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What is the new All apps section in the Windows 11 Start menu?
In a June 9, 2025 Beta Channel preview for Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft described a scrollable Start menu with All on the top level. Selecting it brings installed apps into the menu rather than requiring a separate-page navigation step. The preview also introduced three ways to browse them: Category, Grid, and List. Microsoft’s Beta preview announcement documents the initial design.
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The menu can adapt to screen size, and sections may collapse; the preview described different app, recommendation, and category counts for larger and smaller devices. The exact layout therefore is not necessarily the same on every screen or Windows installation.
How do the All apps views differ?
| View | Organization | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Groups apps automatically | Commonly used apps appear toward the top of their categories. A category is created when at least three apps fit it; smaller groups appear under Other. |
| Grid | Alphabetical | Uses more horizontal space than List, which can make it easier to scan across the menu. |
| List | Alphabetical | Shows apps in an alphabetical list. |
Microsoft described Category as the default in the June 2025 preview and said Start would remember the last selected view. Those details describe that preview, not a guaranteed setting on every current PC.
#1 Best Overall
How do I change the All apps view in Windows 11?
If your Start menu has the redesigned All section, open Start and select All at the top level. Use the available view selector to choose Category, Grid, or List. The exact selector and available options may differ by build; Microsoft’s June 2025 announcement describes the views but does not establish a universal current UI path for every Windows installation.
Can I hide All apps or change other Start sections?
In a May 29, 2026 update, Microsoft said additional Start personalization controls had begun rolling out in the Experimental Channel. They let users independently show or hide Pinned, Recommended, and All apps, adjust Start’s size, and hide the user’s name and profile picture. Microsoft also said Recommended was being updated to Recent, with improved file relevance. The update does not establish that these controls are available to all Windows users. Microsoft’s May quality update describes the announced controls.
Rank #2
- Windows 11's new user experience, from reworked Start menu and Settings app to voice input
- The brand-new Windows 365 option for running Windows 11 as a Cloud PC, accessible from anywhere
- Major security and privacy enhancements that leverage the latest PC hardware
- Expert insight and options for installation, configuration, deployment, and management – from the individual to the enterprise
- Getting more productivity out of Windows 11's built-in apps and advanced Microsoft Edge browser
Why might the new section or controls be missing?
The features have been described at different stages of rollout. The initial All section and views were announced in a June 2025 Beta Channel preview; the later visibility and sizing controls began rolling out in the Experimental Channel in May 2026. Microsoft said in July 2026 that broader rollout of Windows improvements would begin in fall 2026. Its September 10, 2026 Release Preview announcement covers Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 and explains that gradual rollout is phased, so availability varies by device. It does not confirm that this particular Start change is already present on every PC. Microsoft’s July rollout update and the September Release Preview announcement provide that timing and context.
Quick Recap
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Rank #4
- Check your Windows version and build, then note whether the device is on a preview or general-release channel.
- Open Start and inspect its available sections and view controls; their presence depends on the build and rollout status.
- If a control is absent, it may not have reached your device yet. A gradual rollout does not make a feature available to every device at the same time.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
