A preview of Windows 10, indented for internal use only, accidentally started rolling out to a select number of users from the Windows Insider Program revealing a new design for the Start menu.
The build that leaked was 18947 from the canary branch, and Microsoft rolled it out to all devices using the 32-bit version of Windows 10 enrolled in the Release Preview, Slow, and Fast rings.
Although the company quickly stopped the deployment, a number of testers (via @NTAuthority) received the update, which included an early version of the new Start menu planned to arrive in future versions of Windows 10. And perhaps the most noticeable change is that the menu no longer ships with Live Tiles.
While it’s a significant change from the current design, it’s not surprising, as the company has been testing a similar menu for Windows Lite.
Alongside the switch to the traditional icons (such as like on Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android), it’s also interesting to see that the new design includes a search box, which could indicate that Windows Search is coming back to the Start menu like in the Windows 7 era.
However, in the left rail, you’ll also notice a button to switch to the current version of the Start menu with Live Tiles, which makes it unclear whether Windows 10 will ditch the tiles completely in upcoming releases.
In addition, Windows 10 build 18947 also ships with a new version of the emoji panel that includes design changes, new search box, and the ability to insert GIF images.
While it’s clear that Microsoft is planning to bring new visual changes to Windows 10, it’s still unknown when they are going to arrive. The company is also advising users to remove this internal build to revert back to a more stable version.
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].