I had a well optimized start menu for my usage, why did it change? and why can't i change it back?

Hello again,

Just to update this situation. It seems an update finally rolled-out and made it possible to chose a size for the start menu, and remove the clutter of "All apps" at the bottom.
See attached screenshots :

The "restored" start menu :

The related settings :

So, solved I guess, at least for now :)

Have a nice day and thanks to all those who helped and answered here.

[moderator's note: PII removed]

Hello OnlineMika Andrianoelison,

I do recommend to check the below settings:

Additionally there is advanced settings you can configure at Registry Editor (But be careful):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Best Regards,

M.

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Hi OnlineMika Andrianoelison,

I understand why this feels frustrating. From your screenshots, it looks like your Start menu changed from a more compact pinned-app layout to the newer Windows 11 Start experience, where Pinned and All apps can appear in the same scrollable menu.

At the moment, Windows 11 does not always provide a supported option to restore the exact previous Start menu layout or manually resize the Start menu width in the same way some users would like. However, you can try reducing the visual clutter with these settings:

• Open Settings > Personalization > Start.
• If available, choose More pins to give more space to pinned items.
• Turn off options such as: Show recently added apps; Show most used apps; Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more; Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer if you do not want recent files shown.
• In the Start menu, check the All section view option and try switching between Category, Grid, or List to see which layout feels less cluttered.
• You can also rearrange pinned apps or group related pinned apps into folders to make the top area easier to use.

Since your main concern is about having more control, such as hiding or reducing the All apps section and resizing the Start menu, I would also recommend sending this through Feedback Hub by pressing Windows + F. Feedback sent there is the best way to let the Windows team know that users want more Start menu layout choices.

If the change appeared immediately after a recent Windows update, you can check Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates to see whether rollback is available. Please note that this may only be temporary, as the same Start menu experience may return with future updates.

While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding.  

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