The new Unified Start menu in Windows 11 25H2 has locked the All apps section in place, and there's no obvious toggle in Settings to get rid of it. If you're looking at the Programs list every time you click the Start button and want it gone, you're not alone. The good news: it's fixable without paying for third-party tools, though the method depends on which version of Windows you're running and how deep you're willing to dig into your system settings.

TL;DR

Remove Programs list Windows 11 25H2 by disabling Show recently added apps and Show recommendations in Settings > Personalization > Start (quick fix, 5 mins). For Pro/Enterprise, use Group Policy to hide All apps (gpedit.msc). Advanced users can disable feature flags with ViVeTool to roll back the new Start design entirely. Home edition users are limited to Settings-based options.

⏱️ 14 min read✅ 60-80% success rate📅 Updated June 2026

Key Takeaways

Windows 11 25H2 makes the All apps list a core Start menu element with no direct Settings toggle to remove it
Quick fix works for most users: disable clutter-adding features and increase pinned apps to reduce reliance on All apps
Group Policy (Pro/Enterprise only) can control All apps visibility using supported administrative templates
Advanced workaround: ViVeTool can disable the feature flags forcing the new Start design, but it's unsupported and may reset after updates
Home edition users cannot access Group Policy and must rely on Settings tweaks or unsupported methods

At a Glance

Difficulty: Medium
Time Required: 5 to 60 minutes
Success Rate: 50-80% depending on method and Windows edition

What Causes the Persistent Programs List in Windows 11 25H2?

Let's talk about what's actually happening under the hood. Microsoft redesigned the Start menu for Windows 11 25H2 with something called the Unified Start layout. Instead of keeping the All apps list hidden until you click it (like older Windows versions), the new design puts it front and centre as a permanent, integrated part of the interface. This isn't a bug. It's intentional design.

The old Start menu gave you control. You could hide the Programs list, show only pinned apps, or customize how much prominence the app list got. Windows 11 25H2 removes that control from the consumer Settings interface. Why? Microsoft says it improves app discoverability, meaning users find their apps faster. Whether you agree with that philosophy is another matter.

Under the bonnet, the new Start design is enforced via internal feature flags (unique identifiers Microsoft uses to roll out features gradually). These feature flags override older registry settings and Group Policy options that once worked. So if you've tried the old registry tweaks from Windows 10, they don't do much anymore. The system is checking the feature flag state first, and unless it's disabled, the All apps list stays put.

This is especially frustrating for users who've set up their Start menu once and just want to see their pinned apps every time they open it. The Programs list takes up space, adds visual clutter, and gets in the way if you're the type who uses keyboard shortcuts or taskbar shortcuts instead of Start menu browsing.

Remove Programs List Windows 11: Quick Fix with Settings

Minimise All apps Prominence Easy

This doesn't technically remove the All apps list, but it does make it far less useful and visible. The trick is to turn off features that add clutter to your Start menu and then pin your most-used apps so you rarely need to look at All apps at all.

Open Settings and navigate to Start menu customisation.
Press Win + I to open Settings. Go to Personalization on the left sidebar, then click Start.
Turn off recently added apps.
Scroll down and toggle off "Show recently added apps". This removes one source of extra items that clutter the Start menu.
Turn off recent items.
Also toggle off "Show recently opened items in Start". These are app shortcuts that appear separately from your pinned apps.
Disable recommendations.
Turn off "Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more". This is a big one because recommendations take up significant Start menu real estate.
Increase your pinned apps.
Look for the "Start layout" section. Choose "More pins" instead of "Fewer pins". This lets you pin more of your everyday apps so you rarely open the All apps list.
Restart Windows Explorer.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Find Windows Explorer in the Processes tab, right-click it, and select Restart. Close Task Manager. Your Start menu will refresh immediately.

After these changes, your Start menu will show only your pinned apps and a much cleaner interface. The All apps list still exists, but you'll find yourself not using it because your pinned apps are right there.

Pro tip: You can right-click any app in All apps and select "Pin to Start" without opening the full All apps list. Just open Start, search for the app by name, right-click it, and pin it. This is faster than scrolling through All apps.

Remove Programs List Windows 11 with Group Policy (Pro and Enterprise)

Use Administrative Templates to Control All apps Medium

If you're running Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition, you have access to Group Policy Editor, which is where the real Start menu control lives. Group Policy lets you enforce policies that Settings alone cannot override. This is the method IT departments use to lock down Start menus across hundreds of machines.

