By Key Points
- Microsoft is testing a wider, scrollable Start menu
- New phone sidebar integrates Android and iPhone features
- AI-powered Category view organizes apps smartly
- Features available to Windows Insider Dev Channel users
Windows 11 Start menu is getting its biggest makeover yet. After months of hidden testing, the redesign is finally taking shape. Users in the Windows Insider Dev Channel are now seeing a wider, smarter Start menu with new phone integration and AI-driven features.
While this is still in the experimental stage, the update highlights Microsoft’s efforts to modernize the Start menu for today’s multi-device users.
Microsoft has shared some of the design concepts it explored for the new Start menu on Windows 11. All of these are more interesting than the one we’re actually getting lol https://t.co/nx2Vz72OGB pic.twitter.com/mtHtKfXRZX
— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) May 12, 2025
Windows 11 Start menu gets wider and smarter
The core of this update is a wider, scrollable Start menu designed to make better use of large and widescreen displays. On bigger screens, users will see eight columns of pinned apps, six recommendations, and four columns of categories. Smaller devices will display a scaled-down version to fit comfortably on screen.
Hidden in today’s Dev/Beta CUs: a major update to the Windows 11 Start menu! It has a new, larger layout with everything on one scrollable page, with the “All” list below recommendations – which can FINALLY be turned off! Pinned list is now limited to 2 rows, but can be expanded. pic.twitter.com/JkP3V2I5g6
— phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) April 3, 2025
In addition to the expanded layout, Microsoft is introducing a new AI-powered Category view. This automatically organizes apps into smart cards such as Productivity, Creativity, and Social, helping users quickly find what they need. If you prefer a more traditional experience, the Grid view lists apps alphabetically from A to Z.
The wider Windows 11 Start menu with the phone sidebar.
The Recommended section—displaying recent files—remains, but it can be toggled off in Settings if users want a cleaner interface.
This gradual rollout mirrors how other Microsoft innovations surface over time. For example, earlier this year, Microsoft’s handheld gaming PC project was first teased through Insider builds, much like these Start menu updates. Similarly, recent hardware trends like liquid glass design are also making their way into the Microsoft ecosystem.
The new Start menu journey began when a hidden Category view first appeared last year. It reemerged publicly in February 2025, followed by the discovery of the wider menu by Twitter sleuths in April. Now, in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5641 (KB5060824), all these elements are coming together.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 Start’s Categories and Grid view.
Phone sidebar connects Android and iPhone devices
Another major feature is the phone sidebar, now being integrated into the Start menu. Initially launched in June 2024 for Android, the sidebar has since expanded to support iPhones too.
The sidebar enables users to manage their phones directly from the Start menu. While screen mirroring is not yet live in the current build, Microsoft continues testing this feature. The sidebar aligns with broader trends of tighter ecosystem integration, similar to how Apple’s AI features (read more here) bring cross-device functionality to iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
For Windows enthusiasts, this update also demonstrates Microsoft’s growing interest in AI-driven UI improvements. The same focus on intelligent design is seen across the tech landscape, from OpenAI storing ChatGPT conversations (see details) to Razer’s Phantom Collection RGB (learn more), where personalization and responsiveness are key trends.
If you’re a Windows Insider in the Dev Channel, you can test these Start menu changes today. Keep in mind that the Dev Channel is experimental—features here may change or disappear before reaching general users.
For those who love to customize their PC experience, the updated Start menu offers flexibility. You can choose between the new Category view or traditional Grid view, toggle recommendations, and even adjust how apps are displayed depending on your device size.
Microsoft is rethinking the Start menu to match today’s diverse range of devices and user expectations. If you want to be part of this evolving ecosystem, now is the perfect time to join the Windows Insider Program and see what’s next.
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