Hot Take First Look: All Apps section of Windows 11 Start Menu

[vtqhtr413]

Microsoft is working on a redesign of the All Apps menu of the Windows 11 Start Menu. The current iteration of All Apps was introduced in Windows 10. Users could activate the section to get an alpha-numerical list of all installed applications.

Critics argue that the layout is not practicable. It has a lot of whitespace and only one entry per line. Users who prefer improved layouts may switch to Start Menu alternatives such as Start11 or StartAllBack.

Microsoft released a new Windows 11 Beta build this week. Included in the build is the new All Apps design, which Microsoft did not announce. It is not enabled by default, and surprisingly only available in Beta builds and not in Dev or Canary builds at the time of writing.

Once the feature is enabled, All Apps displays all installed apps as icons. This may remind you of how your mobile devices show all installed apps. Each app has a label, which may help identify it.

First look at the new All Apps section of the Windows 11 Start Menu

Microsoft is working on a redesign of the All Apps menu of the Windows 11 Start Menu. The current iteration of All Apps was introduced in Windows 10. Users could activate the section to get an alpha-numerical list of all installed applications.

betanews.com

 

[silversurfer]

The Windows 11 Start menu is getting a big update with a dedicated widget panel

The recently released Windows 11 Canary build 26212 quietly introduced support for so-called "Start Menu Companions"—widget-like apps for the Start menu to show up next to your pins or the All apps list to display glanceable information, such as weather, stocks, etc.

Microsoft has not mentioned Start Menu Companions in the official release notes for build 26212. They were discovered by Albacore (@thebookisclosed on X), and here is a sneak peek of what may soon be available for testing in the Windows Insider Program:

The Windows 11 Start menu is getting a big update with a dedicated widget panel

Microsoft is experimenting with upgrading the Windows 11 Start menu with a dedicated panel for widgets. So-called "Start Menu Companions" appeared in the latest Windows 11 build 26212.

www.neowin.net

 

[Trident]

They can’t decide themselves what they want from this start menu… new year, new start menu layout.