14 DAY TRIAL // The Start menu is back in Windows 10 Preview, and even though some users don’t need it anymore, there’s no doubt that the return of this feature is a welcome addition to an operating system that’s supposed to be more familiar from the very beginning.
The new Windows 10 Preview Start menu, however, doesn’t stick to the traditional layout available in Windows 7, but instead comes with live tiles borrowed from Windows 8 Start screen for a more modern approach that helps users embrace the new design easier.
Of course, since Windows 10 Preview is still an unfinished product, many features could change until the full version of the operating system comes out, so the Windows Feedback app offered to users plays a key role in this regard.
Judging by the amount of feedback submitted for the Start menu, it’s easy to notice that users want more customization options in future builds of Windows 10, including new animations and transparency effect to make it look even better on the desktop and get in line with the taskbar.
Transparency would make it more eye-candy
At this point, the entries with the most votes point to options for transparency and animations or effects that would be spotted whenever you open or close the Start menu.
More than 400 users have voted for these options, and chances are that Microsoft will in the end implement such settings if interest remains high enough.
“Add a little animation/transition when opening the Start menu. It looks fantastic (great job, team!), but the lack of animation and the rawness in which it simply appears and disappears makes it look unpolished! A little fade in with an upward slide would look incredible!” one feature request reads.
“A transparency option to match the taskbar,” another one adds.
Windows 7 look already available
Even though the Start menu comes with live tiles, users can also get the classic Windows 7 style with a little work. The only thing they need to do is remove all live tiles from the Start menu, and the layout will then automatically switch to a simpler approach that reminds of the one in Windows 7.
Obviously, some differences will still exist, including the position of the power controls, but at least you get a much more familiar UI, that’s appropriate for those who don’t like the live tiles.
Microsoft hasn’t yet revealed which features could be implemented in Windows 10, but the more votes they receive, the bigger the chances are to see them go live.