Microsoft has just released a new Start Menu for Windows 11 that is much more user-friendly. The new Start Menu features a search bar at the top, as well as a list of recent programs and tasks. It also includes a menu of options that are specific to the Windows 11 operating system. This new Start Menu is available now through the Windows Update process.
Start11 from Stardock is a popular application for customizing the start menu and taskbar, on either Windows 10 or Windows 11. There are multiple start menu layouts to choose from, including designs that mirror the menu on Windows 7 or Windows 10, and more customization options are available for the taskbar. Some of the taskbar features can also be accessed by modifying registry settings in Windows, such as moving the taskbar to the top of the screen, but the start menu designs are exclusive to Start11.
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Starting this week, Start11 is now available on Valve’s Steam store in addition to the company’s own online store — a great option for anyone with some Steam gift cards or store credit to spend. Just like the non-Steam version, it costs $5.99 and is limited to one computer at a time, but the $8.99 multi-device upgrade brings that up to five PCs. There’s no recurring subscription, at least.
Microsoft is still working on the start menu and taskbar in Windows 11, and a few improvements are slated to arrive in this year’s Windows 11 22H2 update, such as the ability to drag files onto apps in the taskbar and more widget features. However, Microsoft is unlikely to remove the Bing integration and other changes that aren’t popular with everyone, so alternatives like Start11 are great to have.