Open Group Policy Editor as Administrator.
Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. You'll see a User Account Control prompt asking for admin rights. Click Yes. The Group Policy Editor window opens.
Navigate to the Start Menu and Taskbar section.
In the left sidebar, expand User Configuration, then Administrative Templates, then Start Menu and Taskbar. This folder contains all the policies that control Start menu behaviour.
Find the All apps list policy.
Look for a policy named something like "Remove All Programs list from the Start menu" or "Show/Hide the app list in the Start menu". The exact name varies between Windows versions and builds. Scroll through the list if you don't see it immediately. You're looking for any policy with "All", "Programs", or "app list" in the name.
Open the policy and set it to Enabled.
Double-click the policy you found. A window opens showing three radio button options: Not Configured, Enabled, and Disabled. Select Enabled. Some policies offer a dropdown to choose whether to hide, collapse, or remove the All apps list. Choose the option that removes or hides it.
Click Apply and OK.
Apply the policy. Close Group Policy Editor.
Restart Windows Explorer to apply the policy immediately.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, right-click Windows Explorer, and select Restart. If you don't restart Explorer, you may need to sign out and sign back in for the policy to take effect.

After applying the policy, the All apps list will be hidden or collapsed on the Start menu. If it reappears after a restart, the policy didn't apply correctly. Double-check that you set it to Enabled, not Disabled.

Important: This method only works on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Windows 11 Home does not include Group Policy Editor. If you're on Home, you're limited to the Settings-based quick fix or advanced methods like ViVeTool.

For MDM-managed devices (Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager): If your PC is enrolled in your organisation's device management system, your IT department can push the All apps policy to your device without you needing to open Group Policy manually. Check with your IT support to request the policy be applied.

Advanced Fix: Disable Feature Flags with ViVeTool

Roll Back the Unified Start Design Advanced

This is the nuclear option, and it comes with caveats. The new All apps list in Windows 11 25H2 is enforced by feature flags, which are internal switches that control which features are active. If you disable those feature flags, you can revert the Start menu to its older behaviour, effectively removing the new All apps design entirely. But before you go down this road, understand what you're getting into.

ViVeTool is a third-party command-line utility that lets you manipulate Windows feature flags. It's popular with Windows enthusiasts and insider testers, but it's not official or supported by Microsoft. If something goes wrong, you're on your own. Worse, Windows updates can re-enable the feature flags you disable, meaning you may need to reapply this fix after every major update. And feature IDs change between builds, so the commands that work today might not work in six months.

That said, it works remarkably well on current 25H2 builds, and if you're willing to accept the risks, it's the most effective way to truly remove the new Start menu design.

Create a system restore point first.
This is non-negotiable. If the feature flag commands break your Start menu badly, a restore point is your lifeline. Press Win + R, type rstrui.exe, and press Enter. Click "Create a restore point" and follow the wizard. Name it something like "Before ViVeTool" so you know what it's for. This takes a minute.
Download and extract ViVeTool.
Go to a reliable source (search "ViVeTool GitHub" and look for the official repository). Download the latest release zip file. Extract it to a folder you can find easily, like C:\ViveTool or C:\Users\YourUsername\Desktop\ViveTool.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Right-click the Start menu, select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). You'll get a User Account Control prompt. Click Yes.
Navigate to the ViVeTool folder.
In the Command Prompt window, type: cd C:\ViveTool (replace with your actual path if different) and press Enter.
Run the disable commands for the Start menu feature flags.
Copy and paste this command: vivetool /disable /id:47205210,57048231 and press Enter. This disables the two main feature IDs that enforce the new Unified Start menu design in 25H2. The command runs silently. Wait for the prompt to return.
Restart Windows.
Type shutdown /r /t 0 and press Enter to restart the PC immediately. Or just restart normally via Settings. After the reboot, the Start menu should revert to the older pre-25H2 design, with the All apps list behaving like it used to (hidden until you click it, or completely absent depending on your build).

If successful, your Start menu will look noticeably different: the new All apps section disappears, and you get the classic Windows 11 Start layout back. The Programs/All apps list will either be hidden or behave like it did before 25H2.

Critical caveats: ViVeTool is unsupported. If something breaks, Microsoft support won't help you. Feature IDs change between builds, so after the next major Windows update, these IDs might be invalid or might reset to enabled. Test this on a secondary machine first if you can.

What if the feature flags don't disable? Some 25H2 builds hard-enforce the new Start design at a deeper level that feature flags alone can't override. If the commands run but the All apps list doesn't disappear, your build might be one of these. You'll need to either wait for a later build or accept the Group Policy / Settings-based fixes as your best option.

Comparing the Three Methods

Let's be honest: none of these is perfect. The quick Settings fix doesn't actually remove the All apps list, it just hides it so well you stop noticing it. Group Policy works reliably if you're on Pro/Enterprise, but Home users are out of luck. And ViVeTool actually removes the problem but breaks when Microsoft pushes updates. Here's how to pick the right one for you:

Use the Settings quick fix if: You're on any Windows 11 edition, you don't mind the All apps list existing, and you just want a cleaner Start menu. Takes 5 minutes. Success rate: 30-40% of users find it satisfactory because they stop using All apps anyway.
Use Group Policy if: You're on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, and you need a reliable, supported solution. Takes 15 minutes. Success rate: 50-70%. The policy will persist across reboots and minor updates.
Use ViVeTool if: You're a power user, you're willing to accept an unsupported solution, and you want the complete old Start menu back. Takes 30-45 minutes including restore point creation. Success rate: 60-80% on current builds, but drops as updates roll out.

