Windows 11 Insider Build 26200.5641 (Dev) & 26120.4250 (Beta) adds cleaner Start menu

Microsoft has been trying and testing new layouts for the Start menu again. In the latest Windows 11 preview builds—26200.5641 for the Dev Channel and 26120.4250 for the Beta Channel—the Start menu gets a much-needed refresh that simplifies navigation and adapts to larger screens.

The two-page layout is gone. Now you get a single, scrollable view with your pinned apps at the top, followed by a Recommended section—fully optional this time—and an all-apps list shown as a grid or grouped by category.

Larger displays now benefit from an expanded layout with up to eight columns of pins, six recommended slots, and four category columns. A small but useful addition is a new toggle to expand or collapse the Phone Link pane directly from the Start menu.

Also read: Microsoft shares a glimpse of rejected Windows 11 Start menu design

New accessibility tools and simplified settings

Narrator now includes a Screen Curtain feature that blacks out the display while keeping it fully accessible for screen reader users. This helps maintain privacy while navigating. It’s enabled using Caps Lock + Ctrl + C.

The narrator also opens with a new welcome guide that walks users through features and recent updates. The lock screen is getting smarter, too. Users can now choose which widgets appear before logging in.

Microsoft is merging “Searching in Windows” and “Search Permissions” into one streamlined section called “Search” under Privacy & Security settings.

Improvements also extend to the gamepad keyboard. It now handles flyout menus, child keys, and language switching more smoothly.

Word suggestions and focus management are more refined, and the keyboard now works reliably on the lock screen for PIN input.