Windows 11 users have long awaited meaningful improvements to the Start menu, one of the core interaction points in Microsoft’s flagship operating system. With the arrival of the newest Windows 11 update, Microsoft has taken tangible steps to address some long-standing concerns, revamping the visual design, layout, and organization of the Start menu. Initial impressions of the new Start menu reveal a more modern approach, with thoughtful touches such as a scrollable app list, removable sections like “Recommended,” and adaptable layouts for wider screens. Yet, beneath these strides toward modernity, a fundamental design flaw remains: forced app categorization that limits user control and may undermine the utility of this interface overhaul.
Ever since the introduction of the Start menu in Windows 95, this launcher has become synonymous with the Windows experience. Each iteration—from the classic cascading programs menu of Windows XP to the live tiles of Windows 8 and the streamlined approach of Windows 10—has sparked discussion, praise, and occasional outrage among users. Windows 11 attempted to reset expectations with a cleaner, centered Start menu and a focus on pinned apps and recommended files. However, for power users and organizational enthusiasts, the lack of customization and confusing sections diminished productivity and created frustration.
The new Start menu in Windows 11 signals a shift towards addressing some of these pain points. The updated layout abandons the often-criticized “Recommended” section, replacing it with more functional space for applications. It offers users three app display modes: Name List, Name Grid, and View Category. These enhancements are designed to make the Start menu more spacious, readable, and adaptable to different screen sizes—a boon for those working on ultrawide monitors or in multi-monitor setups.
However, Microsoft’s approach falls short of giving users agency over how their programs are organized. Windows 11 automatically decides which apps belong in which categories. If an app defies classification, is obscure, or simply isn’t recognized by Microsoft’s database, it will land in the “Other” category regardless of how essential it may be to the user. There is no option to manually override Windows’ decisions, edit existing categories, or create custom groupings, even if the auto-sorting logic doesn’t align with a user’s workflow.
This design flaw is more than a trivial annoyance—it has practical repercussions. For example, a user who relies heavily on niche professional tools may find them perpetually relegated to “Other,” buried among miscellaneous applications rather than highlighted alongside similar software. Worse, if a category does not contain at least three apps, it will not appear at all; programs are instead shunted into “Other.” The system’s rigidity is further exposed when uninstalling an app: if a category drops below the critical three-app threshold, all remaining items are dumped into “Other” without warning, potentially disrupting carefully curated workflows.
Many users have voiced frustration about the lack of customizability in the new category system. Discussions across user forums and tech communities underscore this pain point, with repeated calls for Microsoft to allow manual category editing, custom folder creation, and improved drag-and-drop capabilities. Comparisons to third-party utilities—long favored by Windows enthusiasts seeking to replace or extend the native Start menu—highlight just how much latitude users expect from this central piece of the Windows experience.
Power users have expressed that being unable to rescue their favorite or frequently-used but obscure apps from the “Other” bin is a daily irritation. Over time, as the list grows and the “Other” section becomes a dumping ground for edge-case programs, productivity suffers. In extreme cases, users contemplating a switch to alternatives like Linux Mint cite the Start menu’s inflexibility as a leading cause.
Furthermore, Microsoft’s decision to restrict category editing likely stems from a desire to maintain a consistent, predictable user experience and avoid technical complexity. Allowing users to freely create, edit, and assign categories would necessitate a more sophisticated settings interface—and could potentially complicate technical support and product documentation.
Still, these concerns must be weighed against user autonomy. In an environment as diverse as Windows, where no two users’ workflows are exactly alike, forced categorization runs counter to the operating system’s historical promise of flexibility.
This opacity is particularly frustrating when programs move mysteriously from one category to another, or when an entire category disappears, scattering its constituents among “Other.” An accompanying system to allow—at minimum—manual overrides or explanations would go a long way toward mitigating user exasperation.
These utilities, while effective, introduce their own tradeoffs: potential compatibility issues, additional resource consumption, and the possibility of future breakage when Microsoft updates Windows. Reliance on external tools also raises questions about system security and long-term support. Nonetheless, for many users, the superior organization they offer is compelling enough to outweigh the risks.
This flaw is more than cosmetic. By constraining user choice and refusing to allow manual intervention—even in the face of obvious misclassification—the new Start menu fails to fulfill the promise of a truly personalized computing experience. For those who value order and efficiency, or who simply wish to control how their digital environment is structured, the current approach remains a source of daily frustration.
Until Microsoft introduces the ability to edit or create categories, the Windows Start menu will continue to feel like a compromise: elegant and efficient on the surface, but needlessly rigid just beneath. As the community’s response already shows, this is a pain point not easily ignored—and one that casts a shadow over otherwise promising improvements. For now, users can only hope that future updates will bring the flexibility and transparency that such a foundational tool truly deserves.
