Windows 11's New Start Menu: Features, Evolution, and Future Outlook

For nearly three decades, the Start menu has been the most iconic entry point on Windows, enduring cycles of radical reinvention, community backlash, nostalgic longing, and, occasionally, real delight. In 2025, Microsoft is upending expectations once again with a radically reimagined Start menu for Windows 11, one that tries to synthesize years of user feedback, modern UI trends, and the operating system’s shifting focus between productivity and personalization. This transformative leap, now confirmed and ready to roll out, also hints at how Microsoft’s design philosophy is evolving to keep pace with the device diversity and usage needs of a global user base.

The New Windows 11 Start Menu: Fresh Features and Evolutionary Design​

Microsoft’s new Start menu is not just a cosmetic refresh: it aims to fundamentally change how users interact with their PC’s most essential UI. The most attention-grabbing feature is a new ‘Categories’ system, which bears more than a passing resemblance to iOS’s organizational logic. For the first time, Windows users can group their apps and content under distinct, user-defined headings. This is complemented by a direct integration of iPhone or Android content accessible right from Start—a move that seeks to bridge the persistent divide between desktop and mobile ecosystems.
The other standout change is the much-demanded option to remove the ‘Recommended’ content feed from Start. Since Windows 11’s debut, that Recommendations section has been widely criticized for surfacing irrelevant files, unwanted shortcuts, or distracting suggestions. Giving users granular control over what appears on their Start screen addresses one of the community’s loudest complaints.
But these headline features are only the surface of what was apparently a deeply deliberative, even experimental redesign process within Microsoft. Sources reveal that the company explored—and scrapped—at least five dramatically different Start menu concepts before aligning on the current vision for Windows 11’s next chapter.

The Five Lives of Windows Start​

To understand where the new Start menu comes from (and where it may be headed), it's worth tracing the menu’s history. Since its first appearance in Windows 95, the Start menu has endured a sometimes contentious evolution:

• Windows 95: Introduced the Start button and cascading program menus.
• Windows XP: Added a two-column layout, elevating user documents and settings alongside applications.
• Windows 8: Made the most controversial change—replacing the Start menu with a grid of Live Tiles, optimized for touch but widely panned by classic desktop users.
• Windows 10: Brought back the Start menu, blending static and live tile elements, offering both familiarity and customization.
• Windows 11: Shifted to a centered, minimalist menu, discarding Live Tiles entirely, inviting both love and frustration from different camps.

Unlike some past transitions, which were driven mainly by internal vision, the Windows 11 Start redesign leaned heavily into community-driven development. Feedback Hub comments, user interviews, and even informal “coffee chats” with hundreds of fans played a key role in shaping the final look and feature set.

Inside Microsoft’s Start Menu Brainstorm: What Might Have Been​

Before settling on the version that Windows 11 users will see soon, Microsoft designers explored a series of imaginative, sometimes polarizing Start menu concepts—and even went so far as to internally circulate official prototypes. Some of these options departed so radically from the established paradigm that their rejection offers just as much insight as their creation.

1. The ‘For You’ Tab and Copilot-centric Concept​

Envisioned as a dashboard with a strong productivity bent, this version of Start featured a prominently placed “For You” tab. It aggregated reminders, meetings from Teams, PowerPoint suggestions, and quick access to Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant. While it leaned into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, testers noted that this approach shifted the focus away from app launching, undermining Start’s core utility as an application launcher and system command center. Categories of apps existed, but the main draw was the “Create” button—placing content creation tools front and center. In the end, the concept was shelved for failing the “find my app quickly” test.

2. Widgets, Live Tiles, and Nostalgia​

In another rejected design, Microsoft flirted with bringing a form of Live Tiles back—this time called “widgets”—within Start itself. These squared, dynamic widgets, reminiscent of Windows 8’s controversial tiles or the more recent Windows Widgets board, could deliver information at-a-glance from apps like Spotify. This approach divided testers: some saw value in at-a-glance info; others disliked the visual clutter and resource overhead. Ultimately, the company opted to keep widgets outside of Start, preserving clarity and focus.

