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On Windows 10, you can show the full app list or collapse it from Settings > Personalization > Start. Turn Show app list in Start menu on to display the list, or turn it off to leave an All apps button. Windows 11 works differently: Microsoft documents Category, Grid and List views, but not one universal consumer switch that removes the entire All section on every build. Administrators can enforce a collapsed or removed list with the Hide app list policy through Group Policy or the Policy CSP.
The right method depends on your Windows version, whether you control one device or many, and whether users should retain a way to open All apps. The procedures below distinguish a visual collapse from complete policy-enforced removal.
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Microsoft defines All apps as the installed-application area of Start. It is a launcher view, not a second copy of your programs and not an uninstall control.
- Windows 10: Start shows an alphabetical app list above the pinned tiles.
- Windows 11: the All section can use Category, Grid or List. Category groups applications, while Grid and List are alphabetical. Start remembers the last view you selected.
Because the two versions expose different controls, a Windows 10 instruction cannot be assumed to work on Windows 11. A missing list can also be intentional: a user setting, a remembered Windows 11 view, or an administrator policy may be responsible.
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How do I add the app list back in Windows 10?
Use the Start personalization setting. It changes the presentation of the list for the current Windows 10 user.
- Open Settings.
- Select Personalization, then Start.
- Find Show app list in Start menu.
- Turn the setting On.
- Open Start and check that the alphabetical app list appears above the pinned tiles.
If the list does not appear immediately, close and reopen Start and confirm that the switch stayed On. A device policy can override or disable the user-facing control; if the switch is unavailable, greyed out or keeps reverting, continue to the administrator-policy section below.
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For a normal, user-controlled change, turn the same setting Off. This collapses the list beside the pinned content but leaves an All apps button that opens the complete list.
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Start.
- Turn Show app list in Start menu Off.
- Open Start and select All apps whenever you need the alphabetical list.
Microsoft Support currently has contradictory wording in its “Hide app list” instructions: it tells readers to toggle Show app list in Start menu to On even though the option name and Microsoft’s policy documentation define collapse as the Off state. Follow the visible result on your build: Off should hide the list beside pinned items and preserve the All apps button; On should display the list.
Can I hide the entire All apps section in Windows 11?
Microsoft’s current consumer documentation does not establish one universal switch that removes the entire All section on every Windows 11 build. You can change how the section is presented, but complete removal generally requires an administrator policy.
Choose a Windows 11 view
- Open Start.
- Open the All section.
- Use the available view control to select Category, Grid or List.
Category reduces a long alphabetical run by grouping applications. Grid and List keep alphabetical organization in different visual layouts. Windows 11 remembers the last selected view, so seeing a different layout after an update or sign-in does not necessarily mean that apps disappeared.
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When a Windows 11 list really is unavailable
If the All section itself is absent, or if users cannot change its presentation, check whether the device is managed. The Hide app list policy can collapse the list, prevent users from changing that state, or remove it entirely. A policy result is different from simply choosing Category, Grid or List.
Which approach should I use?
Use the least restrictive method that produces the desired Start layout. This comparison separates a personal preference from an enforced configuration.
| Approach | Windows version | Scope | Visible result | Can the user reverse it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Show app list setting On | Windows 10 | One user on one device | List appears beside/above pinned content | Yes, unless policy blocks the setting |
| Show app list setting Off | Windows 10 | One user on one device | List is collapsed; All apps button remains | Yes, unless policy blocks the setting |
| Category, Grid or List view | Windows 11 | One user’s Start layout | Changes the All-section presentation | Yes, where the view control is available |
| Hide app list: Collapse | Managed Windows deployments | User or device, through policy | List is hidden; All apps button remains | Normally yes, unless a disabling policy is also used |
| Hide app list: Collapse and disable | Managed Windows deployments | User or device, through policy | Same collapsed appearance | No; users cannot switch the setting back on |
| Hide app list: Remove and disable | Managed Windows deployments | User or device, through policy | All apps list is removed | No; the setting is disabled |
For one unmanaged PC, use Settings or the Windows 11 view control. For an organization that needs the same behavior across users or devices, use the Policy CSP or Group Policy instead of asking each person to change Start manually.
How does the Hide app list policy work?
The policy has three outcomes. “Collapse” changes what users see but keeps an entry point; “Collapse and disable” keeps that appearance while preventing users from turning the list back on; “Remove and disable” removes the list and disables the related setting.
