Start Menu
The latest Start Menu coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Windows 11 25H2 Lands in Release Preview: Enablement Package Promises One-Reboot Upgrade
Microsoft has put Windows 11 version 25H2 into the Release Preview channel, marking the start of the final validation phase before it reaches broad availability later this year. The update, already...
Windows 11 25H2 Brings On-Device AI Agent 'Mu' and Legacy Tool Removal to Release Preview
Microsoft has seeded Windows 11 version 25H2 to the Release Preview channel, signaling that the next annual feature update is nearing finalization with a focus on stability, manageability, and...
Windows 11 Beta Adds App Recommendations to Start Menu: How to Opt Out
Microsoft has begun testing a new feature that places app recommendations directly inside the Windows 11 Start menu’s Recommended area. Limited to a small set of Windows Insiders in the Beta...
Windows 11 25H2 Hits Release Preview as Tiny Enablement Package—Most Updated PCs Already Have It
Microsoft has pushed Windows 11 version 25H2 into the Release Preview channel, and for most up-to-date PCs, the update is already there. The company shipped the underlying code over several months of...
30 Years of Start: How Windows 95’s Flawed Genius Remade Personal Computing
On August 24, 1995, Microsoft did something no software company had pulled off before: it turned a computer operating system into a pop culture phenomenon. Midnight store openings, a colossal...
Windows 95's $30M Debut: How the Start Button Redefined Computing
Microsoft raked in $30 million from Windows 95 sales in a single day on August 24, 1995, triggering a consumer frenzy that saw 1.63 million copies move through retail channels in just 11 days. That...
Inside the 'Windows 12.2' Concept: Desktop Containers, Translucency, and the Quest for UI Cohesion
A nine-minute concept video from designer AR 4789 has ignited fresh debate about where Windows should head next, envisioning a ‘Windows 12.2’ that organizes the desktop into smart containers and...
One-Click Continuity: Windows 11’s New Feature Resumes Android Apps on Your PC
Microsoft has quietly delivered one of the most practical cross-device improvements yet: Windows 11 can now resume your Android apps right on the desktop. No emulators, APK installations, or app...
Windows 11 Insider Build 26200.5761 Introduces Click to Do Freeform Selection and Snipping Tool Window Recording
Microsoft shipped Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5761 (KB5064093) to the Dev Channel on August 22, 2025, delivering a targeted set of Copilot‑era AI enhancements, visual polish, and...
Windows 11 Build 26120 Introduces iPhone Integration in Start Menu via Phone Link
Microsoft has quietly begun rolling out one of its most significant cross-device updates yet, integrating iPhone support directly into the Windows 11 Start menu through the Phone Link app. Available...
Microsoft Tests Start Menu Copilot Prompts, Sparking Ad Creep Debate in Windows 11
Microsoft is once again blurring the line between helpful operating system features and integrated advertising, this time by testing AI-powered Copilot prompts inside the Windows 11 Start menu. The...
Microsoft Staggers Key Windows 11 AI Features in Release Preview, Settings Agent Expands to AMD and Intel
Microsoft has pushed Windows 11 build 26100.5061 to the Release Preview channel, packed with a curated set of feature enhancements that will reach general users in the weeks ahead. The update,...