Source: XDA Windows 11's shiny new Start menu has a flaw that's going to drive me insane
Ever since the introduction of the Start menu in Windows 95, this launcher has become synonymous with the Windows experience. Each iteration—from the classic cascading programs menu of Windows XP to the live tiles of Windows 8 and the streamlined approach of Windows 10—has sparked discussion, praise, and occasional outrage among users. Windows 11 attempted to reset expectations with a cleaner, centered Start menu and a focus on pinned apps and recommended files. However, for power users and organizational enthusiasts, the lack of customization and confusing sections diminished productivity and created frustration.The new Start menu in Windows 11 signals a shift towards addressing some of these pain points. The updated layout abandons the often-criticized “Recommended” section, replacing it with more functional space for applications. It offers users three app display modes: Name List, Name Grid, and View Category. These enhancements are designed to make the Start menu more spacious, readable, and adaptable to different screen sizes—a boon for those working on ultrawide monitors or in multi-monitor setups.
Forced Categorization: An Ongoing Frustration
Among the most controversial aspects of the new Start menu update is Microsoft’s decision to forcibly categorize apps in the “View Category” mode. On paper, the concept has merit: logically grouped apps can reduce clutter, highlight tools in context, and theoretically speed up navigation. The category list itself, as described in the update, includes “Utilities and Tools,” “Productivity,” “Games,” “Social,” “Entertainment,” “Creativity,” “Information & Reading,” and the inevitable catch-all—“Other.”However, Microsoft’s approach falls short of giving users agency over how their programs are organized. Windows 11 automatically decides which apps belong in which categories. If an app defies classification, is obscure, or simply isn’t recognized by Microsoft’s database, it will land in the “Other” category regardless of how essential it may be to the user. There is no option to manually override Windows’ decisions, edit existing categories, or create custom groupings, even if the auto-sorting logic doesn’t align with a user’s workflow.
This design flaw is more than a trivial annoyance—it has practical repercussions. For example, a user who relies heavily on niche professional tools may find them perpetually relegated to “Other,” buried among miscellaneous applications rather than highlighted alongside similar software. Worse, if a category does not contain at least three apps, it will not appear at all; programs are instead shunted into “Other.” The system’s rigidity is further exposed when uninstalling an app: if a category drops below the critical three-app threshold, all remaining items are dumped into “Other” without warning, potentially disrupting carefully curated workflows.
Comparing the Start Menu’s Usability in Windows 10 and 11
Windows 10, despite its own flaws, allowed significantly more customization within the Start menu. Users could group tiles, resize and rearrange them, and even create custom folders—a flexibility that catered to power users and casual users alike. Windows 11’s more structured, minimalistic approach initially excited users with its promise of clarity and simplicity. But as this latest Start menu update demonstrates, usability can quickly suffer when user control is sacrificed at the altar of aesthetic order.Many users have voiced frustration about the lack of customizability in the new category system. Discussions across user forums and tech communities underscore this pain point, with repeated calls for Microsoft to allow manual category editing, custom folder creation, and improved drag-and-drop capabilities. Comparisons to third-party utilities—long favored by Windows enthusiasts seeking to replace or extend the native Start menu—highlight just how much latitude users expect from this central piece of the Windows experience.
Critical Analysis: Strengths and Shortfalls of the New Start Menu
What Works Well
- Modernized Look and Feel: The streamlined Start menu design finally feels like a product of the 2020s, with more whitespace, sharper typography, and smart accommodations for wide screens.
- Scrollable App List: For users with many installed programs, the scrollable app view is a vast improvement over paginated views or cramped lists, making navigation more intuitive.
- Removal of the “Recommended” Section: By removing the “Recommended” area—considered superfluous by many—the Start menu devotes more real estate to application access, which is its primary function.
- Multiple Display Modes: “Name List” and “Name Grid” give users options for how their apps appear, whether as a simple alphabetical list or as grouped tiles, striking a balance between efficiency and visibility.
Where the Update Falls Short
- Non-Customizable Categories: The inability to edit, create, or move apps between categories fundamentally undermines the usefulness of categorized sorting. This rigidity stands in stark contrast to the flexible workflows many users have developed over decades of Windows use.
- Arbitrary Category Visibility: The requirement that a category must contain at least three apps to appear in the menu means that many logical groupings vanish arbitrarily, further cluttering the “Other” section with unrelated apps.
- Manual Control Overlooked: For users who rely on precise organization—such as IT professionals, developers, or those with niche software environments—the lack of manual sorting may introduce unnecessary friction, leading them toward alternative solutions or even entirely different operating systems.
