Microsoft has a long history of experimenting and innovating with the Start menu, one of the most iconic features of Windows. With the release of Windows 11, that tradition continues, and the company seems willing to test new ideas to improve the user experience.
From companion panels for apps to layout experiments, Windows 11 is striving to offer a more functional and personalized interface, and this time the new feature is the separation of apps by categories. See how it works!
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How does category viewing work?
One of the latest changes seen in the Windows 11 Beta is the introduction of a category layout for the “All apps” section. This new organization aims to make it easier to navigate and access apps, offering an alternative to the traditional layout, which requires a lot of scrolling and often wastes space.
Previously, Windows Latest revealed the existence of a hidden “Categories” layout in the “All apps” section. At the time, the colors appeared on the category tiles instead of the apps, but with the latest Beta update, this layout is now partially working.
The main difference between the previous version and the current one is that now some app icons appear in each category box. The current design allows for up to four icons per box, but there is a certain limitation. Since apps are pre-assigned to each box, some boxes are partially filled, while others have icons stacked on top of each other.
In most cases, these icons correspond to system or Microsoft applications, and clicking on them will open the application directly. But since the design of four applications per category is insufficient, each box can also function as a subcategory. In theory, clicking on the box should display four more applications, but this functionality is not yet fully operational in the Beta version.
A reminder of live tiles in the Start Menu
The new design is very reminiscent of live tiles (or lite tiles), a popular feature in previous versions of Windows (especially Windows 8, when it was introduced), but which was removed in Windows 11.
Live tiles could display notification counters and even partial content, bringing real-time information directly to the Start menu. It would be interesting if Microsoft implemented something similar for the new category layout, especially for apps that rely on notifications, such as social networks and emails.
In addition to the category layout, Windows 11 is also testing a grid layout for the “All apps” section. This design groups apps by their first letter, organizing them in a more compact and intuitive way. By grouping multiple apps under each letter, the grid layout promises faster and more efficient navigation, minimizing the need for excessive scrolling.
Windows 11 news not yet available
For now, this new design is only being made available to some selected participants in the Windows Insider program, meaning it is still part of a series of tests.
The expectation is that these new layouts, both in categories and grid, will be available in the Windows 11 24H2 update, but nothing has been officially confirmed.
Additionally, the company is also testing features such as the companion panel for apps, which will allow you to check an app’s stats without opening it, and the ability to expand the additional column on the side to make it easier to use the system on large screens.
Fonte: Windows Latest
Source: https://www.hardware.com.br/noticias/microsoft-esta-testando-novo-visual-para-o-menu-iniciar-no-windows-11.html
