Feedback on Windows 11 25H2 Start Menu: Please restore 3-column layout and paging navigation

After updating to Windows 11 25H2, I noticed that the Start Menu’s pinned section changed from a three-column layout to a two-column layout, and there is currently no option to switch back. This causes a serious usability issue for me.

I have built strong muscle memory over time based on the previous three-column layout. I could open my most frequently used apps instantly without looking, simply by relying on spatial positioning. With the forced two-column layout, all my app positions have shifted and I have to re-learn everything, which significantly reduces efficiency.

The removal of paging navigation (the dots on the right side) and mouse-wheel page switching also makes the Start Menu harder to use. Now the pinned apps require vertical scrolling through a long list, which becomes cluttered and makes it difficult to locate apps quickly.

The new automatic categorization and folders are visually nice, but for users who rely on precise spatial memory, these changes negatively impact usability.

My requests / suggestions:

1. Please restore the three-column layout, or add a toggle that allows switching between two and three columns.
2. Please restore paging and mouse-wheel page switching, instead of forcing vertical scrolling for all pinned apps.
3. Please allow greater freedom of customizing the pinned area instead of mandatory auto-organization.

These features were essential for users who rely on spatial positioning, and restoring them would greatly improve the Start Menu’s usability.

Thank you for considering this feedback.

My suggestion: When the mouse is in the upper fixed area, scrolling the mouse wheel will turn the page to the fixed icons; when the mouse is outside the fixed area, scrolling the mouse wheel will scroll the Start Menu content upwards.

The new automatic categorization and folders are visually nice, but for users who rely on precise spatial memory, these changes negatively impact usability.