Microsoft is developing a substantial redesign of the Windows 11 Start menu, set to debut with the 26H2 feature update later in 2026, according to early Insider builds. The work signals a direct response to longstanding user requests for a more adaptable, private, and efficient core experience. Those who have felt the current Start menu wastes screen real estate or collects too much telemetry will find much to like in the leak.

The company has been gradually loosening the Start menu’s rigid structure since Windows 11’s launch, but the 26H2 project represents the first wholesale rethinking of the component. Sources close to the Insider program indicate that three pillars define the effort: a smaller default layout option, granular controls to hide entire content sections, and a suite of privacy-centric tweaks. Under the hood, a refactored code path promises noticeably faster launch times and lower memory consumption.

A Start Menu That Finally Shrinks

One of the most visible additions is a compact layout, often referred to internally as “mini mode.” While current Windows 11 builds let users choose between “more pins” or “more recommendations,” both templates still occupy a relatively large footprint. The new compact view strips the menu down to a single-column style reminiscent of the classic Windows 10 Start, but with the rounded corners and acrylic transparency of Windows 11. Pinned apps appear in a tidy list, and the recommended section collapses entirely by default.

Early testers report that enabling the compact layout reduces the menu’s width by approximately 40 percent, depending on display scaling settings. This change is particularly welcome on smaller screens, tablets, and laptops, where the current Start menu can feel overwhelmingly large. Users can toggle between the classic expanded view and the new compact mode through a toggle in Settings > Personalization > Start, hinting that Microsoft intends to offer choice rather than force a single aesthetic.

Section-Hiding Controls: Burying the Clutter

The second headline feature is the ability to selectively hide entire sections of the Start menu. Since Windows 11 debuted, the “Recommended” area—showing recently opened files and suggested apps—has been a lightning rod for criticism. While users could reduce its size, they could never remove it entirely without resorting to registry hacks or third-party tools. 26H2 changes that.

In the leaked builds, a new “Manage sections” interface allows users to toggle on or off the Pinned apps, Recommended, and All apps areas independently. Disabling a section dynamically adjusts the menu’s height and eliminates the visual divider lines that currently segment the interface. Power users who prefer a minimalist launcher can strip the menu down to nothing but a custom grid of pinned tiles and a search bar.

Microsoft appears to be taking a cautious approach to recommendation removal: when the Recommended section is hidden, the Start menu no longer fetches or displays recently opened documents, potentially reducing the data cached locally. Enterprise administrators will gain corresponding Group Policy settings to enforce or prevent section hiding, making this a boon for managed environments that want a standardized, distraction-free Start experience.

Privacy Tweaks That Go Beyond the Surface

Privacy improvements in the 26H2 Start menu are not limited to hiding recommendations. Insider builds include a refined search privacy model. Currently, typing in the Start menu search box can trigger web queries through Bing unless users manually turn off “Search online and include web results” in settings. The new behavior reportedly excludes web results by default during local startup searches, with a clearer opt-in prompt the first time a user deliberately seeks online content.

Furthermore, the “Show recently opened items in Start, taskbar, and File Explorer” toggle now applies more broadly to the Start menu recommendations engine. When disabled, the system stops logging local file activity that would populate the Recommended section, rather than simply hiding the display of that data. This change aligns with Microsoft’s broader push toward on-device transparency, following similar adjustments made to Recall and other AI-driven features.

Another subtle but meaningful tweak: the Start menu will no longer preload app suggestions from the Microsoft Store unless the user has explicitly enabled promotional content. Early testers note a reduction in the number of “suggested” listings that appear in the All apps list, leaving only installed software and system utilities.

Performance work in 26H2 focuses on reducing the input-to-render latency that sometimes plagues the Start menu on lower-end hardware. The current iteration loads a number of UI elements and web-connected services synchronously, leading to occasional stutters or a brief blank frame on slower machines. The redesigned menu adopts an asynchronous initialization model: the shell frame draws immediately, then populates icons and content progressively.

Insiders report that the compact layout in particular feels “near-instant,” with the menu appearing in under 100 milliseconds on modern hardware. Memory usage has also been trimmed: the StartMenuExperienceHost.exe process, which often idles at 150–200 MB in the current shipping version, now settles around 60–80 MB in the leaked build when the compact layout is active. These optimizations are expected to benefit devices of all tiers, from premium ultrabooks to affordable educational laptops.

