Month: March 2026

Windows 11’s Start Menu Overhaul: Microsoft Challenges Users With Bold Redesign

Admin Windows , ,
bold start menu redesign

Microsoft’s Windows 11 Start Menu overhaul merges Pinned, Recommended, and All Apps into one continuous scrollable layout — no separate buttons, no familiar structure. Rolled out globally following January 2026’s Patch Tuesday update, the redesign adapts between 6-column and 8-column layouts depending on screen resolution. Critics compare the bloated high-resolution experience to Windows 8’s infamous tile screen. Customization remains painfully limited, with Microsoft confirming no plans to restore Windows 10-style flexibility — and there’s considerably more to this story.

Microsoft has quietly pushed one of its most controversial Start Menu redesigns yet to Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 — and not everyone is happy about it. The rollout began with initial device shipments in October 2025, before the January 2026 Patch Tuesday update KB5074109 accelerated deployment worldwide, landing the new layout on millions of machines whether users requested it or not.

The redesigned menu ditches the old approach entirely. Gone is the separate All Apps button. Instead, the new single-page layout combines three distinct sections — Pinned, Recommended, and All Apps — into one continuous view. Pinned apps occupy two rows of up to eight icons each. Recommended surfaces recent files and Microsoft Store promotions, and All Apps now sits directly integrated below, requiring no extra clicks. On paper, it sounds streamlined. In practice, it depends heavily on screen resolution.

The new Start Menu is one continuous scroll — Pinned, Recommended, and All Apps, no extra clicks required.

Microsoft built the menu to adapt between 6-column and 8-column variants based on display scaling, which means users on higher-resolution monitors are greeted with a Start Menu that feels uncomfortably large — sparking comparisons to Windows 8‘s divisive tile screen. That stings. Windows 8 flashbacks are not the community nostalgia anyone wanted. Scaling adjustments through Settings > System > Display can soften the impact, but there is no official resize control, unlike Windows 10’s more forgiving approach.

Third-party apps and registry hacks can force the smaller 6-column version, but those remain imperfect workarounds rather than real solutions.

The All Apps section introduces automatic category grouping, sorting applications into buckets like Productivity, Entertainment, and Developer Tools. The concept will feel familiar to anyone who has organised an iPhone or Android home screen. The execution, on the other hand, has drawn criticism for poor sorting logic — apps landing in categories that feel arbitrary at best. Users can switch to a Grid View for a straightforward alphabetical list, which many are already doing. A particular frustration among users is that many apps are grouped under the catch-all “Other” category, with no ability to manually rearrange or rename these groupings.

Customisation options exist, but are limited. The Recommended section can be disabled entirely through Start settings, and the All Apps view can toggle between categories and grid for some flexibility. However, what users cannot do is revert to the previous menu layout, relocate the taskbar, or resize the menu through any official channel. Microsoft has confirmed no plans to restore Windows 10-style flexibility, leaving the community to lean on third-party solutions. Tools such as VIVE Tool offer users a path to restoring earlier Start Menu configurations that official settings no longer support.

Reactions have been predictably mixed. Some users, particularly those on mid-range displays, find the 6-column version genuinely usable. Others feel blindsided by changes arriving through mandatory updates with no warning. The calls for a resizable menu and repositionable taskbar are growing louder across community forums.

Microsoft clearly views this as progress. Whether the broader Windows community arrives at the same conclusion will likely depend on one simple thing: which monitor they are sitting in front of.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft’s overhaul of the Start Menu represents more than just a visual update; it’s a strategic shift in how Windows approaches everyday computing. As users navigate these changes, the focus will be on whether this redesign enhances productivity. The Computer Wizards Brisbane team is here to help you adapt seamlessly to these new features. Ready to embrace the future of Windows? Click on our contact us page to get in touch!

Silencing Windows 11’s AI: A Safe Way to Regain Control Without Extras

Admin Cybersecurity & Privacy , ,
regaining control over ai

Windows 11’s AI features are pervasive but not inescapable. Copilot can be uninstalled directly from the taskbar, whereas voice activation and cloud-based processing are disabled through Privacy and Security settings. File Explorer suggestions and Start menu AI prompts each have individual off switches. Smart App Control and on-device processing stay local, keeping security intact without surveillance trade-offs. Knowing which switches to flip makes all the difference.

Windows 11 has subtly become one of the most AI-saturated operating systems on the market — and not everyone is thrilled about it. From Copilot sitting in the taskbar to AI suggestions filtering through File Explorer, Microsoft has built an operating system that thinks it knows best. For many users, that’s genuinely useful. For others, it feels like being handed a meal nobody ordered.

The good news? Turning it off doesn’t require a computer science degree or a fresh Windows installation.

Copilot, Microsoft’s flagship AI assistant, is the most visible component of this puzzle. Accessible via the taskbar, Microsoft Edge, and the Microsoft Store, it supports voice commands through a “Hey Copilot” wake word and can analyse screen content, generate text, and automate tasks. Impressive, undoubtedly — but also persistent in ways that feel less like assistance and more like a shadow.

