A common complaint among hardcore Windows users has always been the Start menu. It’s something that everyone uses, and you’ll see people complaining about its interface or limited customization options. With Microsoft’s latest 25H2 feature update, the Start menu has finally received a significant overhaul. It’s bigger, more organized, and packed with useful improvements.
Finding apps is faster, pinned items are easier to manage, and you can even remove the annoying Recommended section entirely if you want a cleaner look. While it’s not perfect and still has a few limitations, this redesign is a clear step in the right direction.
The new Start menu is still being rolled out globally and may not be available in your region yet. If you don’t see it even after updating to version 25H2, you can force-enable it using ViVeTool.
The Start menu is now bigger and better
The overhaul we’ve been waiting for
I think I speak for everyone when I say the Windows 11 Start menu wasn’t exactly a triumph. In fact, Microsoft removed some features that made previous versions convenient, like the ability to resize it or quickly view all your apps at a glance.
With the latest feature update, Microsoft has redesigned the Start menu for the first time since Windows 11 launched. One of the first things you’ll notice is that it’s bigger than before and neatly organized into three sections: Pinned, Recommended, and All.
The Pinned section shows two rows of apps by default, with six apps per row on smaller screens and eight on larger ones. If you have more pinned apps, you can click Show all to expand the view. For those with only a few pinned apps, the section automatically shrinks to a single row.
Another major improvement is that you no longer have to click an All button to see your apps. You can just scroll down, and your apps are ready to browse. Windows now offers three different ways to view your apps: Category, Grid, and List.
The Category view organizes apps into folders such as Productivity, Social, Creativity, and Games, with your most-used apps appearing at the top of each folder. Windows only creates a category if there are at least three apps that fit; otherwise, apps appear in a general Other category at the bottom.
You can finally remove the Recommended section entirely
The Recommended section in the Start menu has always been a bit of a headache. It’s where Windows shows your newly installed apps, recently used files, and, of course, those annoying app suggestions or ads. Sure, in previous versions you could hide individual recommended items, but the section itself always stuck around, which was annoying.
With the new Start menu, that frustration is gone. Now, all you have to do is head to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off all three toggles under the Recommended section. And just like that, the section disappears entirely. This means you only see your Pinned apps and All apps view, which looks much cleaner.
Quick access to messages, calls, and files
Phone Link is easily one of the best Microsoft apps for anyone who spends their day on a PC. It’s already packed with useful features, and in the new Start menu, Microsoft has added it to the sidebar. While this change appeared before the 25H2 update, it’s worth highlighting because it’s part of the new Start menu.
From the Start menu, the Phone Link sidebar lets you view your phone’s battery status and connectivity, access messages and calls, and keep track of your latest activities. You can even share files between your phone and your PC without opening a separate app.
Of course, the Phone Link sidebar isn’t for everyone. It can be a hit or miss depending on how you work. Fortunately, if it’s not your thing, you can easily hide it in Start Settings so it won’t get in the way.
It’s not perfect, but it’s a start
Small improvements that make a big difference
Even with all the improvements, the Start menu isn’t flawless. One thing that still bugs me is that you can’t resize it, which feels more important than ever now that it’s bigger. This is especially noticeable on a small laptop screen. For now, you’re stuck with the default layout and scaling. Another minor annoyance is that when you search for an app, setting, or file, it immediately switches to the smaller search menu, which feels a bit jarring.
That said, the new Start menu is a good improvement. It’s not perfect, but it’s not bad enough to make you want to replace it. With easier access to apps, the option to remove the Recommended section entirely, and handy additions like the Phone Link sidebar, it finally feels like Microsoft listened to some, if not all, user feedback.