The Windows 11 Start menu has annoyed many people with its clumsy layout and lack of customization. Instead of enhancing and improving the previous menu designs from Windows 7 and 10, Microsoft opted for a backward redesign that left many of us wondering, “What were they thinking?”
Hit by user complaints, Microsoft has taken baby steps to try to improve the menu. One option added in late 2022 lets you create folders in which to store your Start menu shortcuts. A more dramatic overhaul that could address many of the menu’s flaws and limitations may roll out later in 2025. For now, though, the Start menu remains an awkward and frustrating feature, largely the same as it was when Windows 11 rolled out in October 2021.
Also: Your Windows 11 Start menu is getting a design makeover – here’s how to try it first
Well, if you hate the Start menu in Windows 11 as much as I do and want something more usable and customizable, your best bet is to switch to a Start menu alternative.
Several third-party apps can replace the Windows 11 Start menu, giving it a more familiar look and layout and allowing users to customize it in various ways. 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. Here’s how to get the Windows 11 Start menu you deserve.
Start11
Stardock’s Start11, priced at $9.99 for a single license, lets you choose from seven different Start menu layouts. The Windows 7 and Modern styles offer the traditional two-column display with all apps or favorite apps on the left and shortcuts to various Windows features and locations on the right. A Windows 10 style uses the familiar menu and tiled screen combination.
There are even four different Windows 11 styles, but they provide more features and flexibility than the built-in menu. I’ve always liked the two-column display, so I use the Modern style menu.
Whatever menu you choose, you can tweak its look, layout, and design. You can opt for a regular menu that uses the full width or a more compact design that shrinks certain items. Further, you can configure the All Apps list, add and remove shortcuts, adjust the color and appearance, and determine when and how the Start11 menu is triggered.
Start11 also provides much-needed assistance to the Windows 11 Taskbar, which has been criticized for its limitations and lack of flexibility. You can tweak the taskbar’s color and transparency, adjust its size, choose where it should appear on both a primary and secondary monitor, and decide if and when Taskbar buttons should be combined.
Another bonus is that you can rename, move, and delete folders and shortcuts directly from the Start menu, just as Windows long ago allowed you to do. To revert to the regular Start menu, you can change the actions that occur when you click the Start button or press the Windows key. Uninstalling Start11 will also bring back the default menu.
Whether you use Start11 as is or dive into its many customizations, I think you’ll find this a friendly and effective alternative to the regular Windows 11 Start menu, just as I do.
Also: The 10 best Windows laptops: Top notebooks, 2-in-1s, and ultraportables
StartAllBack
At a cost of $4.99 for one license, StartAllBack is a more basic but still capable Start menu replacement. Right off the bat, the program asks what theme you wish to use for the menu, offering three choices: Proper 11, Kinda 10, and Remastered 7. Despite their names, all three kick in the traditional two-column layout with program shortcuts on the left and Windows features on the right. The differences between them are more aesthetic and depend on whether you prefer rounded or square corners, for example.
After you’ve chosen your preferred theme, head to the Start Menu section in the program to tweak the menu’s style, appearance, and functionality. You can control the size of the menu’s icons, opt to display modern apps in their own folder, choose to highlight newly installed programs, and set up the shortcuts on the right side as menus or links.
Like Start11, StartAllBack possesses the power to spruce up the Taskbar. You can pick a custom image for the Start button, select a visual style for the Taskbar, and determine how to combine Taskbar buttons. Best of all, you can position the Taskbar at the top, bottom, left, or right, a capability that Microsoft offers in Windows 10 but killed in Windows 11.
StartAllBack even taps into File Explorer, letting you choose between the Ribbon interface or command bar, turn on the classic search box, and restore the classic context menus from Windows 10. If you ever want to revert to the regular Windows 11 Start menu, just uninstall StartAllBack.
If you want a simple but capable Start menu replacement, StartAllBack is a good choice.
Also: How to ‘downgrade’ a Windows 11 PC to a Windows 10
Open Shell Menu
Open Shell Menu is a free Start menu replacement that works well in Windows 11. After downloading and installing the program’s exe file from its GitHub page, click the regular Windows 11 Start button to access Open Shell Menu and select your preferred style. You can choose a classic one-column layout, a classic two-column layout, or a Windows 7 layout. To change the Start button, check the box for “Replace Start button” and pick one of the built-in images.
At the settings screen, you can customize other options: You can determine how to trigger the Open Shell Start menu, show recent or frequently used programs, choose the behavior of the Shut Down button, and opt to display the Search box.
Next, you can tweak the skin options to set the size of fonts and icons. A section for the Taskbar lets you adjust the size, color, and opacity of the Taskbar. Then you can pick which features you want to see in the Start menu and whether they appear as links or as menus.
To delve deeper into the program, check the “Show all settings” box and review the additional options. Otherwise, click the Start button to see the results. As with the other two programs, uninstalling Open Shell Menu brings back the regular Windows 11 Start menu.
Though it’s not as polished as Start11 or StartAllBack, the Open Shell menu is certainly worth considering, especially if you’re looking for a free Start menu replacement.
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