Why is the start menu so massive now

After some windows update the start menu looks massive
If I don't use Category view,half of it is just empty space

On a 24inch screen at 1080p,it takes almost half of the screen width and almost the whole screen height just to show me two rows of pinned apps
Is there is some registry keys that will allow me to reduce the size?

vsub said:

After some windows update the start menu looks massive
If I don't use Category view,half of it is just empty space

On a 24inch screen at 1080p,it takes almost half of the screen width and almost the whole screen height just to show me two rows of pinned apps
Is there is some registry keys that will allow me to reduce the size?

Click to expand...

Because it is...


If you want to revert to the older Start Menu... @garlin has a registry patch for that.

You need to pin more apps. lol

On my 1920x1200 monitor, the new Start Menu (which I actually got last night on my main machine) can do a 6 row by 8 column grid, and this reduces "All" to a minimal size at the bottom. I was using app folders in the Start Menu to handle overflow and to organize, but I've since taken the shortcuts out and added them to the Start Menu, so I'm no longer using app folders. Also, I've always maintained my own "Apps" folder with many dozens of shortcuts organized into subfolders, sort of like the old pre-Win95 Program Manager. I've organized my Start Menu into ersatz "groups" by adding shortcuts to my Apps subfolders such as "Office", "System", "Tools", etc, so the Start Menu doesn't appear as just a big old array of icons. Instead, it's visually broken up by these subfolder links, which I place before a run of their icons in the Start Menu. The links are more functional than placeholders would be, as they allow me to open the folders for the full complement of shortcuts in their category. They function sort of like the Start Menu's own app folders, but as Explorer windows, they have the benefit of staying open when I launch a program from them.

vsub said:

After some windows update the start menu looks massive
If I don't use Category view,half of it is just empty space

On a 24inch screen at 1080p,it takes almost half of the screen width and almost the whole screen height just to show me two rows of pinned apps
Is there is some registry keys that will allow me to reduce the size?

Click to expand...

Try using View: Grid instead of View: List.

vsub said:

After some windows update the start menu looks massive
If I don't use Category view,half of it is just empty space

On a 24inch screen at 1080p,it takes almost half of the screen width and almost the whole screen height just to show me two rows of pinned apps
Is there is some registry keys that will allow me to reduce the size?

Click to expand...

I'm guessing you have the large 8 column start menu as well. It's based on your screen res and display scaling. If you want you can try increasing or reducing the scaling in small increments to see if it switches to the small 6 column menu. Works for some but not everyone and of course if your text becomes to small then you'll need to go into the accessibility settings and increase the text scaling while trying to keep the text fitting properly in your buttons, file dialog windows, etc.

There really isn't anything new to complain about. The start menu has sucked for many years. It would take a blind 5 year old 5 mins to do better. I get some people don't like it cause its to big now. but it's still and always has been basically ugly and pointless. They are clearly not even trying to make the os look nice. They change one line of code every 5 years as far as aesthetics are concerned. Still love windows 11, cause it works great.