Microsoft tests new option to turn off Start menu recommendations on Windows 11

You might soon have more control over your Start menu recommendations on Windows 11. According to a leak, the recently released Windows 11 Insider Dev Build 25309 has a hidden control that should allow a user to decide whether to get recommendations or not.

The Start menu is one of the most essential elements of the Windows system, and it is undeniable that Microsoft is trying to make the best out of it by introducing its recommendations in the place. However, these suggestions can be a headache sometimes (or most of the time) for many. Thankfully, there is a possibility this could end in the future with the new option Microsoft is testing. According to Windows enthusiast and leaker @PhantomOfEarth, the hidden control is included in Dev Build 25309. The release comes with a bunch of new features and improvements, but this hidden option steals the spotlight.

The control, in the form of a toggle button in Settings > Personalization > Start, should let you decide whether to “show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.” As said, however, it is still hidden (ID: 42916428), but those Insiders interested in testing can activate it using ViveTool. Once activated, the toggle button for the option will hide unnecessary recommendations, which might mean a cleaner Start menu. On a side note, it is unknown if the new option includes the ads and other recommendations from Microsoft. 

Moreover, while the discovery could excite many, its presence in Build 25309 doesn’t guarantee a future general release. Just like in other tests, Microsoft might include or exclude it in future builds, and it could even decide not to release it completely. And given that Microsoft greatly uses the Start menu section to push its products and services to users, the possibility of it rolling out in GA sounds almost impossible.

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