Final month, Microsoft outlined plans to overtake Home windows 11’s efficiency, reliability, and craft all through the course of 2026 in a tell-all weblog publish. As each a follower of tech and an avid PC person myself, this information has been a ray of sunshine in an in any other case tumultuous Home windows 11 establishment.
Inside this weblog publish, Microsoft confirmed plans to rebuild the Home windows 11 Begin Menu utilizing its native WinUI 3 person interface framework (it is presently constructed utilizing React), which ought to enhance efficiency underneath stress. Now, as per an unique report from Home windows Central, we’ve got extra particulars on simply what’s in retailer for the Begin Menu in 2026.
Sources aware of the matter have conveyed to Home windows Central’s Zac Bowden that Home windows 11’s upgraded Begin Menu will look visually much like immediately’s in-market model — which was not too long ago given a minor face elevate — however with a number of new customization choices as well.
- Working System
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Home windows 11 Professional
- CPU
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AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 w/ Radeon 890M
- GPU
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
- RAM
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32GB LPDDR5X
- Storage
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2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
- Battery
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73WHrs
The ProArt PX13 is a creator-focused two-in-one PC that runs Home windows 11, and that has sufficient compute underneath the hood to function a compact gaming rig.
Specifically, it seems that Microsoft is working to implement the flexibility to manually modify the scale of the menu. At the moment, the menu switches between its smaller and its bigger configuration mechanically based mostly on display dimension and backbone.
Moreover, there’ll reportedly be choices to toggle on or off particular sections of the menu, together with Pinned, Really useful, and All. Apart from the All part, these different elements can already be added or eliminated as is, however an overarching toggle for every one inside Settings can be an enchancment on the entire.
The report additionally reiterates that efficiency is a spotlight internally at Microsoft, with enhancements to launch pace and search responsiveness when underneath heavy work masses. These under-the-hood enhancements are all half of what’s referred to as Home windows K2, the interior code title for Microsoft’s aforementioned efforts to enhance its flagship desktop OS.
It is the flagship UI aspect of Microsoft’s flagship OS
Ever since its debut in 1995, the Begin Menu has been a essential part of the Home windows working system. As a one-stop-shop floor for viewing and launching put in purposes, trying to find recordsdata and settings, accessing system shortcuts, and controlling the ability state of your PC, the Begin Menu is each bit as invaluable a device immediately because it was some thirty years in the past.
The Begin Menu’s affect throughout the expertise trade is undeniably outsized, with different platforms of each the PC and the cell persuasion that includes their very own takes on the menu: Apple’s App Library and Google’s app drawer, for instance, each take clear inspiration from the world of PC computing.
With the historic significance of the Begin Menu in thoughts, Microsoft’s dedication to bettering its fundamentals is each thrilling and relieving. I’ve personally discovered that the present-day menu on Home windows 11 generally lags, fails to set off when utilizing contact controls, and misses keyboard strokes when used as a search launcher.
The Begin Menu’s affect throughout the expertise trade is undeniably outsized…
I like the concept of the Begin Menu being rebuilt with absolutely native code, and the notion that we’ll be capable to manually customise each its dimension and its modules is an especially welcome improvement. The best way I see it, the extra native code and the extra UI flexibility on provide, the higher.
After all, we’ll have to attend and see if Microsoft can ship on its guarantees, and I am tempering expectations till I can check out the brand new menu for myself in preview. This is hoping Home windows 11’s Begin Menu actually will get the efficiency and customization glow-up it so rightfully deserves in 2026.