3. The Tall, Cluttered Start Menu​

One of the more infamous concepts Microsoft explored was a vertically extended, “tall” Start menu stuffed with features, suggestions, and content blocks. Testers universally panned this variant for being overwhelming and lacking any kind of visual hierarchy. The company quickly abandoned it, reinforcing the importance of simplicity and prioritization in interface design—especially for a feature as foundational as Start.

4. The “Why Does This Exist?” Concept​

Little is detailed about this version, but even insiders are baffled by its existence: its layout reportedly defied conventional logic and abandoned familiar UI anchors, resulting in confusion and inefficiency. This reinforces how even the design world’s biggest players sometimes need to wander down dead ends to arrive at meaningful solutions.

5. The Full-Screen Start Menu​

Perhaps the most polarizing of all, this Start menu took inspiration from Windows 8, reviving the idea of a full-screen, highly-touch friendly launcher. While this felt awkward on large desktop displays—obscuring backgrounds and overlapping with multitasking needs—some testers found it ideal for smaller tablets like the Surface Go. Microsoft’s willingness to revisit this old idea, at least for internal debate, highlights their effort to accommodate the increasingly diverse range of Windows devices.
A noteworthy trend across these concepts: nearly all included widgets and a “Create” tool, suggesting that their eventual exclusion was likely a late-stage decision, perhaps reserved for future feature updates.

The Method Behind the Menu: User-Driven, Device-Spanning Design​

How did Microsoft choose which direction to pursue? According to insiders and documented interviews, the company employed an iterative methodology:

• Community Feedback: Over 300 “passionate fans” were engaged via interviews, surveys, and remote sessions. These super-users critiqued every aspect of Start, pushing for features like app discoverability, layout flexibility, and faster access to mobile content.
• Co-Creation Calls: Small teams of designers, developers, and testers participated in roundtable discussions, deep-diving into the pain points and wishes of real users.
• “Coffee Chats”: Informal brainstorming at Microsoft HQ allowed for spontaneous idea sharing, surfacing unexpected improvements and usability tweaks.

The guiding lesson from this research was crystal clear: users want to “bend Start to fit the way they work.” Customization trumped all, with demands for the ability to turn off unwanted feeds, reorganize sections, and make Start work well across both ultrawide monitors and compact tablets.

Critical Analysis: Strengths and Potential Risks in Microsoft’s New Approach​

There’s much to praise in Microsoft’s new Start menu strategy.

Notable Strengths​

• User-Driven Evolution: Unlike the “visionary” but polarizing Windows 8 redesign, the new approach puts user preferences first. Features like Categories, feed removal, and deeper mobile integrations directly address long-standing requests.
• Device Versatility: By designing for both 49-inch ultrawides and 10-inch tablets, Microsoft makes clear this Start menu is meant to scale gracefully across devices.
• Customizability: Options to tweak the Start layout and content feed align with modern user expectations for personal computing.
• Collaboration and Transparency: By sharing even discarded internal concepts publicly, Microsoft invites the community into its process, building trust and signaling humility.

Potential Risks and Trade-Offs​

• Complexity Creep: While categories and customization are wins, there’s always a risk of feature bloat. As the menu adds options and integrations, it may lose the simple elegance some users value.
• Fragmentation of Experience: Tightly coupling Start to mobile content and Microsoft 365 may alienate users who prefer a more classic, platform-agnostic approach.
• Unverifiable Claims on “Productivity Drives”: Microsoft touts that integrating tools like Copilot boosts efficiency, but independent, peer-reviewed studies quantifying these gains in real-world settings are still lacking and should be interpreted cautiously.
• Potential for Abandonment: As seen with Live Tiles and the colorful Windows 8 Start, even widely publicized features can later be scrapped. Some users wary of change may hold back on embracing new Start features, fearing another cycle of disruption.

