The redesigned Start menu offers a customizable layout with an option to disable the recommended feed.
Microsoft tested five prototype designs, gathering feedback from over 300 Windows 11 users.
The final design includes a companion panel for quick access to recent calls, messages, and files.
Microsoft has officially introduced the redesigned Start menu for the Windows 11, offering a new customisable look and the option to disable the recommended feed of files and the application. For the unversed, the new Start menu will officially be available for Windows Insiders by the end of this month and is part of the company’s goal of enhancing the user experience.
Taking to a blog post, the company has shared a glimpse of the design process behind the update and has also revealed the five early concept stages. The prototypes hinted at a pretty rounded Start menu with widgets functionality, For You section which includes the recommendations like Teams meetings, YouTube videos, and recently accessed files, and a vertically scrolling Start menu. The other concept offered a categorised layout with quick shortcuts on offer.
Tap here to checkout the prototypes rejected by Microsoft
In the blog post, the company also mentioned that it has tested a wide range of layouts and discovered new things before working on it. The company also stated that it has finalised the design after extensive user testing, including eye-tracking, scroll analysis, and feedback from over 300 Windows 11 fans.
The redesigned Start menu comes with a bigger layout and also offers the users the ability to hide the recommended feed, making it more customisable. It retains the familiar app list while integrating a companion panel which aims to offer quick access to recent phone calls, messages, and files for users with connected Android devices.
READ: Microsoft unveils new Surface laptops and major Windows 11 update: Check what’s new
The company is reportedly planning to release the redesigned Start menu to all the Windows 11 users in the coming months. However, the exact rollout timeline, update size and enhanced functionalities remains unknown at the moment.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
