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Microsoft is giving the Windows 11 Start menu its most significant overhaul since the OS launched. This time, it’s more than just cosmetic changes — the redesign brings deeper usability improvements and integrates more AI-driven features across the system, from File Explorer to Notepad.
With the spotlight mostly on Copilot+ PCs and their advanced AI functionality, some changes might have gone unnoticed for regular Windows 11 users. However, Microsoft has quietly confirmed that mainstream Windows 11 systems are also in for some meaningful upgrades. And yes, that includes a long-requested tweak to the Start menu layout — one that had already surfaced in earlier leaks and testing builds.
Here’s a What’s Changing
- Start Menu Redesign Confirmed: Microsoft is officially overhauling the Start menu, consolidating pinned apps, recommendations, and the full list of apps into one scrollable panel.
- Wider Layout: The redesigned menu is wider, allowing it to accommodate more content without feeling cramped.
- Intelligent Categorization: A new “all apps” category view will automatically sort applications based on your usage habits.
- Improved App List View: The full list of apps will support a more compact, categorized display for better space utilization.
- Recommendation Panel Controversy: While not confirmed, earlier test builds included an option to remove the “Recommended” section — a highly requested feature that users hope remains.
- Right-click AI Actions in File Explorer: File Explorer will start suggesting AI-powered actions relevant to the selected content.
- AI in Notepad: Notepad is gaining new capabilities including text generation, article summarization, formatting (headings, lists), bold, and italics.
- WordPad Features Migrating to Notepad: Following the retirement of WordPad, Notepad is gradually absorbing its features to become more versatile.
- Integration with Copilot Features: While more powerful AI options are reserved for Copilot+ PCs, standard Windows 11 PCs will still benefit from lightweight contextual actions.
- Release Timeline: These features are expected to roll out to Windows Insider builds soon, with a broader release likely aligning with the Windows 11 25H2 update.
- No Sign of Bloat (Yet): Though Notepad is expanding, Microsoft seems cautious about overwhelming users with unnecessary complexity.
- Phone Link Panel Concerns Addressed: The redesigned Start menu won’t dominate the screen, addressing early concerns raised by leaks.
- Testing First: Expect all features to be A/B tested before they’re made default for all users.
- Usability Focus: The design goal is to reduce navigation steps and unify interactions in a more ergonomic way.
- Visual Tweaks Are Subtle: Apart from the layout, most aesthetic changes are minor.
- User Feedback Matters: Several of these changes appear to stem from common user complaints over the past two years.
- AI Integration is Expanding: These aren’t isolated updates — they’re part of Microsoft’s broader AI strategy across all tiers of hardware.
- Security Considerations: New features may require stricter permission management, especially in File Explorer.
- Potential for Customization: While not fully confirmed, early test builds hint at more options for layout personalization.
- Recommendations Still Controversial: Many users find them unnecessary or invasive, hence the call to make them removable.
- Efficiency Over Flash: The new Start menu prioritizes function over flair — practical changes are the core focus.
- Notepad Modernized: Long considered a barebones tool, Notepad is becoming smarter — and more useful for creators and casual users alike.
- Increased Productivity Features: These updates aim to help users complete tasks faster within native apps.
- Some AI Requires Internet Access: Particularly in File Explorer, expect some features to depend on cloud connectivity.
- Insider Builds Get It First: As usual, features will debut in test builds before hitting mainstream versions.
- Rumors Align With Reality: Earlier leaks about these changes have proven largely accurate, boosting trust in the leak cycle.
- AI’s Role is Expanding Fast: Even tools as basic as Notepad and File Explorer are getting smarter — and this is just the start.
- User-Centric Development: Microsoft seems to be making an effort to respond directly to the needs and preferences of its existing Windows 11 base.
- Reinforcing Windows 11 as a Platform: These changes push the OS toward being a full-fledged productivity suite, not just a system shell.
- Long-term Vision Becoming Clearer: With Copilot integration growing and legacy tools evolving, Windows 11 is setting the stage for a more intelligent operating system.
What Undercode Say:
Microsoft’s redesign of the Windows 11 Start menu represents a subtle but meaningful evolution. It’s not just about aesthetics — it’s about collapsing fragmented UI components into a single, unified space. The move to integrate pinned apps, recommendations, and all apps in one scrollable panel eliminates unnecessary clicks and supports modern UX principles like progressive disclosure and vertical flow.
The addition of categorized sorting for apps based on usage is particularly notable. While it might seem like a small enhancement, it reflects a shift toward behavioral UI — where the system adapts to the user’s habits rather than enforcing a rigid structure. This signals Microsoft’s interest in a predictive OS experience, which aligns closely with its AI vision.
The silent tension lies in the recommendation panel. Many users — especially power users — see it as digital clutter or a privacy concern. While Microsoft hasn’t confirmed whether the ability to remove this panel will ship in final builds, user sentiment online is overwhelmingly in favor of giving that control back. If Microsoft skips it, it could sour the positive reception to the redesign.
More broadly, AI enhancements in File Explorer and Notepad suggest a rethinking of what “basic” apps can do. These aren’t gimmicks — they’re designed to bring Copilot-like productivity to regular systems without requiring top-tier hardware. It’s democratizing AI, which is key if Microsoft wants to retain market share among standard PC users who aren’t upgrading to AI-boosted Copilot+ devices.
From an analyst’s perspective, Microsoft appears to be laying groundwork for future subscription services or feature locks behind premium tiers. As AI becomes baked into more parts of the OS, we may see some capabilities gated — creating a class system among users. Whether that’s acceptable will depend on how much functionality remains open and useful for everyone.
But for now, these updates are promising. They suggest a company finally listening to its user base, iterating on feedback, and moving toward a cleaner, smarter OS that doesn’t feel bloated. It’s a good signal — and hopefully a trend that continues into the 25H2 cycle and beyond.
Fact Checker Results:
✅ Microsoft has officially confirmed the redesigned Start menu during the Copilot+ PC announcements.
✅ The AI feature integration into Notepad and File Explorer has been outlined on Microsoft’s developer channels.
⚠️ The option to remove the recommendations panel is still unconfirmed, though it did appear in earlier leaked test builds.
Prediction:
The Start menu overhaul will likely debut in full with Windows 11 version 25H2, bringing unified design and AI enhancements to the forefront. However, the user reaction will hinge on whether Microsoft includes customization options like removing recommendations. Expect a surge in third-party utilities if Microsoft doesn’t offer it natively. AI’s quiet spread across system apps will continue, subtly reshaping Windows 11 into a more predictive, intelligent OS by 2026.
References:
Reported By: www.techradar.com
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