Microsoft Reduces Windows 11 Start Menu Hierarchy in Upcoming Build

Windows 11's Start menu is relatively complex and not very convenient; the current layout shows a fixed set of apps and recommended apps or files on the home screen.

To view more applications, users must click the "All" button and then scroll through the list, meaning that accessing a non‑pinned app typically requires at least two clicks.

In Windows 11 Build 22635.4805, Microsoft is testing a new Start menu. The most notable change is a reduced hierarchy: the home screen lists all applications alphabetically, allowing direct scrolling, and the recommendation section at the bottom of the Start menu has been removed.

Microsoft actually offers three sorting styles: the traditional name list, a new name grid, and a category‑based arrangement that resembles iOS's App Library; the category view automatically groups apps by their nature and cannot be manually rearranged.

Using the category grid can become very convenient after users get accustomed to it; they click a category, a sub‑window pops up showing all app icons, which overall feels more user‑friendly than the current Start menu.

The current recommendation area at the bottom of the Start menu cannot be completely removed; although the new layout deletes that section, it adds a "Phone Link" pane next to the Start menu.

The Phone Link pane is intended for pairing iOS or Android devices to enable quick actions; it is unclear whether this pane can be removed, especially since many users do not use Windows 11 to connect phones, particularly iPhones, due to limited functionality.

The new Start menu style will not be released in the short term; it may be showcased at the Build 2025 developer conference, and the final appearance could evolve as development progresses.