The performance work extends to search reliability. The indexing engine that underpins Start search has been tuned to prioritize local results, reducing CPU spikes when a user begins typing. This change indirectly improves battery life on mobile devices, a welcome gain for Surface Pro and similar 2-in-1 tablets.

Context: A Rocky Road to Refinement

The Windows 11 Start menu has been a controversial centerpiece since its debut in 2021. Microsoft’s decision to center the taskbar and Start menu, remove live tiles, and force the Recommended section drew immediate backlash. Over successive updates—22H2, 23H2, 24H2—the company iterated by adding folder support for pinned apps, adjustable recommendation rows, and the ability to show more pins. Each tweak chipped away at user frustration but never fully addressed the desire for complete control.

Third-party replacements like Start11 and StartAllBack flourished, proving that a significant portion of the user base wanted a more familiar, customizable launcher. Microsoft’s own telemetry likely showed that the recommended section was frequently turned down or ignored, while forums like Reddit and Feedback Hub overflowed with requests to hide it entirely. The 26H2 changes suggest that the company has finally accepted that one size does not fit all.

Competitive pressure may have also played a role. macOS Sonoma’s Launchpad remains a simple grid of icons, while ChromeOS offers a lightweight app drawer with zero recommendations. Even Windows 10’s own Start menu, still used by millions, features an entirely optional suggestions area. By making the Windows 11 Start menu behave more like those predecessors, Microsoft is acknowledging that productivity sometimes means getting out of the user’s way.

Community and Enterprise Implications

The redesign is already generating enthusiastic chatter across Windows enthusiast communities. Many users on Reddit’s r/Windows11 describe the leak as “what should have shipped in 2021,” while IT administrators on the Windows Forum highlight the new Group Policy objects as a key governance win. For organizations that lock down their desktop experience, the ability to remove distractions and block web search integration from the Start menu will simplify compliance with internal security policies.

Education and frontline worker devices stand to benefit disproportionately. A compact Start that uses less screen space means more room for open applications, and eliminating unnecessary network calls during search reduces bandwidth consumption in congested environments. Microsoft’s continued investment in Windows fundamentals, even as it pushes AI features like Copilot, reassures critics who feared that legacy interface improvements had been deprioritized.

The privacy-focused search changes may draw praise from European regulators and privacy advocates who have scrutinized Microsoft’s data collection practices. By making local search the default and requiring explicit consent for web results, the company appears to be preempting potential legal challenges under GDPR and similar frameworks.

Timeline and What to Expect

Microsoft’s feature update cadence has settled into an annual rhythm, with major updates arriving in the second half of each year. 26H2, therefore, is expected to reach general availability around September or October 2026. Insider builds containing the new Start menu fragments are rumored to appear in the Dev or Canary channels by late 2025, giving testers roughly a year to provide feedback before public launch.

As with any pre-release software, the feature set is subject to change. Microsoft may delay or alter aspects of the redesign based on performance metrics or Insider feedback. The company has a history of experimenting with Start menu concepts—such as floating widgets and adaptive layouts—that never made it to production. However, the company’s increasing openness to customization choices suggests that at least the section-hiding and compact layout options will survive the development gantlet.

Users who cannot wait for 26H2 should temper their expectations: these features are not being backported to 24H2 or 25H2. Third-party Start menu replacements will continue to be the only way to achieve a similar experience on current builds. Microsoft is also expected to integrate the new Start menu with existing Windows Ink and pen-computing improvements planned for the same release, potentially offering a smoother transition for digital artists and note-takers.

Forward Look

The 26H2 Start menu redesign is more than a cosmetic refresh. It signals a mature Windows that is willing to shed its one-size-fits-all philosophy in favor of genuine user agency. By giving people the tools to declutter their interface, safeguard their privacy, and enjoy a snappier system, Microsoft is reinvesting in the very fundamentals that make an operating system feel modern and responsive.

Skeptics will rightfully ask why it took five years to reach this point, but the trajectory is clear: Windows 11 is evolving into a platform that respects power users while remaining accessible to newcomers. The Start menu may never return to the freeform chaos of Windows 7, but with these changes it becomes a more willing partner in productivity rather than a billboard for Microsoft services. As Insider builds roll out and the final shape of 26H2 comes into focus, one thing is certain: the conversation around the Start menu is about to get a lot more positive.