Want to Test the New Windows 10 2021 Start Menu? Here’s How (Insiders Only)

Jul 6, 2020 at 05:39pm EDT
windows 10 start menu

Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20161 to Insiders in the Dev Channel last week. Releasing new features after several months of focusing on bug fixes and performance improvements for Windows 10 20H2, Microsoft is finally giving us major new features. One of these includes a new-ish look for the Start menu.

Windows 10 2021 will bring a Start menu that is theme-aware, bringing a streamlined design and removing the logo's solid color backplates. The result is a somewhat transparent Start menu that supports both the Light and Dark modes and offers an almost distraction-free board to show off apps.

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However, the caveat is that not every Insider is receiving all the features at once. The Windows maker said that it is rolling out new features to a subset of Insiders to "quickly identify issues that may impact performance and reliability." It appears a lot of Insiders are stuck waiting for the new look.

If you are one of those and are ready to take some risks using third party tools, here is how you can choose what new Windows 10 features to test:

Microsoft is also testing ALT + TAB option between apps and sites, which takes productivity to a whole new level. Personalized Taskbar, improved notification experience, and improved Settings app are also some of the areas that the company is currently testing. All of these features aren't tied to a specific version of Windows 10 but are likely to be released next year.

- Relevant: Why Did Microsoft Remove Options to Defer Win10 Feature Updates?

via WU

About the author: Rafia joined Wccftech in 2012 as a tech reporter. She is currently working on stories focusing on people and technologies that are turning Microsoft into a “company to watch” again. She is also responsible for collaborating with tech makers and e-commerce platforms to bring annoying but tempting deals to our readers.

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