User Experience: Real-World Implications
Windows’ approach to Start menu categories reflects a broader debate in UI/UX design between “opinionated” interfaces and customizability. For casual users installing only a handful of mainstream apps, Microsoft’s auto-categorization may appear tidy and sufficient. However, for advanced users or anyone who values control over their workflow, the absence of customization features is a nontrivial limitation.Power users have expressed that being unable to rescue their favorite or frequently-used but obscure apps from the “Other” bin is a daily irritation. Over time, as the list grows and the “Other” section becomes a dumping ground for edge-case programs, productivity suffers. In extreme cases, users contemplating a switch to alternatives like Linux Mint cite the Start menu’s inflexibility as a leading cause.
Technical Perspective: Why Can’t Microsoft Get Categories Right?
From a technical standpoint, auto-categorizing applications is fraught with complexity. Windows must rely on metadata embedded in application packages, heuristics, and sometimes machine learning to infer an app’s intended use. The process is imprecise, particularly given the vast ecosystem of legacy, third-party, and enterprise applications that do not conform to typical metadata standards. This makes edge-case misclassification almost inevitable.Furthermore, Microsoft’s decision to restrict category editing likely stems from a desire to maintain a consistent, predictable user experience and avoid technical complexity. Allowing users to freely create, edit, and assign categories would necessitate a more sophisticated settings interface—and could potentially complicate technical support and product documentation.
Still, these concerns must be weighed against user autonomy. In an environment as diverse as Windows, where no two users’ workflows are exactly alike, forced categorization runs counter to the operating system’s historical promise of flexibility.
Transparency and User Communication
One of the more perplexing aspects of this update is the lack of transparency or guidance provided to users about how categories are assigned and why certain apps are grouped together. Without documentation or easily-accessible explanations, users are left to infer the logic behind category decisions—or to simply accept that their apps may end up where Windows places them, for better or worse.This opacity is particularly frustrating when programs move mysteriously from one category to another, or when an entire category disappears, scattering its constituents among “Other.” An accompanying system to allow—at minimum—manual overrides or explanations would go a long way toward mitigating user exasperation.
The Third-Party Ecosystem and Workarounds
Given the Start menu’s limitations, a thriving third-party ecosystem has developed over many years. Tools such as StartIsBack, Open-Shell, and others offer highly customizable menus where users can create their own folders, rearrange programs by drag-and-drop, or even mimic classic Start menu layouts from earlier Windows versions.These utilities, while effective, introduce their own tradeoffs: potential compatibility issues, additional resource consumption, and the possibility of future breakage when Microsoft updates Windows. Reliance on external tools also raises questions about system security and long-term support. Nonetheless, for many users, the superior organization they offer is compelling enough to outweigh the risks.
Risks and Potential Downsides
Adopting a rigid, top-down approach to app categorization brings several risks:- Reduced Productivity: Users unable to quickly access their preferred programs may lose valuable time searching through the “Other” category or relearning old workflows.
- User Alienation: Microsoft risks pushing power users—or even moderate enthusiasts—toward third-party replacements or alternative operating systems, undermining their own ecosystem.
- Misclassification and Missed Opportunities: Important apps may be hidden in “Other” or incorrectly grouped, leading to confusion or missed usage.
- Lack of Accessibility: For users with accessibility needs who rely on predictable UI elements, arbitrary reclassification and hidden categories create barriers that could limit their effective use of Windows.
How Should Microsoft Respond?
There are clear avenues for improvement. Microsoft could introduce the option to:- Edit Existing Categories: Allow users to reassign apps between categories or remove programs from “Other.”
- Create Custom Categories: Give users the power to design their own groupings, reflecting how they actually work—and not just what Windows thinks is best.
- Set Category Visibility Thresholds: Enable users to configure how many apps are required before a category appears, or to always display categories regardless of count.
- Improve Onboarding and Transparency: Provide clear explanations for how categories are assigned, with simple controls to override the defaults.
Conclusion: A Step Forward, But One Step Short
Windows 11’s newly redesigned Start menu is a genuine step forward in terms of accessibility, aesthetics, and core functionality. Few would mourn the loss of the Recommended section, and the addition of multiple display modes is a welcome nod to diverse user needs. Unfortunately, Microsoft’s insistence on forced app categorization imposes artificial limits on how users can organize and access their programs.This flaw is more than cosmetic. By constraining user choice and refusing to allow manual intervention—even in the face of obvious misclassification—the new Start menu fails to fulfill the promise of a truly personalized computing experience. For those who value order and efficiency, or who simply wish to control how their digital environment is structured, the current approach remains a source of daily frustration.
Until Microsoft introduces the ability to edit or create categories, the Windows Start menu will continue to feel like a compromise: elegant and efficient on the surface, but needlessly rigid just beneath. As the community’s response already shows, this is a pain point not easily ignored—and one that casts a shadow over otherwise promising improvements. For now, users can only hope that future updates will bring the flexibility and transparency that such a foundational tool truly deserves.
Source: XDA Windows 11's shiny new Start menu has a flaw that's going to drive me insane