Windows 11 - June 2026 - New start menu - any idea how to show list view rather than category view

[timbo343]

Having seen the article from James Rankin https://james-rankin.com/articles/quickpost-windows-11-start-menu-reverts-to-category-view-after-group-policy-refresh/ about the start menu issues, I would have a look to see how this would affect us.

 

It appears that if we don't configure anything to do with the startmenu / taskbar, the Category view is shown as default which really is a bit of a pain and it would be great to have the List view a default.

 

There has been comments on other sites about using the following:

 

Quote

 

Group Policy Editor
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Remove All Programs list from the Start menu: Enabled > Remove and disable setting (or there are 2 other options but this one completely removes it, as far as I can tell they seem to all do the same thing right now)

 

Registry Editor
If you don't have group policy editor, then I figured out they correspond to this: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer: create 32 bit D-WORD if it doesn't exist already:

name: NoStartMenuMorePrograms

hex value: 1 = Remove and disable setting

hex value: 2 = Collapse and disable setting

hex value: 3 = Collapse

 

 

However, setting any of these settings causes the category view or list view to be removed which is far from ideal. 

 

Is anyone able to offer a way on how to set the List view in the new June 2026 start menu rather than having category view?

 

[Steve21]

I haven't tested it yet but there's new options in the most recent ADMX for start menu

For example "Hide Category view in the Start Menu" which says it makes it default to Grid view instead, or is it only list you're after?

Might view you a hint from that GPO what reg key it's changing though

Steve

[MYK-IT]

Refer to:

 

I have also noticed that any new program install / shortcuts (within C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs) don't appear in the Start Menu until log user has logged off/on (if currently signed in etc)

Edited June 29 by MYK-IT

[timbo343]

26 minutes ago, Steve21 said:

I haven't tested it yet but there's new options in the most recent ADMX for start menu

For example "Hide Category view in the Start Menu" which says it makes it default to Grid view instead, or is it only list you're after?

Might view you a hint from that GPO what reg key it's changing though

Steve

 

Ah thank you, should have looked at that first, will give that a go.

[timbo343]

4 hours ago, Steve21 said:

I haven't tested it yet but there's new options in the most recent ADMX for start menu

For example "Hide Category view in the Start Menu" which says it makes it default to Grid view instead, or is it only list you're after?

Might view you a hint from that GPO what reg key it's changing though

Steve

 

i'm after List View as default.

 

I've downloaded the latest ADMX files and can now see "Hide Category view in the Start Menu" in group policy. Looks like the registry being changed is 

Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer    HideCategoryView  = 1 (DWORD).

This turns the start menu apps into the grid view 😒

 

 

It is possible to get this to work on the fly by changing the registry remotely and the start menu changes once the registry has been edited.

 

Update - think i'm just going to have to live with the grid view - users will get used to it.

 

Someone on Reddit has said the same thing:

 

Quote

AD GPO <user or computer> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar -> Hide Category View

 

Registry Key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer Value: HideCategoryView DWORD: 1

I have been looking for how to set a default properly without turning off Category view, but I am going to just nix the Category view instead. I think Grid may wind up being faster/more useful than List once people accustom themselves to the new view. Categories is just hot garbage at this point.

 

I found the User setting didn't work, instead the computer setting works a treat, even with custom start layouts.