“What happened to my Start menu?” — why Windows 11 users are waking up to a desktop they don’t recognize

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If you recently turned on your computer, you might have noticed a changed Start menu. Your apps may have been rearranged, and the menu might look different in size and how things are organized.

I’m happy to report this isn’t an error! We’re seeing a new Start Menu being released to Windows 11 users. Because the update is being rolled out gradually, some people are getting it now, even though it was originally planned to ship in October 2025.

You’ll get the updated Start menu on your PC after installing the KB5067036 update. If it doesn’t appear right away, you can enable the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” setting in the Windows 11 Settings app to see it sooner.

You can also enable the new Start menu through ViVeTool.

I’ve noticed a lot of people are confused about the updated Start menu, especially after seeing questions online like one on Reddit asking where it went. It can be surprising if you weren’t aware of the changes beforehand.

The updated Start menu offers improvements over the previous version. It’s more flexible and allows for greater personalization, though not in every aspect.

It’s a bit unexpected, but some of the latest features aren’t adjustable. For instance, the Start menu automatically changes size to fit your screen, but you can’t manually set its size yourself.

Windows 11 now splits the Start menu into three sections: “Pinned,” “Recommended,” and “All.”

The Pinned section initially displays apps in two rows, with each row able to hold up to eight apps.

The Recommended section shows your recently used files and apps. It can also feature suggested apps from the Microsoft Store. You have the option to turn this section off completely if you prefer.

The new Windows 11 Start menu is an improvement over the old one because it displays all your apps at once, without needing extra steps. It also automatically organizes apps into helpful categories like “Productivity” and “Developer Tools.” This organization is similar to what many people are used to on iPhones and Android phones.

You can change how the “All apps” section of the Start menu looks. Instead of seeing apps grouped into categories, you can display them as a simple, alphabetical list.

Even if the Start menu was perfect, it would still take time to learn the new version.

As a researcher, I’ve been looking into the history of the Windows Start menu, and it’s fascinating to see how much experimentation went into its current design. My colleague, Mauro Huculak, has put together a detailed guide breaking down all the different layouts Microsoft considered. He’s also written a piece tracing the Start menu’s evolution over the past 40 years, which provides a great historical context.

While the Start menu in Windows 11 has gotten better, many users still find its design and limited personalization options frustrating. As a result, programs like Start11 are becoming more popular, and others are turning to tools like PowerToys to get the experience they want.

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2026-01-14 17:13