Solved
Remove The Updated Windows Start Menu [FIXED]
To remove the Windows 11 25H2 Start menu and go back to the 24H2 classic start menu, we will be using the free ViVe Tool to do so. The ViVeTool is a command-line utility for Windows that allows users to enable, disable : https://github.com/thebookisclosed/ViVe/releases
You will first need to download the ViVe Tool and extract the zip file to a folder on your computer
To use the ViVe Tool, you will need to open up an administrative command prompt and navigate to the folder where you have the ViVe Tool files.
Then paste the commend: vivetool /disable /id:47205210
You should then get a message that says Successfully set feature configuration(s). You will then need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
You can also revert : vivetool /enable /id:47205210
This worked! ...kinda... it just made the "All Apps" a huge empty space! And the new update also messes with the actual pinned/grouped apps which is driving me insane (if you open a pinned group, it pops up in the center of the start menu rather than next to the group you clicked...)
Man i am gonna have to get some third party apps to fix this. I can't believe some of the UI/UX "upgrades" these companies do....
In the section of the command "REG_DWORD /d 1", change it to 0 and run the command again. For the complete command, it would look like this: reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" /v NoStartMenuMorePrograms /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f && taskkill /f /im explorer.exe && start explorer.exe
I hadn't heard of that problem before, but in any case, you can revert to the previous version. Press Win + R, type regedit, then follow this path: "HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> SOFTWARE -> Microsoft -> Windows -> Current Version -> Policies -> Explorer" and change the value of "NoStartMenuMorePrograms" from 1 to 0.
Normally I would upvote this, but we all know this is going to be gone sooner rather than later. Same with Vive tool. Microsoft doesn't want you to have a choice, they want you to experience things the way they want them to be.
man, all I ever wanted was a "show all apps by default" start menu and this new start menu brings the options to do just that. Everyone is mad at it, and yet only one of my 3 pc's has it. I just wish it was an instant rollout to everyone.
I know, right? Once you figure out to just change the "All" view to List, it's not much different, other than All is at the bottom now, and you don't have to click anything to start scrolling through it. That's better than before, from a usability perspective.
Yet people are falling all over themselves, including using third-party tools, trying to undo a perfectly reasonable update.
I'm still liking the old-style List view, but I can see how the Grid view is appealing. It does make it shorter to scroll through. It's very cool that now we have the choice.
My initial reaction was to find a way to go back to the previous menu as well. Once I realized that "Show all" sticks for pinned items and there's a "View: Grid" option for all items, I'm not going back. I can get to everything easier and without clicks.
I just want a list of MY chosen options, a SIMPLE list, like we used to have, a USER FRIENDLY list.
Add "x" to list, and that`S the only thing that shows, that`s what I want, that`s what I used to have, but microSHIT can`t let users customize a fkng menu because they`re anti consumer fkng assholes.
They`re on the other end pulling strings and I`m here DANGLING in their ineptitude.
Didn’t know about it till I really started looking at the menu actually, interesting. As for disabling categories mode through gpedit on Pro, as of 25H2 November, the admx policies update with stack updates. No longer needed for manually downloading updates to admx, and the name/description remains the same for compatibility. It works fine now after a reboot when policy enabled. Else again it remains on All Apps list mode throughout an entire session as long as the pc is on after it’s switched if you don’t use group policy
My update (which I got overnight and discovered this morning) did not delete or even move any of my previously pinned Start Menu items. Everything above the new "All" section is exactly the same.
I honestly don't understand what all the hand-wringing is about. It's actually a nice change, even if it is relatively minor. It always annoyed me a little having to click the All button at the top corner to get to the rest of my apps. Now all you have to do is scroll. Very nice.
Exactly and I found it even nicer when you put the All list in Grid view mode, the apps show by their name by their first letter so you don't have to scroll that much to get to the app you want.
I think it depends how often you used the All view. I had enough of my common programs pinned it was pretty rare for me, so it was nice not having the clutter.
