Windows 10 Anniversary Update was recently unveiled by Microsoft during its Build developer conference. In the new update, the company is expected to bring a significant number of improvements and new features. However, the company didn’t talk about changes coming to the Start menu, or at least until now.
Today, the software giant published a new article in the Quests section inside the Feedback Hub titled “Improving the All apps list in Start” that highlights new changes possibly coming to Start with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update later this summer.
The company is showing user-interface improvements coming to the Start screen, which will only appear on tablet mode or for those users activating the fullscreen version of the menu. The changes also expand to the Start menu, which appear by default on every Windows 10 PC.
On the Start screen, the tweaks Microsoft is planning show an All apps list that resembles the design found in the Windows 8.1 Start screen.
The updated design removes the current Live Tiles sections to display a combined “Most Used” and “All apps” list view with three rows located front and center. To what Microsoft says: “this approach, we hope to address the confusion that many users felt with the two very similar list views.”
The company continues saying: “We’ve also made it easier and more clear how to switch between the “Pinned Tiles” and “All apps” views by adopting the navigation pane pattern used throughout Windows.”
On the Start menu, which is the default menu for any PC running Windows 10, the software maker is planning to show an identical structured list of apps, but using a single row to display a combined list of “Most Used” and “All apps” list view. The new design for the menu will also keep the Live Tiles section on the right.
In both cases, users will notice that buttons for File Explorer, Documents, and other locations will no longer show up in the menu. However, the power and Settings buttons will appear on a narrow menu on the left side, which is very interesting, as it aligns with the language design we’re seeing with the Windows 10 Universal apps.
All the changes are being planned on afford to reduce clicking and scrolling, Microsoft says. If you like the new changes, make sure to send your feedback that will determine whether the changes will ship at one point in Windows 10.
What do you think about the new UI changes for the Start menu in Windows 10? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Source Microsoft Quests (Feedback Hub), Sway
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].