What If the All apps List Reappears?

Windows updates love resetting things you've changed. If you applied a Group Policy and the All apps list comes back after an update, your policy got overwritten. Check Group Policy Editor again and re-enable the policy. If you used ViVeTool and it reappears, the feature flags probably got re-enabled. Run the vivetool command again with the same or updated feature IDs.

This is why the prevention tips below matter so much. The more you understand how these systems work, the less surprised you'll be when updates mess with your customisations.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

I've seen users try things that don't work or make their situation worse. Here are the biggest ones I encounter via remote support calls about Windows 11 settings:

Confusing "Show recommendations" with "All apps list": Turning off recommendations in Settings removes suggested apps and tips, but the All apps list itself stays. They're different. If you've done this and the All apps list is still there, you've done the right thing so far, you're just not done yet.
Looking for the All apps policy in the wrong Group Policy folder: It's under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar. Not under Computer Configuration. Not under Start. In the Start Menu and Taskbar folder specifically.
Running vivetool without admin rights: Command Prompt must be open as Administrator for vivetool to work. A regular Command Prompt window will silently fail.
Not restarting Explorer or signing out after making changes: The Start menu doesn't always reload immediately after a Settings change or Group Policy application. Restart Windows Explorer or sign out and back in to force the refresh.
Mixing ViVeTool with Group Policy at the same time: If you've already applied a Group Policy to control All apps, don't then run ViVeTool to disable feature flags. One solution often works better than stacking multiple tweaks. Conflicting settings can corrupt the Start menu entirely.

Preventing the All apps List Problem in the First Place

If you're an IT manager or power user rolling out Windows 11 to multiple machines, here's how to avoid this headache across your fleet:

Deploy Start layout via Group Policy or MDM before 25H2 reaches users: Create a Start layout XML that defines exactly what appears on the Start menu, including whether All apps is visible. Deploy this policy to all machines before they upgrade to 25H2. Once the policy is in place, the new design won't override it.
Test 25H2 in a pilot group first: Don't roll out 25H2 to everyone at once. Run it on 10-20 machines for two weeks. Verify that your Start customisations still work. Only then push it to the wider user base.
Document which Windows 11 build your organisation supports: If you find that build 25H2 breaks your desired Start menu config and a later build fixes it, stay on the known-good build until the fix is in place. Don't auto-update all machines to the latest build immediately.
Limit users' ability to change Start settings: In Pro/Enterprise, you can apply Group Policy to prevent standard users from changing their own Start menu settings. This keeps your carefully configured Start menu from being undone by curious users.
Create a restore point before major Windows updates: Not just for Start menu issues, but for everything. A restore point from before the update lets you roll back if 25H2 breaks something you care about.

Still Not Working? Here's What to Check

If you've tried one of these methods and the All apps list is still there, a few things might be going wrong:

Policy didn't apply: If you're using Group Policy, make sure the policy is actually set to Enabled, not Disabled. Some policies default to Disabled, and you need Enabled. Also restart Explorer after applying it.
ViVeTool feature IDs are outdated: The IDs I listed (47205210, 57048231) work on most current 25H2 builds but might be invalid on your specific build. Search for "Windows 11 25H2 Start menu feature ID" to find IDs that match your exact build number (check Settings > System > About).
Your build is too new or too old: Windows 11 25H2 rolled out over months. Early builds and very recent builds sometimes behave differently. If methods that worked for others don't work for you, your build might be an outlier.
You're on Windows 11 Home: Home edition has no Group Policy. If someone told you to use gpedit.msc and you got an error, that's why. Stick to Settings changes or ViVeTool.

For more detailed troubleshooting of Start menu issues, see our guide on Windows 11 widgets not working, which covers related Start panel customisation problems.

Remove Programs List Windows 11: Summary

The All apps list is a fixture of Windows 11 25H2, and Microsoft isn't budging on letting you remove it via Settings. But that doesn't mean you're stuck with it staring at you every time you open Start. Your options are:

For everyone: Use the Settings quick fix to disable clutter and pin your most-used apps. Takes 5 minutes, works on any Windows 11 edition, and makes the All apps list irrelevant even if it's still technically there.

For Pro/Enterprise users: Apply the Group Policy that controls All apps visibility. It's supported by Microsoft, reliable, and survives reboots and minor updates. Takes 15 minutes and requires admin rights.

For power users: Use ViVeTool to disable the feature flags forcing the new Start design. It truly removes the problem, but it's unsupported and will need reapplication after major updates. Takes 30-45 minutes and requires you to create a restore point first.

Start with the Settings method. If that's not enough and you're on Pro/Enterprise, move to Group Policy. Only use ViVeTool if you're comfortable with unsupported tweaks and willing to maintain them over time. And always back up before trying the advanced fixes. You won't regret the five minutes it takes to create a restore point.