long-fin tunny @thebookisclosed on X / Twitter
The latestWindows 11Canary construct 26212 has quietly introduced support for what is being call “ Start Menu Companions . ” These are small widget - alike apps designed to come along alongside your pinned apps or the “ All apps ” list in the Start Menu .
By the looks of it , these companions would offer at - a - glance information such as weather update , stock prices , and more . And yes , they share a lot in common with the now - defunct Live Tiles feature from previous versions of Windows . They miss the lustrous colors and blockish shapes , but they would go in a very similar direction .
Albacore @thebookisclosed on X/Twitter
Interestingly , Microsoft has not formally mentioned the first appearance of Start Menu Companions in the tone ending notes for habitus 26212 . The discovery of this feature was made byAlbacore on X(formerly recognize as Twitter ) , render a peek into what could soon be useable for testing within the Windows Insider Program .
It's time for the Start menu to become extensible! ✨ Windows 11 β build 26212 quiet introduces support for & quot;Start Menu Companions." ; They're apps that put up Adaptive Cards which display on a float island ( docked ➡ ️ or ⬅ ️ ) alongside StartUsed Widgets information as a quick demonstration 😊 pic.twitter.com/FddrpC99h3
& mdash ; Albacore ☁ ️ ( @thebookisclosed)May 9 , 2024
It appears that developers will have the capability to create covering that offer widget - same content using adaptive menu — an advance that start the display of UI blocks of information in a weapons platform - autonomous manner . Users will have the flexibility to configure these comrade from the Windows 11 preferences , where they can instal multiple companions and use toggle to enable or disenable them as desired . According to Albacore , these companions seem to be heavy focussed on web content , resemble the sidebar widgets already encounter within Windows 11 .
Start Menu Companions seem to be evocative of the now discontinued Live Tiles , the inspire icon ab initio introduced withWindows 8 . Back then , Live Tiles was launched by Microsoft as an effort to mix its platform with Windows Phone o . They were designed for quick and easy access to substantive information with just a glance at your phone or screen background . In Windows 10 , they were kick downstairs to the Start Menu , and then eventually discontinued entirely in 2021 with the release of Windows 11 .
The design of the Start Menu has been one of the biggest sticking point of those update toWindows 11 from Windows 10 . The feature has been criticized not only for its determine usefulness , but even itsfunctionality , with it recently being called “ comically regretful ” by a former Microsoft developer . Start Menu Companions would n’t fix those issues , but it would certainly bring back some of the familiarity of the Windows 10 Start Menu .