Collapse
The app list is not displayed next to the pinned items. An All apps button remains available to open it.
Collapse and disable
The visual result is the same as Collapse, but the user cannot restore the list through Start settings. This is useful when an organization wants a compact layout but still permits access through the button.
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Remove and disable
The All apps list is removed from Start, and Show app list in Start menu is disabled so users cannot turn it On. Choose this only when the organization deliberately wants no All apps entry in Start.
Disabled or Not Configured
When the policy is disabled or not configured, the list is visible by default and users can change the Start setting. A local preference may therefore appear to work until a policy is applied, or appear unavailable when an administrator has enforced a value.
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Where do I configure the policy?
Microsoft provides both a device/user Policy CSP path and a traditional Group Policy path. Select the scope that matches your management model.
Policy CSP paths
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideAppListapplies at device scope../User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideAppListapplies at user scope.
Use the CSP when Windows devices are managed through a modern device-management service. Set the policy to the required outcome—Collapse, Collapse and disable, or Remove and disable—according to the management console’s value choices. The exact console labels can vary, but the policy name and paths identify the setting.
Group Policy path
In the Local Group Policy Editor or a domain policy, open either:
- Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
- User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
Configure Remove All Programs list from the Start menu. Computer Configuration affects the device; User Configuration follows the user account. In a managed environment, document which scope wins when both are configured and test with a representative account before broad deployment.
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Microsoft recommends Settings for a single device and CSP or Group Policy for managed or multi-device deployments. Policy is also the appropriate choice when users must not be able to undo the organization’s layout.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why is the app list missing?
Work through the branch that matches your version and symptoms rather than applying a Windows 10 fix to Windows 11.
The list is missing, but an All apps button is visible
On Windows 10, the setting is probably Off. On a managed device, the policy may be set to Collapse or Collapse and disable. Use the button if you only need to launch an installed application, or change the setting if policy permits it.
There is no All apps button
A Remove and disable policy can remove the list and its entry point. Check the applicable user and device policy before changing local Start settings; a local change cannot override a policy that disables the setting.
Windows 11 shows a different arrangement
Windows 11 may simply be using the last selected Category, Grid or List view. Open the All section and choose the view that best fits your workflow. The view choice changes presentation, not the installed-app inventory.
The Windows 10 switch is missing or locked
Look for the Hide app list policy in the user and device management layers. If the setting is disabled by policy, only an administrator can restore user control.
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Recently upgraded or changed editions
Confirm whether the device is running Windows 10 or Windows 11 before following instructions. Their Start designs and available controls are not interchangeable, and managed editions may expose restrictions that are not present on an unmanaged PC.
What does Windows 10’s end of support mean for this setting?
Microsoft states that support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance or security fixes for Windows 10.
The Start-menu procedure still describes the control that exists in Windows 10, but the lifecycle status matters when deciding whether to keep deploying a Windows 10 configuration. For a supported long-term installation, evaluate the Windows 11 view controls and the relevant management policy rather than treating the Windows 10 setting as a future-facing design.
What is the practical choice for a gaming PC or shared machine?
For a personal gaming PC, keep the list available and choose the layout that makes frequently used launchers easy to find; Windows 10 users can collapse it without losing the All apps button, while Windows 11 users can select Category, Grid or List. On a shared or managed machine, decide first whether users should retain an All apps entry point.
- Choose a user setting when people should be free to personalize Start.
- Choose Collapse when you want a cleaner Start screen but still need an All apps button.
- Choose Collapse and disable when the compact layout is mandatory but applications must remain reachable through the button.
- Choose Remove and disable only when the organization intentionally wants no All apps list in Start.
That decision—personal preference versus enforced layout, and a retained button versus complete removal—determines whether you need Settings, a Windows 11 view choice, or administrative policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hiding the All apps list uninstall my programs?
No. These controls change how Start presents installed applications. They do not remove the application files; the policy choices concern visibility and whether the Start setting can be changed.
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Windows 11 remembers the last All-section view, and the preference can differ by user. A device- or user-scoped policy can also make one account’s controls unavailable while another account remains customizable.
Can I restore the list after an administrator removes it?
Not from the affected user account when Remove and disable is applied. An administrator must change or clear the applicable user or device policy before the Start setting becomes available again.
Is the Windows 10 setting available on every Windows edition?
The documented setting is part of Windows 10 Start personalization, but managed editions can restrict it through policy. If the switch is locked or absent, check management configuration rather than assuming the feature was deleted.
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