Windows 11 may get a highly requested Start menu redesign, here is how to try it

In October 2023, we published a recap of the top 10 features Windows 11 users want for the redesigned Start menu. Number 6 was the ability to switch from list view to grid view in the "All Apps" list, which received over 1,500 upvotes in the Feedback Hub. Six months later, Microsoft finally appears to be ready to give users what they want.

PhantomOfEarth, the ever-giving source of hidden stuff in Windows 11 preview builds, discovered that Windows 11 build 22635.3420 lets you change from list to grid view in the "All Apps" section. Like other unannounced features, this one requires a bit of tinkering using the ViVeTool app until Microsoft makes it official.

How to enable the new Start menu layout in Windows 11 build 22635.3420

1. Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files in a convenient and easy-to-find folder.
2. Run Command Prompt as Administrator and open the folder with the ViVeTool files using the CD command.
3. Type vivetool /enable /id:48433541,48433706,48433719,48468527,48468541 and press Enter.
4. Type vivetool /enable /id:47205210 /variant:2 and press Enter
5. Restart your computer.

If you are tempted to try the new Start menu layout on your system with the latest Windows 11 Beta build, note that the implementation is a bit raw, which is hardly surprising for an unannounced feature. For example, only the "Start settings" option is present when you right-click any application in the "All apps" list. Therefore, you cannot pin or uninstall programs using the context menu. In addition, there are no folders, so it is one big grid of all applications on your computer in alphabetical order.

Microsoft will most likely iron those bugs out before shipping the new layout to Windows Insiders (assuming it will do so).

Which layout do you like more? Grid or list? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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