Start menu new customization coming to Windows 11 26H2

• Windows 11 26H2 is getting a more customizable Start menu with new sizing and layout options.
• Users can choose Small, Large, or Automatic for the Start menu size.
• Start sections can be shown or hidden, including the option to remove them entirely.
• Microsoft is renaming Recommended to Recent without affecting File Explorer’s recent file history.
• Users can hide their name and profile picture from the Start menu for better privacy when sharing their screen.

On Windows 11, the Start menu is about to change again, and this time Microsoft is giving users more control over how it works and what it shows. These changes are part of the company’s broader Windows K2 initiative, an effort to improve the operating system’s performance, reliability, usability, and overall experience.

Microsoft is continuing to refine the Start menu as part of the work leading into Windows 11 26H2, the next annual feature update. Rather than introducing another dramatic redesign, the company is focusing on fixing some of the long-standing frustrations with the current Start experience while bringing back customization options users have been asking for.

Although these changes are being developed alongside Windows 11 26H2, they are not exclusive to the next feature update. Because Windows 11 26H2 shares the same core platform as versions 25H2 and 24H2, Microsoft can deliver many of these improvements to existing versions through monthly updates. Several K2-related changes have already started appearing in preview and optional updates.

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In this guide, I’ll walk you through the Start menu changes Microsoft is working on and what they could mean for the Windows 11 experience.

What’s new with the Start menu on Windows 11 26H2

On Windows 11, the Start menu is becoming more customizable with several new options through the updated “Start” page.

First, Microsoft is adding an option to change the size of the Start menu. Although the operating system can already change the size of the menu automatically based on the screen resolution and scaling settings, it’s now possible to make the Start menu larger or smaller manually.

One thing to note is that this approach is different from the experience on Windows 10, where you could drag the edges of the menu freely to make the Start menu as big or small as you wanted. In addition, there was an option to make the menu full screen, tailored to touch-enabled devices.

The new setting can be controlled from Settings > Personalization > Start, using the “Start menu size” setting, which offers three options, including “Large,” “Small,” and “Automatic.”

Second, as part of the new customization options, it’s now possible to choose the sections you want to see in the menu, and if you don’t want any of them, you can disable them all and have an empty menu.

In addition to controlling the visibility of the sections, the “Recommended” section is getting renamed to “Recent,” and now turning off the “Show recent and suggested files” option won’t clear the recent history of files in File Explorer.

Third and final, in Start settings, under the “Other” section, you can turn on an option to hide your name and profile picture from the Start menu. This setting is being thought out as a privacy feature to prevent showing this information when projecting and sharing your screen.

Pureinfotech’s Take

I think these Start menu changes are a step in the right direction because Microsoft is finally treating customization as part of the solution instead of trying to reinvent the menu. After the backlash to some of the changes introduced with Windows 11, giving users more control is a much better approach than forcing another major redesign.

For me, the most important part is that the company is addressing the little frustrations that can make the Start menu feel unnecessarily rigid. I don’t expect these options to transform how I use the operating system, but they make the experience easier to tailor without relying on workarounds or third-party tools.

I’m also glad Microsoft is making these changes available beyond just Windows 11 26H2. That makes more sense than holding relatively small usability improvements for a major release.

I would still like Microsoft to keep this approach going. Windows doesn’t need constant reinvention. It needs to become more flexible, predictable, and respectful of how people actually use their PCs.

What are your thoughts about these new Start menu changes on Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.