Right-clicking the Copilot icon in the taskbar reveals an uninstall option, which removes it cleanly. The wake word itself can be silenced through Settings, particularly under Privacy and Security, then Voice Activation.

Beyond Copilot, Windows 11 has embedded AI across multiple native apps. The Snipping Tool now extracts and redacts text. File Explorer offers smart recommendations. Live Captions convert audio to real-time subtitles. Windows Studio Effects apply background blur and noise reduction during calls.

These features integrate deeply — almost too deeply for users who prefer a quieter, more predictable desktop experience. Fortunately, AI suggestions within File Explorer and the Start menu can be individually switched off through Settings, without altering anything else.

Smart App Control, one of the security-focused AI features, continuously scans downloads for threats, including zero-day malware. This one is worth keeping. Unlike the more visible assistant features, it operates silently in the background, doing its job without demanding attention or offering opinions. It’s the rare kind of AI that earns its place.

For those concerned about where their data travels, Microsoft has introduced on-device privacy controls that keep AI processing local, bypassing its servers entirely. Users can also opt out of cloud-based AI processing through privacy settings — a meaningful step for anyone uneasy about what their system is subtly sharing. It is also worth noting that an internet connection is required for certain AI features to function as intended, meaning going offline is itself a simple lever for limiting AI activity.

It is worth noting that some of the more advanced features, including full Windows Studio Effects and the Settings agent, are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, which use dedicated neural processing units. For users on standard hardware, the AI footprint is already smaller by default. Notably, Copilot Actions are turned off by default across all systems, requiring explicit user approval before any automated tasks can be carried out.

What emerges from all of this is a clear picture: Windows 11’s AI layer is wide but not inescapable. Microsoft built in the exits, although they’re not exactly advertised on billboards. The community of users wanting a calmer, more controlled experience isn’t fringe — it’s substantial, and the tools to achieve this already exist.

Final Thoughts

Disabling Windows 11’s AI features is a sensible choice, and the Computer Wizards Brisbane team is here to help you navigate this process seamlessly. While Microsoft’s Copilot integration is extensive, users can easily silence it without compromising system stability. There’s no need for third-party tools or complex registry edits—just straightforward controls that many may not know about. As AI becomes more integrated into operating systems, knowing how to disable these features can be just as important as using them.

If you’re looking to regain control over your Windows 11 experience, click on our [Contact Us] page to get in touch with our experts today!

Microsoft Takes a Bold Step: Windows 11’s Enhanced Start Menu Finally Gets Broad Rollout

Admin Windows , ,
windows 11 start menu update

Microsoft has officially rolled out Windows 11’s improved Start Menu to a broader audience, replacing the old Live Tiles era with a cleaner three-section layout featuring pinned apps, smarter recommendations, and Phone Link integration. The redesigned menu adapts to screen size, syncs files across devices via OneDrive, and lets users manage phone contacts without leaving the desktop. Whether it saves time or just looks prettier is the real question worth exploring further.

Microsoft has quietly reinvented one of Windows’ most-used surfaces — and this time, it genuinely looks intentional. The Windows 11 Start menu is receiving a broad rollout, bringing structural changes that feel less like a patch and more like a rethink.

At the core of the update is a three-section layout: pinned apps, a Recommended section, and a new “All apps” view. That third section is the real addition here. Users can now browse their full app library in three distinct formats — Category view (auto-grouped by type), List view (alphabetical), and Grid view (icon-based alphabetical). The choice persists between sessions, meaning Windows finally remembers what you actually prefer. Small thing. Meaningful difference.

The Recommended section has matured. It now surfaces app installations, browsing history, and recently opened files pulled from a PC, smartphone, or OneDrive. Cloud-powered and cross-device, it’s designed to meet users where their workflow genuinely lives — not just where Microsoft assumes it does.

The Recommended section now works across devices — surfacing what you actually need, not what Microsoft guesses you might.

For anyone who’s ever lost a file between devices, that’s not a minor convenience. And for those who’d rather not have Microsoft surfacing their browser history in a menu, there’s a toggle to turn Recommended off entirely. No friction, no settings archaeology.

Then there’s the Phone Link panel — perhaps the boldest addition. A companion sidebar for synced Android or iPhone devices now sits directly inside the Start menu, giving users access to contacts, messages, and calls without breaking their desktop flow.

It toggles on and off via a top switch, no settings dive required. Whether this becomes a feature people use frequently or a panel they hide immediately is the real question — but it’s there, and it works.

Customisation runs throughout. Users can expand or compress the Pinned and Recommended sections, and the layout scales for high-resolution displays or multi-monitor setups, showing more icons where the screen real estate supports it.

Larger screens get eight rows of pinned apps; smaller screens get six. The search box now matches the Start menu’s height for visual consistency — a detail that sounds minor until you notice how polished it makes everything feel.

