How to enable new Start menu size and customization settings on Windows 11

• Microsoft is testing a new version of the Start menu with resizable and customizable settings on Windows 11 Insider Preview builds.
• Users can now make the Start menu smaller and decide which sections appear in the experience.
• The new design should come enabled by default, but you can use the ViveTool to enable it manually.

On Windows 11, Microsoft is finally testing a redesigned Start menu that introduces new size options and customization settings, making it easier to control how much content appears on the screen. Although the updated menu is expected to be enabled by default on build 26300.8553 in the Experimental Channel, it isn’t currently rolling out automatically. However, you can use ViveTool to enable the new experience manually.

As part of Microsoft’s broader Windows K2 initiative to improve Windows 11 and rebuild user trust, the company is introducing three Start menu layouts, including “Small,” “Large,” and “Automatic.” Microsoft is also renaming the “Recommended” section to “Recent” across both the Start menu and Settings app. In addition, users can now independently show or hide the “Pinned,” “Recent,” and “All” sections for a more personalized experience.

The update also adds an option to hide the account name and profile picture from the Start menu, along with a redesigned Settings page that includes new controls to customize the menu layout and content.

At the time of writing, these changes are rolling out to everyone in the Windows Insider Program’s Experimental channel. However, if you’re running the latest Insider Preview builds, and the new Start menu isn’t available, you can also enable the early preview via hidden feature flags or ViveTool (via @PhantomOfEarth).

In this guide, I’ll explain how to enable the new Start menu on Windows 11.

Enable new Start menu on Windows 11 (ViveTool)

To enable an early preview of the redesigned Start menu on Windows 11, use the ViveTool with these steps:

1. Open the GitHub website.

2. Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to enable the new Start menu.

3. Double-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.

4. Click the Extract all button.

   

5. Click the Extract button.

6. Copy the path to the folder.

7. Open Start.

8. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

9. Type the following command to navigate to the ViveTool folder and press Enter:

   cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.x

   In the command, remember to change the path to the folder with your path.

10. Type the following command to enable the Start menu on Windows 11 and press Enter:

    vivetool /enable /id:61754985,61225604,61596616,61596617,61596618,61596619

11. Restart the computer to apply the changes.

Once you complete the steps, you’ll be able to choose the size and the sections that appear in the Start menu from Settings > Personalization > Start.

If you want to undo the changes, you can follow the same instructions outlined above, but in step 10, run the vivetool /disable /id:61754985,61225604,61596616,61596617,61596618,61596619 command.

Pureinfotech’s Take

I think this is the Start menu update Windows 11 should have shipped with from the beginning. One of the most common complaints I’ve seen since the operating system launched is that users have very little control over the layout and content inside the menu. Microsoft has slowly addressed some of that feedback over the years, but these new options finally make the experience feel more personal.

The ability to resize the menu and decide which sections appear may sound like a small change, but it’s the kind of customization that people interact with every day. Not everyone wants a large menu filled with recommendations, and not everyone uses the same sections. Giving users more control is usually the right approach.

Since these features are still hidden behind ViveTool, I would only recommend enabling them if you’re already comfortable testing Insider builds and experimental features. However, based on what Microsoft is showing so far, I expect these changes to eventually become the standard Start menu experience for Windows 11.

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