Create default Start menu layout for Windows 11 and deploy with Intune

Create a default Start Menu layout for Windows 11 (that people can customize) using the start2.bin file deployed with Intune 

Customizing the Start menu layout on Windows 11

If you follow the steps in this Microsoft article, you'll get a mandatory start menu layout that can't be changed.

Customize the Start menu layout on Windows 11
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/customize-start-menu-layout-windows-11

When you customize the Start layout, you overwrite the entire full layout. A partial Start layout isn't available. Users can pin and unpin apps, and uninstall apps from Start. When a user signs in or Explorer restarts, Windows reapplies the MDM policy. This action restores the specified layout and doesn't retain any user changes.

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Export-StartLayout LayoutModification.xml doesnt work with Windows 11

Using the PowerShell command Export-StartLayout -Path "C:\Layouts\LayoutModification.xml doesnt work with Windows 11

If you run this command on Windows 11, you'll get a file with JSON contents and an XML file extension.
You also won't be able to use the file to import a Start menu layout using the Import-StartLayout PowerShell command.

This issue can be found on GitHub:

Export-StartLayout creates a JSON file, not XML
https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-powershell-docs/issues/3267

Create a default user Start menu layout on Windows 11

On Windows 11, the Start menu layout is saved in the user profile AppData Local start.bin or start2.bin file
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\start2.bin

You can copy this file to the default user profile to create a default Start menu layout that people can customize themselves

The start2.bin file will be used to create the Start menu layout when a new user profile is created

Create Start menu layout

Create the Start menu layout you want to deploy by pinning items to the Start menu

Save the Start menu layout file

Save the Start menu layout file start2.bin from AppData Local

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\start2.bin

In the next steps, we will use Intune to copy the start2.bin file to the default user profile.
The customized Start menu layout will take effect when a new user profile is created.

C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Start2.bin"

PowerShell script to copy Start menu layout

We will use this PowerShell script to copy start2.bin to the default user profile

Save the PowerShell script as install.ps1

# Create folder
MkDir -Path "C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState" -Force

# Copy Start2.bin
Copy-Item -Path "$PSScriptRoot\Start2.bin" -Destination "$env:SystemDrive\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Start2.bin" -Force

Create Intune Package

Create an Intune Package using the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool
Download Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool and extract to C:\Temp

https://github.com/microsoft/Microsoft-Win32-Content-Prep-Tool

The contents of this folder will be packaged into a Win32 app for Intune deployment

Open Command Prompt (run as Administrator)

cd C:\Temp\Microsoft-Win32-Content-Prep-Tool-master

IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c "C:\Temp\Start Menu Layout" -s "C:\Temp\Start Menu Layout\install.ps1" -o "C:\Temp\Start Menu Layout-Intune"

Create Windows app for deployment

Browse to select the App package file
Click OK

Name: Windows 11 Start Menu Layout
Description: Windows 11 Start Menu Layout
Publisher: Microsoft

Install command: PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File install.ps1
Uninstall command: PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File install.ps1

Allow available uninstall: No
Install behavior: System
Device restart behaviour: No specific action

Operating system architecture: 64-bit
Minimum operating System: Windows 11 21H2

Rules format: Manually configure detection rules
Click Add

Rule type: File
Path: C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState
File or folder: start2.bin
Detection method: File or folder exists
Associated with a 32-bit app on 64-bit clients: No

Click OK

Dependencies - Click Next

Supersedence - Click Next

Assign to a test group of devices
Hide all toast notifications
Click Next

Click Create