Microsoft is Testing New ‘Grid’ and ‘Category’ Layouts for the Windows 11 Start Menu

Microsoft appears to be testing new layouts for the “All Apps” view of the Windows 11 Start Menu. One of these new layouts is labeled “Category”, and it’s been spotted in the recent Windows 11 Beta build 22635.3930 by X user phantomofearth (via Windows Central), though in a not entirely functional state. It appears to intelligently put apps into different categories such as “Entertainment,” “Navigation & Maps,” and “News & Weather.”

This new layout looks quite similar to how the App Library works on iOS and iPadOS, which also organizes apps into intelligent categories. Each app category may display up to four app icons, similar to how Apple’s App library displays apps in folders that expand when tapped.

It looks like another Start menu > All apps view option is coming soon: Category view. Present in build 22635.3930, with some not yet functional categories.

Also, you'll be able to switch between the existing alphabetical and new grid/category views using a dropdown menu. https://t.co/qFtcTm4BnB pic.twitter.com/ABtXZJ2Irl

— phantomofearth ? (@phantomofearth) July 12, 2024

In March, the same X user discovered a new Grid layout for the Start Menu’s All Apps view in the Beta build 22635.3420: Compared to the current alphabetical list of apps, this new layout makes better use of space by putting all apps into a grid of icons that’s also scrollable. This time, this layout is more reminiscent of how the app drawer works on Android phones.

To go along with this new Category view for the Windows 11 Start Menu, the X user also detailed the existence of a new button for switching between these new Category and Grid layouts. To be clear, these new layouts are not publicly available to Insiders yet and need to be enabled with special tools.

If it’s not uncommon for Insiders to discover hidden features in Windows 11 Insider builds, there’s no guarantee that all the ideas that Microsoft is testing internally will eventually be made available for testers. Back in March, another Windows enthusiast discovered the existence of “Start Menu Companions,” which work like widgets that can be docked next to the Start Menu. However, the Windows Insider team has yet to discuss the existence of this widget-like experience for the Start Menu.