14 DAY TRIAL // The Start menu will be back in Windows 9, and everyone knows that not only because of the leaks that have recently reached the web, but also thanks to Microsoft’s own confirmation made during the BUILD 2014 developer conference in San Francisco earlier this year.
The Start menu is one of the most requested features in Windows 8 and it’s now ready to make its comeback with a design that mixes the classic layout with modern elements, including live tiles.
While it’s not yet clear whether users would be pleased with such an implementation of the Start menu, there’s no doubt that Windows 9 is going to offer users more power when working on the desktop.
And according to recent reports, the Start menu is one of the tools that would provide users with more customization options to better serve its purpose.
Auto color adjusting on the desktop
As Brad Sams of Neowin writes, the Start menu will be capable of automatically changing its color in Windows 9 in order to better match the desktop theme that you use.
Why is this important? Microsoft wants the desktop to perfectly integrate into the revamped desktop, and offering users more customization options to make it look the way they like is a priority.
The Start menu will automatically expand as you add new tiles and shortcuts, but it appears that the feature itself will be resizable, so it shouldn't be too hard to choose the proper design for your device.
A simpler mode with a layout that looks very familiar with the one of Windows 7 is also possible, thus removing live tiles and sticking to a layout that could come in handy to beginners.
Only available on PCs
The Start menu won’t be available to all users, but only to those running Windows 9 on a PC or on a device with a mouse and keyboard, such as a laptop or a tablet powered by the full version of Windows.
Tablets, on the other hand, will get the Start screen and all the Modern UI elements, as Microsoft now believes that the Start menu is only useful to those with a PC trying to access their apps faster.
The Start menu is already part of the preview build of Windows 9 that’s projected to be unveiled on September 30, but some sources claim that the company might actually lock the feature.
The full version of Windows 9, however, is scheduled to go live in April 2015 and there’s no doubt that the Start menu will be there.