What you need to know
- Developers at Stardock have released Start11 v2, which replaces the stock Start menu, and now natively supports ARM64 for Windows on Arm devices.
- Microsoft's standard Start menu has undergone divisive changes in Windows 11, including app advertisements.
- Users can try Start11 v2 for free or pay for a $7.99 single-device subscription at Stardock's official website.
The Start menu is arguably the most iconic feature in Microsoft's operating system, initially introduced in Windows 95. It remains a staple in Windows 11, but changes to category views and a disappointing move to integrate ads in the top half of the Start menu have made it a divisive feature among users. Thankfully, software developers at Stardock have completed beta testing of its fantastic Start menu replacement 'Start11 v2' on ARM64 devices, now natively supported for Windows on Arm.
"With native ARM support for Start11 v2, this means that you can use the latest Windows 11 devices, powered by Qualcomm Elite chips, with Start11 v2 to make these new devices a more personalized and productive desktop."
The latest build has more updates than platform support for the best Windows on ARM laptops. However, it's the most exciting addition since I still use a previous-generation Surface Pro X and have long awaited a third-party fix for Microsoft's frustrating design changes. To be completely transparent, I'm a nostalgia addict with rose-tinted goggles firmly attached to Windows, so I'll always fall back to the old-style Start menu whenever I can, and I love it here with Start11 v2.
"Several other updates in this release including enhanced search for legacy Control Panel items – more legacy Control Panel items will now show up when searching."
Check out Start11's full range of features at the official Stardock website to see why I love it so much. Any native support for Windows on Arm devices receives high praise from all of us at Windows Central, as we saw first-hand the benefits of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processors running cutting-edge ARM64 devices like Microsoft's "stunning" Surface Pro 11. As soon as a 5G-capable Surface Pro 11 launches to general availability, I'll undoubtedly upgrade, but I'll still use Start11.
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How much is a Start11 subscription?
Stardock offers a free trial for Start11 v2, and single-device subscriptions start at $7.99. Alternatively, you can access it as part of Object Desktop, a more comprehensive suite of customizable options for Windows 11 that allows users to apply themes to their desktops and even restore Windows 2000 aesthetics. I recommend starting with Start11 v2 to test the Start menu customizations and graduate to Object Desktop to experiment with Stardock's full range of Windows 11 tweaks.
