Users of Windows 11 will likely be relieved to learn that Microsoft has abandoned a feature that was first tested around the end of last year: suggested websites directly linking to the Start screen (and a second unpopular change has just been given the elbow, too).

These modifications were scrapped in the most recent Windows 11 preview, version 25272 (which was recently released to the Dev channel) (early testing).

The recommendation of frequently visited websites at the foot of the Start menu panel, a feature that has since been discontinued, debuted in preview version 25247 in November 2022.

Microsoft highlighted in a blog post outlining the new features and improvements for the latest Windows 11 beta that the previously recommended method of searching copied text in the Edge browser has been removed. This meant that highlighting text in a document, for example, would trigger an inline panel in Edge where you could click to do a search on the highlighted content.

In a statement, Microsoft, “Thanks to all the Insiders who gave us feedback on these two experiences. As a reminder, features and experiences we try out in the Dev Channel may get removed and never released beyond the Dev Channel as we incubate new ideas and get feedback from Insiders.”

Backing away from the Edge

Also, several problems with the Task Manager have been fixed, and the search box on the taskbar no longer displays visual defects after upgrading to Build 25272.

There’s certainly some valuable things going on here, even if there aren’t any new feature introductions. The removal of the aforementioned features is welcome news; the first, in particular, contributed to unnecessary Start menu clutter and raised security and privacy issues due to Microsoft’s apparent preference for promoting third-party websites and, in both instances, the Edge browser.

Even while Microsoft made sure to mention that users could disable the suggested websites feature when it was first introduced last year, it’s evident that users have spoken out against any effort to integrate this into the Start menu, and the good news is that Microsoft is listening.