Nearly every Windows 11 PC now runs Microsoft’s redesigned Start menu, and its default configuration leaves enough clutter behind that three settings changes can clear the space in a minute or two each, egamers.io reported.
Nearly every Windows 11 PC now has Microsoft’s redesigned Start menu as its default configuration. None of the three changes takes more than a minute or two, so users can begin with whichever part of the menu annoys them most rather than making every adjustment at once.
Category, Grid or List sorts the All section
The All section of the new Start menu offers three app layouts. Category sorts similar apps into groups on its own, while Grid and List put everything in alphabetical order, which helps when a user already knows an app’s name. The View dropdown inside the All section switches between the three. Category suits anyone who doesn’t want to scroll a long list each time; Grid or List may work better for someone who normally looks for apps by name.
Recommended files and apps can be switched off
Recently opened files, newly added apps and other suggestions pile up in the Recommended section. Users who seldom click on any of them can free up space for daily apps by opening Settings, selecting Personalization, clicking Start and switching off recently opened files, newly added apps and any other suggestions they’d rather not see. That same page holds more Start menu settings worth working through.
Adding folder shortcuts to Start menu
Opening File Explorer or running a search each time a user wants Downloads, Documents or Settings gets old. The Folders toggle under Settings, then Personalization, then Start activates shortcuts to those locations beside the Power button, putting each one just a single click away.
Windows 11 is finally giving the Start menu the kind of customization power users have been asking for. Honestly, it’s a bigger upgrade than I expected. You can now toggle entire sections like Pinned, Recommended, and All apps, or even turn them all off if you want a cleaner,…
Sections stay put and the menu won’t resize by dragging
Each section can be customized individually, but there is no way to drag sections into a new order, so the most-used ones can’t be shifted to the top. Size adjustments work differently too: unlike a typical window, you can’t drag a corner to make the menu larger or smaller—changes to its size must be done through Settings. The Start button stays on the taskbar even after every unwanted section is switched off, and the Windows key’s behavior can’t be changed. Other options include expanding the Pinned section to show more favorite apps, sorting pinned apps into folders, and hiding the Phone Link panel.
Questions readers still ask
Which Start menu layout should I use? That comes down to how you look for apps. Category puts similar apps in groups, while Grid and List order them alphabetically, so testing each one from the View dropdown in the All section settles it.
Can I rearrange the sections of the new Start menu? No. Individual sections can be customized, but they can’t be moved around freely.
Can I resize the Start menu by dragging its edge? No. Grabbing a corner won’t scale it the way a window would, so any change to its size has to be made in Settings.
With the redesigned menu already on nearly every Windows 11 PC, the three changes are available now, and starting with the section that annoys you most is enough — there’s no need to make every change at once.
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