Windows 11’s Start menu put off many, with its clunky layout and lack of customization options. Instead of beefing up and improving the previous menu designs of Windows 7 and Windows 10, Microsoft opted for a throwback redesign that puts off many users.
If you hate Windows 11’s new Start menu as much as I do, and want something more usable and customizable, here’s how to replace it.
Several third-party apps can replace the Windows 11 Start menu with a more familiar look and feel and a variety of ways to customize it. The program I use on my Windows 11 machines is Start11. But there are other utilities worth checking out, including StartAllBack and Open-Shell Menu. So here’s how to get the Windows 11 Start menu you deserve.
Start 11
Priced at $7.99 for a single license, this software lets you choose from four different Start menu layouts. Both Windows 7 and Modern styles feature the traditional two-column view, with all apps or favorite apps on the left and shortcuts to different Windows features and locations on the right. The Windows 10 style uses the familiar combination of menu and tiled screen. There’s even a Windows 11 style, but that offers more functionality and flexibility than the built-in menu. I’ve always liked the two-column view, that’s why I use the modern-style menu:
Start11 is an application for customizing the start menu of Windows 10 and 11. With it, you can position the menu and the taskbar as you wish, change the color and icons, etc.
- Release date : 05/16/2022
- Author : Stardock
- Licence : Demonstration
- Categories:
Utilities - Operating system : Windows 10/11
Whichever menu you choose, you can change its look, layout, and design. You can opt for a normal menu that uses the full width or for a more compact design that reduces certain elements. Additionally, you can configure the list of all applications, add and remove shortcuts, adjust color and appearance, and determine when and how the Start 11 menu is triggered:
Start 11 also provides much-needed support for the Windows 11 taskbar, which itself has been criticized for its limitations and lack of flexibility. You can change the taskbar’s color and transparency, adjust its size, choose where it should appear on a primary and secondary monitor, and decide if and when taskbar buttons should be combined:
Another bonus: you can rename, move, and delete folders and shortcuts right from the Start menu, just like Windows let you do a long time ago. Whether you use Start 11 as is or immerse yourself in its many customizations, you’ll find it to be a user-friendly and effective alternative to the normal Windows 11 Start menu:
StartAllBack
Priced at $4.99 for a license, StartAllBack is a more basic but perfectly acceptable Start menu replacement. Right off the bat, the program asks you which theme you want to use for the menu, giving you three choices: despite their names, all three follow the traditional two-column layout, with program shortcuts on the left and features windows on the right. The differences between them are rather aesthetic and depend on your preference for rounded or square corners, for example:
Holder of the new Windows 11 operating system, StartAllBack offers you the familiar interface, the Start menu and the taskbar aligned to the left of your Windows 7 or Windows 10.
- Release date : 06/12/2022
- Author : StartCom
- Licence : Demonstration
- Categories:
Personalization - Operating system : Windows 11
Once you’ve chosen your preferred theme, head to the Start Menu section of the program to change the style, appearance, and functionality of the menu. You can control the size of menu icons, choose to show modern apps in their own folder, choose to highlight recently installed programs, and configure shortcuts on the right side as menus or links:
Like Start 11, StartAllBack has the power to beautify the taskbar. You can choose a custom image for the Start button, select a visual style for the taskbar, and determine how to combine taskbar buttons. Even better, you can position the taskbar top, bottom, left, or right, a feature that Microsoft offered in Windows 10 but disappeared in Windows 11:
StartAllBack even leverages File Explorer, letting you choose between the ribbon interface or the command bar, enable the classic search box, and restore classic Windows 10 context menus. If you want a simple replacement but competent from the Start menu, StartAllBack is a good choice:
Open Shell Menu
Although it wasn’t designed specifically for Windows 11, Open Shell Menu is a free Start menu replacement that works in the new operating system, but it does take some tweaking. After downloading and installing the program from its GitHub page, you will need to activate a new Start button to access the menu. To do this, click the normal Windows 11 Start button, go to “All apps”, select the Open-Shell folder and click the Open-Shell menu settings shortcut.
Change the interface of Windows 8, Vista or Windows 7
- Downloads: 2
- Release date : 05/27/2022
- Author : Open Shell – Ivo Belchev
- Licence : Free software
- Categories:
Personalization - Operating system : Windows
In the “Settings” screen, choose the layout of the Start menu you prefer – classic one-column style, classic two-column style, or Windows 7 two-column style. Then check the “Replace the Start button” box and select one of the built-in images:
The settings screen allows you to change many other options. You can determine how to trigger the Open-Shell start menu, display recent or frequently used programs, choose the behavior of the “Shut down” button, and choose to display the search box. Then you can change the skin options to set font and icon sizes. A section dedicated to the taskbar allows you to adjust the size, color and opacity of the latter. Finally, you can choose which functions you want to appear in the Start menu and whether they appear as links or menus:
To go even deeper into the program, check the “Show all settings” box and review the additional options. Otherwise, click the Start button to see the results. While not as polished as Start 11 or StartAllBack, the Open-Shell menu is worth considering, especially if you’re looking for a free Start menu replacement:
Source: ZDNet.com