The Windows Start menu has always been the starting point for most activities on the PC, and for this reason its configuration can significantly influence the fluidity of the PC use experience. When Windows 11 arrived, many users noticed that that new setting, more centered and minimalist, seemed modern, but less practical than the Windows 10 Start menu: two distinct screens to navigate between apps and suggestions, a section with “recommended” applications and files often perceived as not very useful and the general feeling of always having to make a few more clicks than necessary.
A few weeks ago, Microsoft began rolling out a redesigned Start menu with the aim of simplifying and speeding up access to applications, reducing unnecessary steps and offering users more freedom of customization. The new feature is available via an optional update (KB5067036), so not everyone already sees the new feature. Those who don’t want to wait, however, can enable it manually through a lightweight tool called ViVeTool. In the next paragraphs we will see how the Start menu has changed, what advantages it brings and how to activate it on your PC.
How the Windows 11 Start menu changes
The new Start menu removes the two-page split that characterized the previous version. When you open the latter, you will immediately notice the complete list of applications, without going through intermediate screens. It also becomes possible to deactivate the section relating to recommended contents, thus leaving space for the programs used most often and the possibility of adding fixed favorites to the section. The choice of display of the app list can be adjusted between three different modes: the one in grid format, which shows the icons of the apps installed on the PC; the one in list format, which lists the available software in alphabetical order and the view by category, which groups the applications into thematic folders.
Another significant innovation concerns the automatic adaptation of the Start to the screen size. On small displays some sections are reduced to maintain a good level of readability, while on larger monitors more elements are shown at the same time, thus taking advantage of the greater space available. On the right side there is integration with the Phone Link function, the system that allows you to connect the smartphone to the PC, offering the possibility of seeing notifications from the latter, replying to messages and transferring files without going through cables or other dedicated wireless systems.
How to install the new Windows 11 start menu
The update that introduces the new Start menu is the optional package KB5067036, released at the end of October 2025 for Windows 11 in versions 24H2 and 25H2. If you don’t see it automatically in Windows Update, check that the KB5043080 update is present first, which is required as a base. If it is not present, install the update as usual and restart your computer.
If you prefer not to wait for the gradual distribution (the so-called “rollout”) of the new Windows 11 Start menu, you can activate the new feature immediately via ViVeTool, a small software that allows you to enable features already included in the system but not yet made active by Microsoft. Here are the steps to follow to proceed:
- Go to this GitHub page, download the ZIP package for the latest version of ViVeTool available and extract the package to the path C:ViVeTool.
- Press the Windows key, type “cmd”, right-click on Command Prompt and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type cd C:ViVeTool and press Enter on the keyboard.
- Copy and paste this command: vivetool /enable /id:57048231,47205210,56328729,48433719. Then hit Enter on the keyboard again.
- Perform a restart of your computer. Once the latter is finished you should be faced with the new Windows 11 Start menu.
The procedure we have described to you is not complex to implement, but it requires some attention on your part when carrying it out. For this reason, if you are not very practical and prefer to avoid messing with the system, it is better to wait a few weeks, when the new Windows 11 Start menu will be available on your PC without having to do any “magic”.
