When Windows 10 was released back in July 2015, the Start menu was slightly different from what it’s now in Anniversary Update (version 1607). The left pane of the Start menu would display most used and recently added apps lists. The power button, File Explorer icon, Settings app icon, and All apps button would appear below these lists.
With Anniversary Update for Windows 10, Microsoft removed the All Apps button to make the all apps list easily accessible without having to click the All apps button. Most users liked the new design of the Start, but many users are really missing the All apps button.
The Start menu has been customizable since the early days of Windows 10. We could change the size of the Start menu or remove all tiles from the right side of the Start menu, but it was not possible to keep only tiles on the Start menu by removing or hiding the app list.
Hide the Start menu app list in Windows 10
Starting with Windows 10 build 14942, you can hide or remove the app list from the Start menu. When you hide the app list, the Start menu will not display the recently added list, most used apps list, as well as the all apps list.
The feature comes in handy if you don’t use the most used and recently added app lists in the Start menu. Many users might like the ability to hide the Start menu app list, but, I, for one, think that most used and recently added lists are quite useful.
When the app list is hidden, power, settings, and other icons in the extreme left-pane of the Start menu will continue to appear. Also, when you hide the Start menu app list, Windows 10 will add a show app list icon to the extreme-left pane so that users can temporarily view all apps, recently added and most used lists.
How to hide or remove the all apps list in Windows 10
Step 1: Open the Settings app and navigate to Personalization > Start.
Step 2: Turn on Show app list in the Start menu option to display the app list. Turn off the same option to hide the app list in the Start menu.
And if the Hide app list option is missing, it’s certainly because you’re not running 14942 or later builds of Windows 10.
