Microsoft announced a new Windows 10 Start menu design aimed at de-emphasizing its Live Tiles. Though the software giant hinted at the updated design at the beginning of this year, windows testers will be testing it today.
“We are opening up the Start menu with a more sleek design that eradicates the solid shade backplates behind the logos in the applications list and utilizes a uniform, somewhat transparent background to the tiles,” Microsoft explained in a blog post.
The new Windows 10 Start menu design will make the Start menu appear less chaotic
The existing Windows 10 Start menu appears blocky due to many tiles using a similar blue color. With the updated design, the intensity will be significantly reduced, making it effortless to scan the most-used apps.
It is a small change, but it will, undoubtedly, make the Start Menu appear a little friendlier and less messy by avoiding many tiles using a similar blue color.
There are more significant changes
Besides an updated Start menu, the most recent Windows 10 build comes with some significant changes to Alt-Tab.
“Beginning with today’s build, all tabs open in Microsoft Edge will start appearing in Alt-Tab, not just the active one in each browser window”
“Beginning with today’s build, all tabs open in Microsoft Edge will start appearing in Alt-Tab, not just the active one in each browser window”, explains Microsoft. This looks like a change that veteran Windows users might find a little more confusing. Luckily, Microsoft allows you to revert to the standard Alt-Tab experience.
The new Windows 10 build is also coming with some smaller changes. For instance, the default taskbar’s appearance will be more customized with the Xbox app pinned for the users of Xbox Live. However, this will take effect only on a new account creation on a PC or first login, so the existing taskbar layouts will not be affected.
There are also changes in the Settings app in Windows 10. For instance, the Control Panel system page will now take you to the About page in Settings.