After a haphazard launch of Windows 11 and a series of updates that followed—all intended to resolve the plethora of issues left behind—Microsoft is back and starts the month with another update.
This time, with the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509, Microsoft has put more efforts into improving the Start menu bar, among a host of other features. In this article, we will discuss the changes in the Start menu that accompany this update.
How Microsoft Is Changing the Windows 11 Start Menu
Microsoft has received a wave of backlash over the new Windows 11. Be it the design alterations or the chaotic launch, the sudden changes have left many frustrated, with some even questioning if the switch would be worth the trouble. Is the new update a way to steam off the anger? Perhaps! But here's what we know with certainty so far.
The latest Windows 11 update, Build 22509, brings with it the feature to add more "pins" or more "recommendations" to the Start menu. And how do you do that? Open the Start menu, or press the Windows key on your keyboard. Then, right-click anywhere inside the Start menu panel, and select the Start settings option.
From there, you can then choose the option of More pins or More recommendations and, in effect, opt to show an extra row of pins or recommendations. Also, keep in mind that this invariably increases the size of the Start menu bar.
Apart from giving the users more wiggle room with the Start menu's size, Microsoft has pushed for a series of additional changes. For instance, the taskbar will show the date and time on your secondary monitors from now on.
A couple of days after this announcement, Microsoft has also released the new Cumulative Update Build 22509.101 (KB5008918). While this update itself doesn't add anything new to the Build 22509 build, its importance cannot be underplayed as it tests the servicing pipeline for builds in the Dev channel.
The New Windows 11 Build 22509 Update
The new updates to the Start menu bar are a welcome move from Microsoft. Think of them as adding more refinement to the complete overhaul brought on by Windows 11.
We predict more of such updates from Microsoft in the coming weeks. While the present redesign has come a long way from the old, historic days of Windows 10, much can be improved in terms of UI and functionality.