sub-panels, resulting in a visually overwhelming and cluttered interface.While this design provided quick access to many functions, it committed a cardinal UI sin: trying to be everything, everywhere, all at once. The interface became so busy that ease of use—an ironclad user requirement—suffered. Feedback was clear: more isn’t always better, and over-ambitious feature stuffing is a fast track to confusion, not productivity.
Critical Analysis: Why Microsoft’s Final Choice Works
Let’s be clear: the final Start menu redesign Microsoft chose is not the flashiest, or even the most creative. It skips bold reinventions or wild experiments in favor of what can only be described as a “safe” solution. But “safe” is not always bad, especially when users repeatedly beg for familiarity, speed, and control.Notable Strengths
- Unified, Single-Panel Layout: The menu is no longer split. Everything from app pins to recommendations to the complete app list now sits in one scrollable panel. This puts all navigation within easier reach and reduces mental overhead, particularly for power users who live in the Start menu daily.
- Real-Time Recommendations, User Control: Perhaps the most anticipated improvement is the recommendation panel becoming optional. Power users and privacy-conscious individuals now have the ability to toggle off recommendations altogether and reclaim valuable menu space.
- Category-Based App Listings: Microsoft has revamped the “All apps” portion into a new category view. This greatly improves organization, especially on systems with extensive software libraries, allowing users to locate apps even faster.
- Simplicity as a Feature: By stripping away unnecessary complexity, Microsoft leans into a philosophy that prizes functionality and speed. This helps both new users and seasoned veterans navigate quickly and confidently.
- Customization for Every Workflow: From resizing, pinning, and hiding elements to eventually more extensive personalization, this release amplifies a trend towards “my Windows, my way.”
Risks and Weaknesses
- Aesthetic “Blandness”: Critics have already chided the new design as uninspired or even boring. In a world where operating systems increasingly compete on visual excitement, this conservatism may disappoint users seeking novelty.
- Feature Regression for Some Users: Users who preferred certain elements from the more interactive or split-menu designs may grieve the loss of deep functionality in exchange for simplicity. Tablet-first users, in particular, could be negatively affected by the backpedaling from more touch-optimized concepts.
- The “Copilot Creep”: Early glimpses of abandoned designs showed Microsoft’s Copilot AI being embedded in menu reminders and suggestion panels. While absent in the released version, the company’s push to saturate the OS with AI assistants remains a potential privacy and distraction risk, depending on implementation and user opt-in defaults.
- Fragmentation from Customization: Allowing users to hide and tweak core Start menu components increases personalization but also introduces the risk of inconsistent experiences across devices, which can complicate troubleshooting and support.
- New Learning Curve: Every major change to the Start menu generates upfront confusion, especially among less tech-savvy users. While the new design is ultimately more straightforward, the transition itself may momentarily increase support needs for IT teams and help desks.
The Broader Trend: Transparency and User Feedback
One of the most surprising and positive aspects of this Start menu saga is Microsoft’s increasing transparency. By publicly documenting not only what it built, but also what it consciously declined to build, Microsoft offers a level of dialogue with users rarely seen in the company’s long history. For years, Windows development cycles—and especially UI redesigns—were marked by secrecy and sudden, sometimes baffling shifts. This new openness, combined with the integration of Feedback Hub input and co-creation sessions, suggests a subtle but meaningful shift in how the company relates to its users.It’s too early to know whether this approach is a permanent change or a one-off PR exercise. But it has undeniably generated goodwill and richer discourse among long-term Windows users, many of whom remember the backlash to the Windows 8 Start Screen and the half-steps taken in Windows 10 to steer the ship back on course.
Moreover, the approach Microsoft has taken with the latest redesign process is widely seen as validation of modern software development’s agile, feedback-loop-based methodologies. No longer can a tech giant dictate design from an ivory tower. Users expect—and now demand—both transparency and tangible influence over the software they rely on.
Comparison Table: Discarded vs. Chosen Start Menu Designs
| Feature | Tablet-First (Rejected) | Windows 10 Redux (Rejected) | "Explosion" Concept (Rejected) | Final Windows 11 Redesign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unified Panel | No | No | No | Yes |
| Optional Recommendations Panel | No | No | No | Yes |
| Category-Based App List | No | Partial | Partial | Yes |
| Touch/Tablet Focus | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
| Overcluttered UI | Medium | Low | High | Low |
| Customization Options | Limited | Medium | High | High |
User Reception and Next Steps
Early hands-on previews of the new Start menu have generally been positive among Windows enthusiasts and tech journalists alike. The overwhelming consensus: while the redesign is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, the increased focus on user control, speed, and decluttering is a net positive.However, a vocal minority laments what they see as Microsoft’s persistent tendency to change the familiar for its own sake, or to introduce features (like recommendations and AI integrations) that serve commercial interests more than user needs. As with any major OS update, “wait and see” is the watchword—especially as the new menu is rolled out to the wider public and tested against the wide variety of workflows found in the real world.
IT professionals, meanwhile, should be ready for another round of user education and transitional support. Though the learning curve is expected to be mild due to the design’s inherent simplicity, organizations with less tech-savvy users will need to prepare quick guides, update onboarding documentation, and watch for confusion stemming from changes to the app list and panel layout.
Conclusion: A Step Forward—But Not the Last Word
The Windows 11 Start menu revamp may not set hearts racing, but it marks a solid, user-driven shift in Microsoft’s ongoing quest to modernize its flagship OS without losing sight of what matters: reliable, fast, and customizable access to the tools users rely on every day. By resisting the temptation to chase fads or clutter the menu with over-ambitious features, Microsoft lands on a design that is refreshingly practical.As always, the real test will be measured over the next year: Will users embrace the cleaner approach? Will the new customization features win over both power users and casual adopters? And will Microsoft’s newfound transparency extend to other corners of the Windows user experience? Only time—and continued feedback—will tell.
For now, Windows 11 users can look forward to a Start menu that finally feels tuned to them, not just engineered for them. In an era where user control and clarity are ever more precious, that’s a development worth celebrating.
Source: TechRadar 3 bad Windows 11 Start menu redesigns we're glad Microsoft dumped
