New windows 11 Start Menu Now available to Force-Enable
Users can now unlock the redesigned Start menu in Windows 11, version 25H2, even if the update hasn’t been officially rolled out to their devices. Microsoft began distributing the 25H2 feature update recently, bringing a refreshed Start menu experience, but availability remains staggered.A new method utilizing the open-source ViVeTool allows users to proactively enable the feature.
The update to the Start menu represents a significant visual and functional change, moving away from the previous design. Users running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware may not receive the update through Windows Update; though, tools like FlyOOBE can facilitate upgrades in these cases. To verify your current Windows 11 version, open the Start menu, type “winver,” and press Enter.
Here’s how to enable the new Start menu:
- Download the latest ViVeTool version from the GitHub repository (https://github.com/thebookisclosed/ViVeTool). Select the IntelAMD ZIP file unless using an ARM-based PC.
- Extract the contents of the downloaded ZIP file.
- Open the Start menu and type “Terminal.”
- Select “Run as administrator” and confirm the security prompt.
- navigate to the ViVeTool directory using the
CDcommand. For example, if saved toC:UsersYOURUSERNAMEDownloadsViVeTool-v0.3.4-IntelAmd, runCD C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEDownloadsViVeTool-v0.3.4-IntelAmd(replacing “YOURUSERNAME” with your actual username and adjusting the version number as needed). - Run the command
vivetool /enable /id:47205210,49221331,49381526,49402389,49820095,55495322. - Restart your PC.
Additionally, the new smartphone widget for the Start menu can be enabled with the command vivetool /enable /id:48697323,48433719. The Phone link request may require updating after enabling this feature.