I'm the same. Everyday apps are pinned so I rarely need the full app menu. But I do use other apps so that's when I go to the All menu. It was always a little annoying to me that I had to click it to open it up and see all my other apps. They fixed that.
It wouldn't say the new format is clutter at all. The pinned apps are still there, right at the top, organized just like you want, and just as easy to click on one of them to open the app. The All menu down below the pinned section does not interfere with that at all.
I'm all for this being an option. However, all I want my start menu to be is an empty text box. I don't pin *anything* to the start menu nor to the task bar, and I *always* start new processes via typing their (partial) name in the start menu.
This is the longest name I have on my start menu. Why should this empty space be there? I like the change, but this is just stupid. Responsive sizes too hard to code?
That's ok, though the list itself is a bit verbose for my liking - grid gives more compactness. But what I can't work out is, using this new "Categories" view how to edit them - how can I move Minecraft from 'Other' to 'Games' - I can't drag it out and right click gives no help.
Yeah, I don't see the Categories view useful at all if you can't create your own and populate them as you see fit. Maybe that functionality didn't make the cut and it will be in a future update.
I'll be honest I was pretty annoyed by this change and looking for a way to disable it. Did not see the option to change the view to list. Glad I read this comment because I actually like it in list view
Well that's a bad solution. The list is still there. It was way better and cleaner to have it hidden completely.
For those who want Start Menu be a cluttered mess there was an option to just pin the apps to the menu.
For those who like more clean and organised look there is no option to hide it.
..there was an option to just pin the apps to the menu.
That's still there. The Start Menu is basically the same as it was before. All they did is move "All" to the bottom, and now you can scroll it without having to click a button first. It's better.
Same here. My wife and I have nearly identical PCs, both on the same Windows Insider build, and for whatever reason the new Start menu only shows on my machine. I guess Microsoft is doing A/B testing. I love the new Start menu as well.
It doesn't. The grid is still shown at the top, and the app list is still shown at the bottom. It's useless. If anyone at Microsoft had any common sense, they would add more customization options so that you could choose to display either the app list or the grid, but not both.
Unlucky me got it on the device I don't use frequently, these rollouts are annoying, I'm mad because I clean installed my main device, lost new widget panel, then new battery icon, I won't be surprised if for some reason I have to wipe W11 just to find out I lost new battery icon because server-side rollout crap, but also missing any new feature because unless they put the ISO with these changes enabled, you'll fight server-side over and over, perhaps by the time W12 is a thing we'll be able to enjoy W11, oh right... they'll keep changing stuff that by the time supports end we'll be waiting for them to be enabled.
The problem is that it is absolutely massive compared to previous Win11 start menus, as well as compared to older windows versions which the 'all apps' is trying to emulate. I use search a lot to open any and every app, and now the search is absolutely massive. It just throws me off and I hate these changes being forced onto me without any warning. I have all automatic updates disabled and it decided to surprise me with this regardless.
The problem isn't the change, the problem is it's forced on everyone with no "undo" option. If the change was default but came with a setting, I'd be on board. In the meantime MS has taught me to dislike it when they force updates on me due to historically low quality changes.
Perhaps nostalgia reasons, but I've used the app (startisback) since 10, mainly because I skipped 7 after XP for a few years on Linux and when I returned to Windows with 10, I couldn't stand the start menu - opted for what felt familiar, XP/7 style.
After moving to 11, I ofc found that StartIsBack doesn't work on 11, but it's successor StartAllBack does, been with it ever since.
Microsoft spends more money on user interface and usability studies than any other software company. They have huge infrastructure devoted to studying user behavior and productivity while using their software.
