Start Menu Improvements Are Available for Testing on the Experimental Channel

The various Start Menu improvements that Microsoft detailed earlier this month, alongside the new alternative taskbar positions, are now available for Insider testing. The Experimental build 26300.8533 introduces a redesigned Start menu settings page, the option to hide your name and profile picture, and more.

Insiders on the Experimental Channel will now get to choose between a small and large Start menu, in addition to “Automatic (default)” setting option that was already available. The new build also introduces section-level toggles to independently show or hide the ‘All’, ‘Pinned’, and ‘Recommended’ sections. Moreover, the latter is being renamed to “Recent.”

Microsoft also released new Windows 11 preview builds on the Beta, Experimental (26H1), and Experimental (Future Platforms) channels, with minor changes. The company is also warning Insiders on the Experimental Channel currently testing 26H1 builds that they may want to switch back to the version 25H2 of the OS before June 5, 2026.

“We are in the process of releasing the Windows 11 version 26H1 build to those Insiders who have elected this version under Advanced options in the Windows Insider Program settings. We will begin releasing this version to those Insiders who have elected this change on June 5 2026,” the Windows Insider team said today.

Windows 11 version 26H1 will only ship on devices using new silicon, including Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 2 chips. Microsoft previously said that because 26H1 is based on a different Windows core, it won’t be able to upgrade to Windows 11 version 26H2 later this year. “These devices will have a path to update in a future Windows release,” the Windows Insider team reiterated today.

Unfortunately, Insiders currently testing 26H1 builds can only go back to 25H2 builds by performing a clean install of the OS.