Customize Windows 11 Start menu layout with JSON file and Endpoint Manager (Intune)

How to change the Windows 11 start menu layout with a JSON file (previously XML) and deploy using an Endpoint Manager (Intune) configuration profile.

Default Windows 11 Start menu layout

Windows 11 Start menu "Recommended" section

The Windows 11 Start menu "Recommended" section can only be changed in Windows 11 SE (Education) using this policy setting. 

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\Remove Recommended section from Start Menu

Customizing Windows 11 Start menu layout

The Windows 11 start menu layout can be customized using a JSON file.
You'll need to create a sample Start menu layout by pinning the apps you want then export the layout to a JSON file using PowerShell.

In previous versions of Windows, the start menu layout was configured using an XML file, Windows 11 now uses a JSON file  

Create new Windows 11 Start menu layout

Create a new layout by pinning and arranging the apps you want to the Start menu

Export Start menu layout to JSON using PowerShell

Run the following PowerShell command to export the Start menu layout to a JSON file

Export-StartLayout -Path "C:\Temp\LayoutModification.json"

Edit the Start Menu JSON file LayoutModification.json and copy the 'pinnedList' section.

Example Windows 11 Start Menu JSON file

This example JSON file pins Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Chrome, MS Edge, Windows Explorer, Settings, Calculator and Notepad  

{
  "pinnedList": [
    {      "desktopAppId": "Microsoft.Office.WINWORD.EXE.15"    },
    {      "desktopAppId": "Microsoft.Office.EXCEL.EXE.15"    },
    {      "desktopAppId": "Microsoft.Office.OUTLOOK.EXE.15"    },
    {      "desktopAppId": "Microsoft.Office.POWERPNT.EXE.15"    },
    {      "desktopAppId": "Chrome"    },
    {      "desktopAppId": "MSEdge"    },
    {      "desktopAppId": "Microsoft.Windows.Explorer"    },
    {      "packagedAppId": "windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel"    },
    {      "packagedAppId": "Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App"    },
    {      "packagedAppId": "Microsoft.WindowsNotepad_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App"    }
  ]
} 

Create Endpoint Manager configuration profile for Start menu layout

We can use an Endpoint Manager configuration profile to deploy the new Start menu layout to Windows 11 devices

Devices - Configuration profiles - Create profile

Platform: Windows 10 and later
Profile type: Templates
Template name: Custom 

Name: Windows 11 Start Menu Layout

Configuration settings:

OMA-URI Settings - Add

Name: Configure pinned list
OMA-URI: ./Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/ConfigureStartPins
Data type: String
Value: paste the JSON

Assignments:

Included groups - Add groups
Assign to dynamic device group for Windows 11 laptops