Microsoft to roll out redesigned start menu and AI features in upcoming Windows 11 update

Microsoft is gearing up for a major Windows 11 update packed with new features and AI enhancements. The update, expected in the coming weeks, will introduce a refreshed Start Menu design, AI agents across more tools, deeper Phone Link integration, and several AI-powered upgrades.

However, not all users will get access right away—many of these AI features will be exclusive to the latest Copilot+ PCs released in the past 6 to 10 months. Currently, the update is being tested by Windows Insiders on Snapdragon X Copilot Plus devices, including Microsoft’s latest Surface tablets. The company has yet to confirm an official rollout date.

A Fresh Start

The new Start Menu, previewed last month, is larger and more user-friendly. It offers a faster, scrollable “All Apps” view, now organized into categories for easier browsing. Users will also see three different layouts for viewing apps: a standard list, a new grid view, and a category view that groups apps into folders—similar to the App Shelf on iOS and iPadOS.

In addition, a new phone companion panel will let users quickly access recent contacts, messages, calls, and even their phone’s battery level—whether they use an iPhone or Android device linked to their PC.

AI Takes the Lead

AI is at the heart of this update. Windows 11 will gain an AI agent integrated directly into the Settings menu, designed to help users with everything from adjusting settings to troubleshooting common issues like resizing the mouse cursor.

Other AI-powered upgrades include:

Improved Windows Search for faster, smarter results

AI actions like “Click to Do” for quick text and image-based tasks

AI editing tools in Paint, Photos, and Snipping Tool

Copilot Vision for visual searches

Richer image descriptions in Narrator

AI writing help in Notepad

AI-driven shortcuts in File Explorer, such as summarizing a document or editing a photo right from the right-click menu

In the Photos app, users can experiment with a new Relight feature, allowing them to place up to three adjustable light sources in an image. Meanwhile, Paint will get a content-aware selection tool, generative fill, and the ability to create stickers from text prompts.

The Snipping Tool is also getting a boost with features like Perfect Screenshot (which auto-crops the most important content), text extraction from images, and an eyedropper tool for picking colors directly from the screen.

Initially, these updates will roll out to ARM-based Windows devices running Snapdragon X processors, with Intel and AMD devices receiving them later this year.

Microsoft says these AI features are aimed at making Windows “more intuitive, accessible, and useful” for everyone.