HomeWindows 11 Unveils New Start Menu Rollout This Month
Microsoft is rolling out a redesigned Windows 11 Start menu and introducing a suite of new AI capabilities over the coming weeks. These enhancements will debut first for Windows Insiders using Snapdragon X Copilot Plus PCs, including the recently announced Surface devices. The revamped Start menu, initially spotted in an early build last month, offers a more spacious layout and simplifies navigation to the all-apps view, which now includes categorized organization.
In addition to providing a cleaner appearance on larger screens, the updated Start menu features a dedicated phone companion panel. This provides convenient access to recent contacts, messages, call history, battery status, and other details from a synced iPhone or Android phone.
Windows 11 is also gaining a range of new AI-driven functions. These include an integrated AI agent within the Windows settings menu, more "Click to Do" actions for text and images, AI-powered editing tools for Paint, Photos, and the Snipping Tool, Copilot Vision visual search, enhanced Windows Search, detailed Narrator descriptions for images, AI-assisted writing in Notepad, and AI actions directly from File Explorer. In a detailed blog post, Microsoft explained that these AI features aim to "make our experiences more intuitive, more accessible, and ultimately more useful."
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An illustration of a user engaging with the AI agent in the Windows 11 settings menu." data-chromatic="ignore" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="_1etxtj17 _1etxtj15 _1etxtj14 x271pn0" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='/%3E%3C/svg%3E")" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 744px" srcSet="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=376 376w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=384 384w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=415 415w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=480 480w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=540 540w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=640 640w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=750 750w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=828 828w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality=90&strip=all&w=1080 1080w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality:90&;strip=all&w=1200 1200w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality:90&strip=all&w=1440 1440w, https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent-Feature_UNDER-EMBARGO-UNTIL-MAY-6-6-AM-PT-9-AM-ET.png?quality:90&strip:all&;w:1920:1920w; https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Windows-CopilotPC-Settings-Agent–Feature__UNDER__EMBARGO__UNTIL__MAY__6__6__AM__PT__9__AM__ET.png?quality:90&strip:all&w:2048:2048w;, https://img.xix.ai/uploads/87/681a36c0cf118.webp:2400w" src="https://img.xix.ai/uploads/87/681a36c0cf118.webp"/>![<em]()
Windows Search reportedly delivers better results with general prompts like "space-related stuff."">![<em]()
The Snipping Tool's Perfect Screenshot feature automatically crops images to focus on the key content."">![<em]()
Demonstration of adding three positional light sources in Windows Photos using the Relight feature."">![<em]()
Click to Do suggests quick-editing shortcuts within Photos and Paint."">![<em]()
Copilot Vision providing a live preview of an application for real-time suggestions and queries."">
1/6An illustration of a user engaging with the AI agent in the Windows 11 settings menu. Image: MicrosoftUsers can request an on-device AI to modify Windows settings or assist with troubleshooting specific issues—such as a mouse cursor that's too small. As shown in Microsoft's example above, Windows will display a warning stating, "Recommendations are AI-generated and may be incorrect." This note doesn't inspire the highest level of confidence, especially considering Windows settings can perform critical actions like a factory reset. In File Explorer, right-clicking a file will now display new Click to Do-style shortcuts for tasks like editing images and generating text summaries without needing to open the file.
For those who regularly use Microsoft's built-in Windows apps for image editing, the Photos app will include a new "Relight" feature, enabling the addition of up to three positional light sources to an image. The Paint app is receiving a content-aware selection tool for moving, erasing, and performing generative fills, along with the ability to create digital stickers from a text description. Other significant image enhancements are coming to the Snipping Tool: a Perfect Screenshot function that automatically crops to the most relevant content, the ability to extract text from images and screenshots, and an eyedropper tool for sampling colors directly from the screen.
Windows on Arm users with Snapdragon X processors will be the first to receive these updates, while Copilot Plus PC owners with Intel and AMD hardware will get them in a subsequent release.
Personally, I can take or leave the new AI capabilities—just give me that larger Start menu.
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Comments (2)
0/500
![AlbertJackson]()
Also Microsoft baut wieder am Startmenü... Ich frage mich, ob das nur ein neuer Look ist oder ob die AI-Funktionen tatsächlich praktisch sind. Klingt nach einem Schritt in Richtung mehr Kontrolle von Microsoft über unseren Desktop. Hoffentlich behindert es die Leistung nicht auf Geräten ohne diese speziellen Snapdragon-Chips. 🧐
![JosephEvans]()
說實話，Windows現在更新越來越激進了，每次大改動都讓人頭疼😅 AI功能好是好，但希望微軟先專心把舊bug修一修，不然光是適應新介面就很累了。
Microsoft is rolling out a redesigned Windows 11 Start menu and introducing a suite of new AI capabilities over the coming weeks. These enhancements will debut first for Windows Insiders using Snapdragon X Copilot Plus PCs, including the recently announced Surface devices. The revamped Start menu, initially spotted in an early build last month, offers a more spacious layout and simplifies navigation to the all-apps view, which now includes categorized organization.
In addition to providing a cleaner appearance on larger screens, the updated Start menu features a dedicated phone companion panel. This provides convenient access to recent contacts, messages, call history, battery status, and other details from a synced iPhone or Android phone.
Windows 11 is also gaining a range of new AI-driven functions. These include an integrated AI agent within the Windows settings menu, more "Click to Do" actions for text and images, AI-powered editing tools for Paint, Photos, and the Snipping Tool, Copilot Vision visual search, enhanced Windows Search, detailed Narrator descriptions for images, AI-assisted writing in Notepad, and AI actions directly from File Explorer. In a detailed blog post, Microsoft explained that these AI features aim to "make our experiences more intuitive, more accessible, and ultimately more useful."
Users can request an on-device AI to modify Windows settings or assist with troubleshooting specific issues—such as a mouse cursor that's too small. As shown in Microsoft's example above, Windows will display a warning stating, "Recommendations are AI-generated and may be incorrect." This note doesn't inspire the highest level of confidence, especially considering Windows settings can perform critical actions like a factory reset. In File Explorer, right-clicking a file will now display new Click to Do-style shortcuts for tasks like editing images and generating text summaries without needing to open the file.
For those who regularly use Microsoft's built-in Windows apps for image editing, the Photos app will include a new "Relight" feature, enabling the addition of up to three positional light sources to an image. The Paint app is receiving a content-aware selection tool for moving, erasing, and performing generative fills, along with the ability to create digital stickers from a text description. Other significant image enhancements are coming to the Snipping Tool: a Perfect Screenshot function that automatically crops to the most relevant content, the ability to extract text from images and screenshots, and an eyedropper tool for sampling colors directly from the screen.
Windows on Arm users with Snapdragon X processors will be the first to receive these updates, while Copilot Plus PC owners with Intel and AMD hardware will get them in a subsequent release.
Personally, I can take or leave the new AI capabilities—just give me that larger Start menu.
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Also Microsoft baut wieder am Startmenü... Ich frage mich, ob das nur ein neuer Look ist oder ob die AI-Funktionen tatsächlich praktisch sind. Klingt nach einem Schritt in Richtung mehr Kontrolle von Microsoft über unseren Desktop. Hoffentlich behindert es die Leistung nicht auf Geräten ohne diese speziellen Snapdragon-Chips. 🧐
說實話，Windows現在更新越來越激進了，每次大改動都讓人頭疼😅 AI功能好是好，但希望微軟先專心把舊bug修一修，不然光是適應新介面就很累了。