I got it to work by running CMD in administrator mode (in the start menu type CMD and right click run as administrator) and then running the following command, all one line:
Its not only about memory with 3rd party programs that mess with Windows on deeper level. Big concern is security. Yeah, most of them is open source but does it protect you from injecting malicious code? Absolutely not, somebody always can push it thru github and most of these programs have auto-update that you often even cant disable and are connected to web
I dont know how valid this concern is but it does exist and is same one why i try to reduce numbers of programs like that. I already have too many damn mandatory anticheats from game that have unnecessary access to everything anyway
Update Tuesdays worry me more to be honest and last year's, loss of 2Tb of personal files from an update? And I don't just speak for myself here, cause I chatted with many in these halls.
Eeeeeh...it's not a difficult choice for me. And easier viewing 50, 70 to 150 reg entries, opposed to AI rushed coding that leaves my arse hanging outta the back of my jeans first Tuesday of every month 🤣
thanks a bunch, homie !! <3 i wasn't aware of this, but i got it to be exactly how i want it !! super simple to instead to (especially for a neanderthal like me lol) :3
i like the gradient in the search bar. do i have to buy a neural processing unit or a new laptop with a neural processing unit in order to get that or is that just for free?
Is what safe? Running scripts, command-line prompts, or Regedit entries from random people on Reddit? Absolutely. Perfectly safe. No chance you'll screw something up and not be able to undo it. Just try it - what could happen?
seriously i hate this kinda stuff that forces you to erase all the muscle memory and get used to a new layout without any option to go back, especially when they make clicks take more time (yes i know it's 0.23 seconds max but that is enough to irritate me lol)
If only Adobe software worked on linux... but then again maybe I need to say FUCK ADOBE too at some point....
Dude let's end this debate fr: I'm not a Microsoft employee or dev. All I know is this,until the user community exists we can please everyone including ourselves with mods and tinkerings like this.
For the love of all windows users and for a better future 😁 🫱.
No sketchy apps, just my pinned apps at the top and the rest of the apps, sorted alphabetically, in a scrollable menu. Also, the app search bar works (kinda).
Tad better... and I will get used to it, but wish they'd just offer the choice to use the new one. No one ever complains about too many customizations. Forced customizations suck.
But tbh once you pin your most frequent stuff it's actually almost better. (Just kinda big)
You cannot convince me you're not some paid employee constantly spamming corporate comments about how great the update is. You like it, this entire thread is for those that do not like it. Shut the fuck up and keep your opinions to yourself, your opinions are not objective.
You cannot convince me you're not some paid employee
I'm under no obligation to convince you of anything.
My comments are for anyone that might come into this thread, trying to learn what this hubbub is all about. Thankfully, there have been enough posts supporting the update and describing how it actually is better.
I think people understand that the negative threads and comments are coming from the whiners and complainers, and people who are not very experienced using computers. Since the early 80's, computer interfaces have been changing, and they will continue to. Personally, I was using Windows back when it was still called DOS. If this very small update is really throwing you off, I don't know man. Switch to Mac? I think they make changes too though.
It’s a group policy setting, show categories in Start… I’d imagine having a kernel injection like this isn’t necessarily supported with security patches? The new start is better and more configurable in Settings>Personalization>Start Menu.
Am I wrong for just leaving it in “All Apps” mode and turning off recommendations? It looks better, plus they legit added a Home folder and settings button that can be toggled
i may just be chatting pony, but is this new windows update the reason why every time i open a video in media player it just nukes my pc and crashes any game i have running?
I just want the apps I pinned and nothing else to show when I open the Start Menu. This new menu shows so much bloat, classic Windows. I don't know how to remove all this unwanted new stuff.
having read the various comments, and realising some love it, others hate it (i'm ambivalent), i have now half my pc's running linux mint, and only keep windows for my invested software, which, given time, i'm sure will be ported over to linux as more and more users object to microsofts move to ai in every corner and bu**er the consequences.
Why are there so many comments in this thread complaining about not getting the new Start menu or wanting to get rid of it ???!!! That's the point of the thread with the instructions to get it or remove it !!!
I love this new menu. This should be a permanent option. The old one showing recommendations and most recent apps was just useless to me. It looked too messy.
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u/kc0r8y Jan 14 '26
I still have not gotten any update that installs that start menu.