Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) is around the corners
and the debut of the next update will also bring some new
refinements to the Start menu. The improvements are not as
substantial as the ones in the initial updates of Windows 10,
though the refinements should improve the experience and
performance.
Windows 10 May 2019 Update’s default Start layout has been
streamlined on new devices, new installations and new user
account. This means if you clean install Windows 10 or create a
new user account, the default layout of the Start menu would
feature a cleaner, sleek, one-column design with fewer tiles.
There are several other important changes that Windows 10 May
2019 Update will bring to the Start menu, including improved
performance.
Ability to clean up Start quickly
Microsoft isn’t changing the UI of Start Menu, but the company
has implemented one highly-requested feature: the ability to
unpin a folder or group of tiles.
Microsoft understands managing multiple tiles could be a
time-consuming task. Windows 10 May 2019 Update will allow
you to configure your tiles even faster by allowing you to
unpin all tiles that are in a group.
Ability to uninstall built-in apps
In Windows 10 May 2019 Update, Microsoft has doubled the number
of pre-installed apps that can be removed. This means you can
open the Start menu, head to the all apps list, right-click on
the pre-installed app and uninstall it.
Fluent Design and other improvements
Windows 10 version 1903 also brings Fluent Design elements to
the left navigation pane in Start where the power button lives.
In addition to Fluent Design, the navigation pane will also
expand when you hover the mouse over the button labels, making
it easier for users to understand the functionality of the
icons.
You’ll also notice an orange indicator on the power button when
there’s a pending update that requires a reboot to finish the
installation.
Performance improvements
Windows 10 19H1 update creates a separate process for the Start
menu experience that would have a deeper impact on overall
reliability. In earlier versions of Windows 10, Start has been
part of the broader Shell experience which impacted its
performance in some cases.
In Windows 10 October 2018 Update or older, when anything slows
down the Explorer process, the Start menu is also hit with
performance and reliability issues.
The next update will move Start to its own process, delivering
improved performance and addressing reliability concerns. With
its own process in place, Start will open significantly faster
and interestingly, these improvements will also contribute to
performance improvements for the entire OS.
The process of Start menu is called ‘StartMenuExperienceHost’
and you will see it in the Windows Task Manager.
“Moving Start into its own app, while of course still feeling
integrated into the Shell, provided users with several
benefits. By insulating Start from potential issues impacting
other surfaces, Insiders saw measurable improvements in Start
reliability,” Microsoft explains.
Windows 10 May 2019 Update doesn’t bring too many new features
to the Start menu, but it’s pretty clear that Microsoft is
looking into different ways to improve the performance of the
Start and the entire operating system.
