Microsoft Start: Everything you need to know about Microsoft's news platform

The way we manage the information we consume every day has changed radically in recent years, especially with the emergence of platforms and services that seek to offer personalized news and content in a simple way. In this context, Microsoft has launched and evolved different proposals to centralize current events, news and useful resources, being Microsoft Start one of his most ambitious projects in this regard.

Many people wonder what exactly Microsoft Start is, how it differs from other personalized news platforms like Google Discover, how it has evolved compared to traditional MSN News or Microsoft News, and what it really offers users today.If you're interested in learning all the details, how this product has evolved, its key features, and what systems and devices you can access it on, this article is just what you're looking for.

What is Microsoft Start? Origin, purpose, and evolution

Microsoft Start is a digital platform developed by Microsoft whose main objective is to offer a personalized experience of news, current events, and useful information tools for everyday use. It is a reinvention of the company's old news portals and applications, adapted to new information consumption habits and integration with Windows and mobile devices.

The origin of this service goes back to the predecessor platforms: first it was MSN News, later renamed as Microsoft News in 2018, and finally in 2021 it evolved into Microsoft Start both in appearance and functionality, seeking to compete directly with proposals such as Google Discover.

The name change and redesign coincided with the launch and integration of Windows 11, although Start can also be used on Windows 10, and has dedicated versions for iOS y Android. Microsoft Start centralizes news selected by algorithms and Artificial Intelligence, which are personalized for each user according to their detected or explicitly configured interests and preferences.

One of the pillars of its operation is the alliance with more than 1.000 internationally recognized media outlets, combining AI technology with human moderation to ensure the quality and diversity of the information offered. The platform also allows for personalized experience through the selection of favorite topics, the ability to save news to read later, and a filter system to decide which media or news we want to see or avoid.

Main features of Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start offers a range of features designed to provide a comprehensive, engaging, and easy-to-use information experience for any user, regardless of their level of technological experience..

• Filtered and personalized news: Using AI and machine learning algorithms, Microsoft Start analyzes your reading habits and preferences, suggesting relevant news tailored to you. Personalization is adjusted manually or automatically, and you can also tell the platform which topics, media, or articles you're interested in or want to avoid to further refine your feed.
• Global coverage with local adaptation: The platform aggregates content from more than a thousand reputable sources worldwide, filtering each country and user based on language, location, and relevance of the information.
• Multi-device access: Although Microsoft Start debuted integrated into Windows 11 (in the widgets and taskbar system), It is also available for Windows 10, Android, iOS and through any Web navigatorThis way, you can check your synchronized news and preferences wherever you are.
• Intuitive and customizable interface: The app's design, both on desktop and mobile, strives for clarity and simplicity. It features browser-like tabbed browsing, a private mode to protect your searches, and the ability to quickly switch between content categories such as sports, business, and more. There, traffic or entertainment.
• Synchronization with your Microsoft account: By signing in, you can save your preferences, interests, and favorite items across all your devices, ensuring a consistent and personalized experience.
• Additional tools: Built-in features include weather forecasts, traffic information, sports, financial quotes, and, on mobile, a Google Lens-style search engine for searching and translating images, products, or text captured with the camera.
• Human moderation and the fight against fake news: In addition to automated filtering, Microsoft has confirmed that a team of journalists reviews the most prominent content to prevent the spread of hoaxes, although human intervention has been reduced following some internal adjustments.

All of this makes Microsoft Start more than just a news app: it's a personalized news hub and a daily starting point to stay on top of what's important..

Availability and compatible systems

One of the great successes of Microsoft Start is its wide compatibility with different OS and devices, allowing users to enjoy its benefits regardless of the environment in which they work or receive information.

• Windows 11: Native integration into system widgets and the Edge homepage. You can see top and personalized news feeds as soon as you open the system or your browser.
• Windows 10: Access from the taskbar like any other application, making it easy to quickly check headlines and weather forecasts.
• Android and iOS: Dedicated app downloadable from official stores, with support for Microsoft accounts and synchronization of interests and favorites between devices.
• Website: Universal access from any browser (https://msn.com/feed), with the same integrated experience and customization capabilities, but without the need to install anything.

This makes it a perfect solution for those looking not only to stay informed, but also to enjoy other services and utilities (such as weather forecast, traffic, sports or finance) centralized under a single roof..

The history and trajectory of Microsoft Start: from MSN News to today

The Microsoft Start journey is a story of constant evolution driven by the pursuit of the best information experience for the user..

Microsoft News was born as part of the restructuring of the news services the company had already offered since its inception through MSN News and Bing News. For years, it was one of the most widely used news apps, especially on Windows Phone and in the early versions of Windows 8 and 8.1, as well as on the web.

In 2018, Microsoft opted to rebrand MSN News to Microsoft News, accompanying the name change with some improvements to the mobile app and operating system integration.However, the real revolution came in 2021, when the company decided to take a qualitative leap and rebrand the service as Microsoft Start, coinciding with a complete redesign of the web version and direct integration with the latest operating systems.

One of the key arguments for this radical change was the need to compete head-to-head with Google Discover and other personalized news feeds, but with the distinctive touch of integration with the Microsoft ecosystem and the guarantee of a reliable selection of news. The change also came with a new logo, icon, and user experience across the app and website.

Although at the end of 2024 Microsoft decided to give prominence back to the MSN brand reabsorbed by Start on the web and app, many of the services and integrations created under the Microsoft Start brand remain active in recent versions of Windows and mobile devices.It's an example of how the company adapts its approach to fit the information habits and preferences of today's users.

Differentiating advantages and potential of Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start not only seeks to be another source of information, but also to centralize, simplify and improve the daily lives of users by integrating news, weather, economy, traffic and utilities under a single interface.Some of its most notable advantages, based on the information gathered and user experience:

• Comprehensive customization: You can filter and decide which media, topics, and even authors interest you most, and the system learns from your habits to suggest content that's increasingly tailored to your tastes.
• Cross-platform experience: From the web to mobile apps and Windows integration, you'll always have the same unified experience, syncing saved interests and news.
• Privacy & Security: It allows for private browsing and control over what data you use to personalize your feed, something other platforms don't always offer.
• Information quality guaranteed: Collaboration with recognized media outlets and review by human journalists offer added confidence and security in the content consumed.
• Integration of utilities: You can check the weather, traffic alerts, sports scores, and the economy without leaving the platform, saving you time and centralizing important information.

This commitment to integration and customization makes Microsoft Start especially useful for those who want to stay informed without complications and without jumping between different applications..