- Computing
- Software
- Windows
Big fixes for key parts of Windows 11
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: MAYA LAB / Shutterstock)
- Copy link
- X
- Threads
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Become a Member in Seconds
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Join the club
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter- Windows 11's Start menu is rumored to be getting a bunch of important fixes
- That includes full control over what elements appear in the menu, and the ability to manually switch between the small and larger layouts
- Microsoft is testing changes to make File Explorer perform better, too, and that should arrive with the next Windows 11 update in May
Windows 11's Start menu is going to get the changes many people have been clamoring for, and Microsoft is busy fixing the performance of File Explorer, too, as the company moves to shore up key parts of the operating system's interface.
Windows Central reported the work on the Start menu, although it should be noted that this is just a rumor. That said, we do know that Microsoft intends to revamp the menu as part of the major campaign to fix Windows 11, so something will certainly be done with this part of the UI.
According to sources who spoke to Windows Central, the main change will be a much greater level of control over the customization of the Start menu. Windows 11 users will be able to turn off any section of the menu that they don't want to see.
Article continues below You may like-
Windows 11's new Start menu is proving seriously divisive
-
Microsoft is finally fixing Windows 11 under the hood — but is it too late?
-
Microsoft promises big changes for Windows 11 'every month this year'
That means not just the ability to ditch the recommended panel — which you can do now (that was part of the most recent major overhaul for the Start menu — but you can also get rid of pinned apps, or even the list of all apps installed on the PC.
Apparently, you'll also be able to choose to have a small (6-column) or larger (8-column) Start menu layout, which is a decision Windows 11 makes itself right now. For example, if you have a small screen, the OS will automatically elect for the more compact view, which is sensible enough. However, not everyone is happy with the way this works in certain scenarios, so Microsoft is set to let users override this decision should they wish.
Windows Central says Microsoft is trying to make the Start menu "much faster and responsive" on top of this, and we've heard about this before (and that the UI should work snappily even when the system is straining under a heavy workload). The search function in the Start menu is going to be made speedier, too.
As for File Explorer — the app that powers the very folders that contain the files on your desktop — Microsoft just released a new Windows 11 test build in the Release Preview channel which boosts its performance.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The build notes say that it "improves the speed and performance of File Explorer launch" and cures the remaining bugs where opening a folder in dark mode causes a nasty white flash to light up the screen (a fix that has been progressing through test versions of late).
Windows Latest tried out the preview and found that File Explorer does indeed feel faster, and that it seems especially faster when first launched, so that sounds promising.
Analysis: a mountain to climb
The first time File Explorer is run can often be seriously sluggish with some PCs — I've witnessed this myself, on my Windows 11 Surface device — so it's an important area to fix. These are welcome improvements for File Explorer, and all being well, they should be deployed in the May update for Windows 11. (Don't count on it, though, as whether that goes ahead could depend on what happens in testing, and if last-minute bugs are found).
What to read next-
Microsoft has finally started its campaign to 'make Windows 11 better'
-
Apple's MacBook Neo triumph could also be great news for Windows 11 laptops
-
Microsoft promises to fix the biggest issues in Windows 11, including AI
The proposed work with the Start menu is huge, and pretty much a wish-list of everything you could want fixed with this part of the interface (about the only thing lacking is any mention of ditching the ad-like promos, though you can switch off the recommended panel already, of course). However, before we get carried away with the idea of these changes, we should remember that they are just rumored plans for Microsoft. Even if all this is true as it stands, the company could yet change its mind on some of these points.
I'm really surprised to see the idea of turning off the Start menu's all apps list is seemingly on the table. If so, the thrust of this redesign is handing the user complete control over the look of the Start menu, to the point of making it extremely streamlined. The ability to manually switch to the small layout of the Start menu (previously a selection made by the OS, as noted) plays into this notion, too.
This would appear to be a drive to please those who've been complaining about the Start menu looking too large and cumbersome, and essentially spanning the whole desktop and becoming more like the old 'Start screen' in some cases.
As I've observed in the past, the menu has become such an annoyance for some folks in its newer, wider form, that they've been forced to resort to hacks or third-party tools to get a more compact Start menu. Now, Microsoft is going to offer this choice, and the ability to make the menu really sleek by disabling various elements — which is great, but at the same time, should've been the case in the first place.
Indeed, not everyone is impressed with Microsoft here. As one Redditor observed: "Too little too late. My next build will be... another OS." Others expressed similar sentiments in that thread, albeit more barbed in nature at times, such as: "Too little, too late. We'll believe it when we see it, and even then, we'll be careful because it can go back to being sh*t faster than we can say pumpernickel."
It's probably the software-related understatement of the year to say that there's a lot going on with tweaking and changing Windows 11 right now, across so many fronts. Windows Central points out that the project to fix the major pain points with the OS is called 'Windows K2' and I think that's a more than apt name.
It seems Microsoft realizes it has a mountain to climb here; I just worry that the ascent ahead is a bit too steep, and there are good reasons why Microsoft can't stumble or fall here, as I discussed at length recently. Linux is becoming a more imposing threat, and the MacBook Neo is a challenge to Windows 11 laptops to boot.
The best laptops for all budgetsOur top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons➡️ Read our full guide to the best laptops1. Best overall: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M52. Best budget: Apple MacBook Neo3. Best Windows 11 laptopMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch4. Best thin and light:Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i5. Best UltrabookAsus Zenbook S 16
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.
TOPICS Windows 11 Microsoft Darren AllanDarren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).
View MoreYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout Read more
Windows
Microsoft is finally fixing Windows 11 under the hood — but is it too late?
Windows
Microsoft promises big changes for Windows 11 'every month this year'
Windows
Microsoft has finally started its campaign to 'make Windows 11 better'
Windows
Microsoft just released an update I actually want to install – and you should too
Windows
Microsoft is working hard on improving the design side of Windows 11
Windows
New Windows 11 update goes big on fixes and reliability upgrades
Latest in Windows
Windows
Windows 11 is so bad France is moving to Linux — and many more could follow
Windows
Expert warns of Windows 11 Recall risk while Microsoft denies danger
Windows
Windows 11 tool delivers a simple — but very handy — feature to the desktop
Windows
Microsoft is rolling out a turbo mode for Windows 11 installation
Windows
Windows 11 users could soon be able to to pause updates for as long as they want
Windows
Windows 11's AI removal campaign begins, but Notepad change isn't popular
Latest in News
Phones
Tim Cook stepping down at Apple, John Ternus will become new CEO
Pro
The 1,000 TOPS consumer: Multiple devices could deliver powerful distributed AI capability by 2030
Security
Robots are fighting wars and helping to quash riots — China is arming riot police with squads of AI controlled drones and Ukraine wants to man the frontlines with 25,000 robots
Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
Hyundai's compact-but-roomy Ioniq 3 wants to reboot the electric hatchback
VPN Services
Proton VPN usage spikes in Turkey following new regulatory proposals
AI Platforms & Assistants
ChatGPT was down for many — as OpenAI says it's 'monitoring the recovery'
LATEST ARTICLES- 1Forget wheezy hotel hair dryers — the Dyson Supersonic Travel is small enough to fit in your carry-on bag
- 2Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, April 21 (game #1548)
- 3NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, April 21 (game #1045)
- 4NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, April 21 (game #779)
- 5“Essentially invisible:” How hackers 'trojan-horsed' QEMU virtual machines to bypass security and drop ransomware