Windows 11’s new Start menu adds a nifty ‘phone companion’ panel

Yesterday, Microsoft announced in a blog post a “new generation of Windows experiences” that includes a brand-new Start menu for Windows 11. The first traces of this new Start menu appeared last month in an early preview version of the operating system.

The new Start menu is significantly larger and wider than the current one and it features a separate panel for the Phone Link app—which Microsoft refers to as a “phone companion in Start”—where users can have quick access to data and tools from a synced Android or iPhone.

The new Start menu will begin rolling out next month, coming first to Windows Insider preview testers running Microsoft’s own Snapdragon X-equipped Copilot+ PCs.

When that update rolls out, said PCs will also be updated with several new AI tools and features, like a brand-new “agentic AI” in the Settings app that can autonomously adjust settings and manage apps.

Further reading: Windows Recall is too risky. Turn it off now