Articles about Start Menu

The Windows Start Menu has always been an essential tool for Windows users to launch programs, access system settings, or change the system’s power state.

Microsoft modified the Windows operating system significantly in the latest versions. Windows 10 introduced taskbar pinning, live tiles in the Start Menu, and several other changes.

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Microsoft has released a new cumulative update for Windows 11 22H2 that sees the arrival of Microsoft account notifications in the Start menu. There are also new features and improvements in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

The KB5023778 update is a preview of the update that will be released more widely next Patch Tuesday, and as such it is an optional update that you will need to manually install. Installing KB5023778 not only adds Start menu features, but also updates the taskbar search box, adds new functionality and fixes a large number of issues that have been found in Windows 11.

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Ordinarily Microsoft uses the less stable Windows Insider channels to try out new Windows 11 features -- something the company reiterated when it launched the ultra-cutting edge Canary channel.

But this week saw the release of a new build of Windows 11 to the Release Preview channel, the channel which is the final stage of testing before a build gets full public release. And this time around, things were a little different because the Release Preview build includes brand new features that have not been seen in other builds -- including notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu.

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There has been a lot of controversy surrounding Windows 11, but one of the most contentious issues with the operating system has been the recommended content Microsoft pushes on users in various ways.

One medium through which these recommendations -- everything from apps that may (but probably won't) be of interest, to tips and advice -- are delivered is via the Start menu. Hidden away in the latest build of Windows 11, however, is an official toggle that makes it possible to turn off these ads... er, recommendations... once and for all.

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If you're someone who has previously been irritated by Microsoft displaying ads in Windows, prepare to roll your eyes, gnash your teeth and howl in anguish. Windows 11 users are finding that the company is now showing advertisements in the Start menu.

As has been the case in the past, Microsoft is using Start menu ads to promote its own products and services -- specifically OneDrive and Microsoft accounts. Unsurprisingly, the reaction from users who have seen the ads has been less than positive.

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There is a lot to like, even love, about Windows 11, but there are also plenty of things which are very divisive. Wading into the debate about the direction in which Microsoft has taken its operating system is Jensen Harris, former Director of User Experience at the company, who takes aim at the Start menu and what he describes as a "confusing" experience.

In a series of tweets, Harris lambasts Microsoft for including banner ads in the Start menu, for placing obstacles in the way of completing simple tasks, and makes various complaints about design choices. It makes for extremely interesting reading.

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It is that time of the month again -- the time that Microsoft releases updates for Windows 11. This time around, the company has released the KB5016629 update to not only fix a problem that prevented the Start menu from opening, but also to address various security issues.

This is a cumulative update which also includes the changes that were part of the KB5015882 update that was made available last month. This means that the KB5016629 update fixes problems with File Explorer as well as introducing new Focus Assist features and better Windows 11 updating.

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Having taken a week off last week for Thanksgiving, the Windows 11 development team today rolls out a fresh new build to Insiders in the Dev Channel.

The key new addition in Build 22509 is a set of improvements designed to make it easier to browse the web in Microsoft Edge using Narrator, but that's not all. The clock and date will now show on secondary monitors, and there are also new layout options for Start, as well as Settings changes.

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Windows 11 is here! It’s shiny, it’s new, it’s streamlined, it’s -- er -- missing some favorite features. If you’ve discovered that the new Start menu is more stop than start, and yearn for something old and familiar, then the good news is that there are options -- both paid-for and free -- to fill the gap.

Chief among these comes from renowned Windows developer Stardock. It’s just officially released Start11 v1.0. The bad news is that it’s no longer free to use now it's out of beta, but you can at least give it a trial run before deciding if $5.99 is a fair price to pay for it.

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When Microsoft removed the Start menu from Windows 8 -- believing we’d all prefer to prod at large tiles on touchscreens -- there was the inevitable backlash. Although the company did restore the Start menu in Windows 8.1, by then the damage was done. The OS flopped badly and that one ridiculous design decision was the main reason for it.

With Windows 11, Microsoft hasn’t been as bold/crazy to repeat history. There’s a still a Start menu, but it’s one that’s centered, which won’t be to everyone’s liking. When Windows 8 shipped without a Start menu, a number of third party developers quickly stepped in to right Microsoft's wrong. And now we’re starting to see similar such Start menus arrive that promise to 'fix' Windows 11.

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When the first build of Windows 11 appeared, the new Start menu was loved by some and hated by others. Those that didn't like it fell into two camps. Those who were unhappy with the centring of the Start menu could move it to the of the screen; those unhappy with the updated look could revert to the look of Windows 10.

But when the second Insider build emerged, there were changes. Yes, it's still possible to move the Start menu to the left of the taskbar, but the registry hack that could be used to show the classic Start menu has now been blocked.

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The Start menu has evolved hugely since it was first introduced in Windows 95. While many of the changes that have been introduced over the years have been welcomed, this is not the case for everyone.

You might well be using Windows 10, but you may yearn for the Start menu that was to be found in Windows 7. There's no need to hack your system or resort to using virtualization software to run an ancient operating system, you can get a Windows 7-style Start menu in Windows 10 -- you can even customize the Start button. Here's how.

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With Windows 10, Microsoft is understandably keen to promote its own products, and this is something that has been noticeable in the Start menu. Search results from Bing have long-featured there, and this is not something everyone is happy with.

For a while it was possible to disable the BingSearchEnabled key in the Registry to turn this off, but this option was removed in Windows 10 version 2004 (or Windows 10 May 2020 Update). So, if you want to disable Bing, there is now a new method you have to use -- and there is the happy side effect that it also disables Start menu ads.

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Microsoft rolled out an updated Windows 10 Start menu to Windows Insiders a month ago, and that menu is now available to all -- if you follow these instructions. The tweaked design removes the solid color backplates behind the logos and adds a translucent background to tiles.

However, it could be that bigger changes are afoot. In a video showcasing Microsoft’s new icon system the search giant also reveals a stunning new-look Start menu.

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Being a Windows Insider obviously carries some risks. You may install a build which doesn’t play at all nicely on your PC, resulting in features breaking, or worse. The plus side is you do get to try out cool new features before anyone else.

Recently Microsoft introduced an updated Start menu with theme-aware tiles, and an improved Alt-Tab experience which shows all open tabs from Microsoft Edge. Although you officially need to be an Insider to enjoy these, there is a sneaky workaround that will allow you to get them without having to join the program.

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