Microsoft is experimenting again with the Windows 11 Start Menu

Microsoft decided to change the Start Menu a little in Windows 11. This system showed a new position from the beginning and some important changes in this area. Now, and still in very early tests, Microsoft has decided to bring new features to the Start Menu, to make it even more useful. The question is whether anyone wants this news.

Build 26212 of the Windows 11 Canary channel brought a secret new feature that is now accessible to users of this testing program. Without having announced it, Microsoft gave the Start Menu a few more changes that will completely change this element of the operating system.

Microsoft's idea is to give the user more information directly in the Start Menu, an area that is constantly used. Thus, we will have a floating panel in this area, full of “complementary” widgets and with all kinds of useful information for the user.

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Microsoft did not mention these new Start Menu widgets in the official release notes for Windows 11 build 26212. They were discovered by an old acquaintance (@thebookisclosed on X), dedicated to evaluating and finding new features and changes to the Microsoft system.

“Start menu companions”, the name given to these new discovered elements, appear to be a way to allow developers to extend the Windows 11 Start menu. They will bring functionalities similar to what a widget offers. They will be displayed on a floating island that can be docked next to the Start menu.

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These Start Menu add-ons will be configurable in the main Windows 11 settings section. You will be able to install various companions and toggle to enable or disable them. From what has been revealed, these companions appear to be very web-centric, just like Windows 11's widgets.

If Microsoft decides to move forward with this new feature, it could be the answer to the loss of Live Tile. These offered widgets with information in the Start menu, but were not widely supported by application programmers. This can now change in Windows 11 with this apparently simple new feature from Microsft.