Accessibility hasn’t been overlooked. High-contrast themes are supported, and Fluent Design System principles are applied throughout. The broader rollout began alongside AI features, arriving first on Snapdragon X chips, then extending to Copilot+ PCs running AMD and Intel hardware.

Windows Insider Program members on Beta and Dev channels got early access, but the update is now widely available. Users can also add system folder shortcuts near the Power button, bringing quick access to Settings and File Explorer directly into the menu without navigating elsewhere.

This replaces the Live Tiles era entirely — that particular experiment is done. What Microsoft has built instead is a Start menu that earns its place at the centre of the Windows Shell redesign. Underpinning the entire experience are rounded corners and refreshed iconography, design choices that signal a deliberate shift toward a cleaner, more modern visual language across the operating system.

Whether the community embraces it fully depends on one thing: whether it saves them time. Early signs suggest it might.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft’s rollout of the enhanced Start Menu for Windows 11 signifies a thoughtful evolution in user experience, focusing on refinement over drastic changes. While it remains to be seen if this redesign truly enhances daily workflows, the broader availability indicates that Microsoft is paying attention to user feedback. For businesses looking to optimize their Windows experience, the Computer Wizards Brisbane team can provide expert assistance in navigating these updates. Ready to elevate your workflow? Click on our contact us page to get in touch!

Windows 11 Update Sparks GPU Crashes and WPA3 Wi-Fi Failures—Fix in Progress

Admin Windows , ,
gpu crashes and wi fi issues

Windows 11’s February 2026 update KB5077181 is causing restart loops, login failures, and startup errors across affected systems. Microsoft is providing technical support as users scramble to uninstall the problematic patch via Settings or Command Prompt. This follows a troubling pattern since version 24H2, which brought DRM failures, boot volume errors, and now System Guard disruptions on Intel Meteor Lake hardware. Pausing Windows Update remains the safest short-term move—and there’s considerably more to this unraveling story.

Windows 11’s February 2026 update, KB5077181, has left a significant portion of users caught in persistent restart loops, unable to access their desktops. Released on February 10, 2026, as a routine security update, it has turned into anything but routine for the community grappling with its repercussions.

The restart loops are merely one aspect of the issue. Users are also reporting startup errors and login failures that effectively lock them out of their own machines. For a community that relies on Windows 11 daily, such disruptions are far more serious than a missed software feature — they undermine the basic contract between an operating system and its users. Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and is providing technical support, while the immediate workaround involves uninstalling the update through Settings or the Command Prompt in the Recovery Environment.

Restart loops are only part of the story — login failures and startup errors are locking users out entirely.

This turmoil did not occur in isolation. January 2026‘s KB5074109 had already unsettled the user base with a series of regressions — shutdown and hibernate failures on Secure Launch-enabled PCs, Remote Desktop sign-in issues, application hangs during file operations in cloud-backed folders, and systems freezing minutes after sign-in on Windows 11 Pro.

Microsoft rushed to issue out-of-band fixes, including KB5077744 on January 17 to restore Remote Desktop functionality, and KB5078127 on January 24 to address cloud I/O hangs. KB5078132 followed on January 25, targeting Outlook PST file failures that had left numerous professionals facing unresponsive email clients.

Additionally, the System Guard Secure Launch issue, introduced with KB5073455, has been particularly burdensome for users with Intel Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake systems. This feature, designed to protect boot integrity through DRTM virtualisation-based security, has instead triggered critical errors on newer hardware. Rolling back the update resolves the failures, but it should not have come to that.

Looking at the broader picture, the pattern becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. Since the introduction of Windows 11 version 24H2, the community has faced monthly critical issues — DRM video playback failures from September 2025, WinRE losing keyboard and mouse input following the October 2025 update, DACs and webcams malfunctioning, and UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME stop codes appearing on a subset of 24H2 and 25H2 devices.

Some users have had to restore from image backups or boot from ISO files just to regain access to their systems. Members of the community have also voiced frustration over lack of accountability from tech companies when updates compromise access to their own hardware.

As of February 11, 2026, Windows 11 version 26H1 carries no active known issues — a detail that feels almost optimistic given the recent history. Microsoft has reportedly allocated significant engineering resources toward core stability following January’s turbulence. To prevent KB5077181 from automatically reinstalling after removal, users should pause Windows Update until a stable replacement is issued.

Users are advised to use the wushowhide.diagcab tool to block problematic updates, verify GPU drivers and BIOS versions, and maintain restore points before any future installations. The fixes are on the way. Whether they arrive before the next disruptive update remains the real question.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft has recognized the issues with GPU crashes and WPA3 Wi-Fi failures caused by the recent Windows 11 update and is working on a fix. In the meantime, users may need to roll back their updates or wait for a resolution. This situation highlights the potential risks of forced updates. The Computer Wizards Brisbane team is here to assist you with troubleshooting and managing your updates safely. Don’t let these issues disrupt your productivity—click on our contact us page to get in touch and let us help you navigate these challenges!