Windows 11's Start menu can display installed apps in two layouts: category view, which automatically groups apps by type, or grid view, a flat list with no grouping. The Hide Category View setting, delivered through the Intune Settings Catalog, lets administrators force grid view across managed devices and remove the option to switch back.
This is a display preference, not a security control, but it helps standardize the Start menu experience across an organization and reduces support questions caused by inconsistent layouts between devices. The setting is backed by the HideCategoryView policy in the Windows Start Configuration Service Provider (CSP), as documented in Microsoft's Start policy settings reference.
This setting only takes effect on Windows 11, version 24H2, with the KB5067036 update from October 28, 2025, or a later cumulative update installed. Devices on earlier builds will not apply the policy even if it is assigned.
Before you start
What you will learn
- How to create and deploy an Intune Settings Catalog policy that hides category view in the Windows 11 Start menu, and how to verify it applied on a client.
- A consistent Start menu layout reduces user confusion and support requests caused by some devices showing category view and others showing grid view.
Requirements
- Global Administrator or Policy and Profile Manager role in Intune
- Microsoft Intune admin center, Windows 11 devices enrolled in Intune
- Global Administrator
- Policy and Profile Manager
Good to know
- 10 to 15 minutes
- Applies to Windows 11, version 24H2, with KB5067036 or later, managed through the Intune Settings Catalog as of August 2026.
- This is a configuration change to the Start menu experience, not a read-only check. It affects how apps are displayed to end users.
Quick answer
Hide category view in the Windows 11 Start menu by creating a Settings Catalog policy in Intune, adding the 'Hide Category View' setting from the Start category, and enabling it. This forces grid view and removes the option to switch back, but it only applies on Windows 11 24H2 devices with KB5067036 or later installed.
Devices > Windows > Configuration > Settings Catalog > Start > Hide Category ViewStep-by-step tutorial
4 stepsCreate a Settings Catalog configuration profile
Create a new Windows Settings Catalog configuration profile in Intune.
Devices > Windows > ConfigurationSign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center. Go to Devices > Windows > Configuration, then select Create > New Policy.
Choose Windows 10 and later as the platform and Settings Catalog as the profile type, then select Next. On the Basics tab, enter a name such as Hide Category View and an optional description, then select Next.
Find the Hide Category View setting in the Settings Catalog
Locate and add the Hide Category View setting from the Settings Catalog.
Settings picker > search 'Category'On the Configuration settings tab, select Add settings. In the settings picker, search for Category or browse to the Start category directly.
From the results, check the setting Hide Category View, then close the settings picker to return to the profile.
This setting lives under the Start area, alongside other Start menu policies such as Hide App List and Configure Start Pins.
Configure the Hide Category View setting
Enable the setting so the Start menu no longer offers category view as an option.
Configuration settings > Start > Hide Category ViewWith the Hide Category View setting added, set its value to enabled. Per Microsoft's documentation, when enabled, the Start menu no longer shows category view as an option and uses grid view as its default. When disabled or not configured, the Start menu keeps category view available and uses it by default.
Select Next once the value is set.
This is a device or user scoped setting, so it can be applied through either a device group or a user group depending on your assignment strategy.
Assign and deploy the policy
Assign scope tags if used, then deploy the profile to a pilot group before a wider rollout.
Scope tags (optional) > AssignmentsIn the Scope tags section, add scope tags if your organization uses them. This step is optional and can be skipped.
In the Assignments window, select the Entra security groups you want to assign the policy to. Start with a small pilot group of Windows 11 24H2 devices that already have KB5067036 or later installed, since the setting has no effect on earlier builds.
Review the configuration on the Review + Create tab, then select Create.
Confirm the target group's Windows build level before assigning, since devices below 24H2 with KB5067036 will silently ignore this setting.
Confirm category view is hidden
After the policy assigns successfully and the device checks in, the Start menu on the affected device should default to grid view, with no option in Settings to switch to category view.
To confirm the policy applied at the protocol level, check the Event Viewer log on the client for MDM policy event ID 813, which records the HideCategoryView setting being applied under the Start area with its configured integer value.
- The Start menu shows grid view by default, the category view toggle is unavailable in Settings, and event ID 813 appears in the client's MDM diagnostic log referencing the HideCategoryView policy.
- The event does not appear in the log, the Start menu still shows category view as an option, or the device is running a Windows 11 build earlier than 24H2 with KB5067036.
- Event confirming the policy was received and applied by the MDM client
- Registry location referenced by the Group Policy mapping for this CSP setting
Troubleshooting
The Start menu still shows category view after the policy is assigned
Cause: The device is running a Windows 11 build earlier than version 24H2, or 24H2 without the KB5067036 update or a later cumulative update installed.
Confirm the device's Windows version and update level under Settings > Windows Update, or with Get-HotFix -Id KB5067036. Install pending updates, since this setting is not available before KB5067036 per Microsoft's documentation.
Policy shows as assigned but has not applied on the test device yet
Cause: Intune policies typically apply at the next scheduled check-in, which can take up to a few hours by default.
Trigger a manual policy sync from the Company Portal app or Settings on the test device, then check event ID 813 in the client's MDM diagnostic log to confirm the HideCategoryView value was received.
Category view is hidden on some devices but not others in the same group
Cause: Both a device-scoped and a user-scoped HideCategoryView policy were assigned with conflicting values, or a Group Policy Object for the same setting is also applied and taking precedence.
Check for conflicting device and user scope assignments, and confirm no competing Group Policy Object under Start Menu and Taskbar sets a different value for the same setting.
Frequently asked questions
What is category view in the Windows 11 Start menu?
Category view is a Start menu layout in Windows 11 that automatically groups installed apps into categories, such as productivity or utilities, for quicker access to related apps. Grid view instead lists apps without automatic grouping.
Does hiding category view work on all Windows 11 versions?
No. This setting is only available starting with Windows 11, version 24H2 with the KB5067036 update or later, according to Microsoft's official Start policy settings documentation. Devices on earlier builds will not have the policy take effect.
Can users switch back to category view after the policy is applied?
When the policy is enabled, users cannot switch back to category view from Settings. The corresponding option is enforced and grayed out, and the Start menu always defaults to grid view while the policy remains applied.
What CSP does the Hide Category View setting use?
The underlying CSP node is HideCategoryView under the Start area, configurable at both device and user scope: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideCategoryView or ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideCategoryView.
Is there a Group Policy equivalent to this Intune setting?
Yes. The equivalent Group Policy setting is Hide Category view in the Start menu, found under both Computer Configuration and User Configuration, Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar, backed by the Start Menu.admx template.