The Role of Copilot and the “Create” Tool: A Glimpse into Windows’ Future?​

It’s no coincidence that nearly every rejected concept leaned heavily into Copilot (Microsoft’s AI assistant) and an omnipresent “Create” button. While these elements are not part of the rollout this time, their persistence across prototypes suggests that Microsoft sees AI-driven suggestions, workflow shortcuts, and content generation as inevitable additions to the Windows experience.
This aligns with broader trends in tech, as Apple, Google, and others push machine learning and cross-device connected features more deeply into their core platforms. Industry analysts expect that future Windows updates will further integrate AI helpers, smart context, and perhaps even blended online/offline experiences. However, transparency about how AI features handle data privacy, local processing, and opt-out controls will remain crucial to maintaining user trust.

The Start Menu and Windows’ Uncertain Compact Device Future​

One of the subtler impacts of the new Start design is its fit for both desktop and tablet modes. The full-screen Start prototype—reminiscent of the Windows 8 “Metro” days—points to a renewed interest in making Windows effective on touch-centric and convertible devices, even as Microsoft’s own Surface line straddles the PC/tablet divide. If Windows is to compete seriously with iOS and Android in the long term, its entry points must be equally capable on both large and small screens.
This move may also signal future ambitions for Windows on Arm-powered mobile devices, a market where Windows has struggled to carve out a meaningful niche. The new Start menu’s modularity could become a lynchpin for new device categories, foldables, or even wearable interfaces.

Community Reaction: Innovation or Indigestion?​

Initial response from Windows Insiders, beta testers, and passionate fans has been largely positive—with significant caution. Many welcome the return of user-centric design and more straightforward options to declutter Start. Others are wary, especially those who still pine for the “classic” layouts of Windows 7 or find the iOS-like Categories system overly familiar rather than innovative.
A consistent refrain from forums, blogs, and user surveys is that any major UI change is disruptive—often necessitating a period of re-learning and adjustment. Enterprises, in particular, face unique challenges: widespread deployment of a new Start layout requires retraining, internal documentation updates, and coordinated IT support. Microsoft’s willingness to telegraph changes far in advance, and to accept and act on user feedback, is therefore both a strength and a necessity.

SEO-Friendly Integration: What Users Need to Know About Windows 11 Start Menu Updates​

As rollout approaches, those searching for “Windows 11 new Start menu,” “remove Recommended from Start menu,” or “customize Start menu categories” will find answers that address their main concerns. Today’s update is built on verified user feedback and tested on devices ranging from ultrawide monitors to foldable tablets.
A few practical takeaways for Windows power users and IT professionals:

• Expect a phased rollout via Windows Update—early adopters in Windows Insider channels will see it first.
• Most customization options are accessible via right-click menus within Start settings.
• Not all experimental features (widgets, full-screen, Copilot integration) made the final cut. Watch for future updates as Microsoft continues to experiment, especially within the Windows Insider Program.
• For enterprises, group policy options and management tools will reportedly allow centralized control over many Start menu features, ideal for standardizing environments across fleets of PCs.

Conclusion: Start Menu as Barometer for Microsoft’s Design Ambitions​

The evolution of the Start menu tracks the entire plot arc of Windows itself—from humble beginnings as a static launcher to the centerpiece of a vast, connected, productivity-first ecosystem. In its 2025 iteration and beyond, Start will increasingly reflect a world where users demand both power and personalization, simplicity and deep integration, familiarity and innovation.
Whether this new Start menu will succeed where some past redesigns stumbled remains to be seen, but Microsoft’s transparent, feedback-driven process and focus on customization are promising signs. As with all major changes to foundational UI elements, final judgment will rest with the real-world users whose workflows and muscle memory are built on these pixels. For now, Windows 11’s Start menu marks not just a return to user-centric design—but a reinvigoration of the platform's core identity at the dawn of a new computing era.

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Source: Windows Latest Microsoft shows off radically different Start menu in Windows 11, but it won't ship