- A new preview update is available for Windows 11
- Includes redesigned start menu, but rollout is gradual
- For this reason – and since it is still a version in the testing phase – it is better to wait for the final version, scheduled in two weeks.
The new Windows 11 Start menu is now officially available to everyone, although it’s not necessarily a good idea to rush into it.
This menu is actually part of a Windows 11 update recently released by Microsoft, but it’s still a preview, which comes with some limitations (which will be good to come back to).
That’s why MicrosoftOne of the key parts of this update is:
“The redesigned Start menu is designed to make accessing apps easier. The new design makes navigation more intuitive than ever.”
New features include a single distribution panel (replacing the entire list of apps that previously appeared on another screen), as well as two new views (by category and grid) to make finding apps easier.
You can also disable the Microsoft Recommendations panel, which is a good option, and add the Phone Connection panel, which is useful for those who connect their smartphone to their Windows 11 PC.
This is one of the biggest changes to Windows 11’s user interface in a long time, which may motivate many users to get started. However, there are reasons to be cautious.
Waiting is preferable, except for the most impatient.
Many people are eagerly awaiting this redesigned Start menu, and understandably so. The new features are well thought out, more flexible and Microsoft’s withdrawal of recommendations is good.
But if there is no urgency to test this new interface as soon as possible, it is better to wait.
Why wait? Because this update is still in the testing phase – although it is in the final stage – and may show some instability. The Start menu itself shouldn’t be a problem, of course, as it’s been extensively tested since it was first announced almost six months ago. However, it is the other potential errors associated with this overview that can be a problem.
This is especially true since the November Cumulative Update for Windows 11, which will be the final version of this preview, will be released in just two weeks. So you don’t have to rush. Especially since the new Start menu is being rolled out gradually. In other words, even if you install this update today, there is no guarantee that it will be activated immediately. It all depends on your PC configuration.
Considering these factors, waiting seems to be the best option. But for the most determined, depending on the case, installing this preview version may be enough to access the new menu directly.
It is also important to note that the installed version of Windows 11 (24H2 or 25H2) does not affect the reception of the new menu: it is implemented in parallel in both versions. Therefore, it is not necessary to use the latest version to take advantage of the revised design.
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