Microsoft adds customization options to the Start menu and, in particular, to its list of applications.
The cornerstone of Microsoft's operating system, the Windows Start menu has sometimes been mocked, other times praised, but it generally leaves no one indifferent, and in any case, we have to admit that it is indispensable to our daily lives. A menu that has logically evolved over time and which, with Windows 11, has been transformed to offer a number of customization options. It's possible to modify its appearance to increase the number of items pinned to the menu, or to give preference to recommendations made by Microsoft.
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Today, our colleagues at Neowin are reporting a new direction for the Start menu. It's an orientation that no longer directly concerns pinned items/recommendations, but rather the second part of the menu, the list of applications. Until now, on Windows 11, the Start menu has featured an "All" option that allows you to go beyond the pinned items to discover, in list form, all the applications installed on the PC. Microsoft intends to rethink this, once again allowing greater personalization with new options that will bring the Start menu closer to the iOS Application Library.
The information is more directly reported by Phantomofearth on X.com and relayed by Neowin. The latter explains that on version 22635.3930 of Windows 11 - a beta version reserved for members of the Windows Insider program - there is an option to switch to "category" display mode. In this case, installed applications are grouped according to their function, offering a new way of organizing them as opposed to the classic alphabetical list. What's more, there's talk of offering three display modes for this "all applications" list in the Windows 11 Start menu.
It looks like another Start menu > All apps view option is coming soon: Category view. Present in build 22635.3930, with some not yet functional categories.
Also, you'll be able to switch between the existing alphabetical and new grid/category views using a dropdown menu. https://t.co/qFtcTm4BnB pic.twitter.com/ABtXZJ2Irl
- phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) July 12, 2024
These three display modes are seen as a new step in menu customization, and the traditional vertical list will no longer be imposed on us. If these options are retained in the future, Microsoft will offer a choice between this vertical list with alphabetical classification of applications, a "grid" representation where icons take on greater importance, and the sorting by category option we've just mentioned. In the past, Microsoft hasn't always been the most comfortable with personalization options, but the Redmond company seems to realize that this kind of thing pleases users. Long may it continue!
