10 Easy Ways to Improve (or Replace) the Start Menu in Windows 11
Every major Windows update since Windows 8 has seen a redesign of the Start menu, and Windows 11 is no exception. This time, however, Microsoft has taken a radical approach: the taskbar is centrally located, the Start menu is devoid of live tiles, and there are only two sections – pinned apps and recommendations.
If you’re not happy with the new Start menu look, you can make changes to improve it or remove it altogether.
Make the Pinned Apps section really easy to use.
Let’s start by customizing the only main part of the Start menu (RIP Live Tiles). In the Pinned section, you’ll see a list of apps assigned to the Start menu. You can click the All Apps button to view a list of all installed apps. But the Pinned section by default only shows a list of apps, mostly Microsoft. After setting up your computer, we recommend unpinning the default apps and pinning the apps you actually intend to use.
Right-click any app in the Pinned section and select the Unpin from Start Menu option. Go to All Apps , right-click any app you want to pin, and select Pin to Start. »
Once you’ve pinned everything you want, drag them around to arrange the apps the way you want.
Remove malware
If you just bought a new Windows 11 laptop, chances are it has a lot of bloatware installed and will also clog up your Start menu. Honestly, do you really need to see TikTok in your Start menu every time you try to find a working app?
Luckily, Microsoft has made it easy to remove this malware. Go to the Pinned section and right-click on any app you want to remove. Select “Delete” from the context menu, and then click “Delete” again in the pop-up window. Repeat this for all unwanted applications. For a more thorough uninstallation process, go to All Apps in the Start menu and repeat the same steps there.
Disable the “Recommended” section
The star of the Start menu, according to Microsoft, is the new “Recommended” section. This section will show you the latest files, new apps, and app suggestions. But this is not always to the point. It is impossible to completely remove this section, but you can at least make it less noticeable.
Go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off Show recently opened items in Start Menu, Jump Lists, and File Explorer. »
Add quick folders and shortcuts to the Start menu.
In the bottom right corner of the Start menu, you will find a small power button. It’s so lonely there though. Give your little one some company by adding shortcuts and shortcut folders to the bottom of the Start menu.
Go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Folders . Enable the features or folders you want to see. (We recommend adding Settings , File Explorer , Downloads , and Personal Folder .)
Bring back the Start menu to the left
It’s not just the Start menu design that’s new. It’s also about placement. If you don’t like the Start menu being in the middle of the screen, there is an option to move it back to the left corner.
Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behavior . Here, from the “ Taskbar Alignment ” option, switch to “ Left Alignment ”.
Right click to open a really useful menu.
There is a secret Start menu that is arguably a lot more useful than the default Start menu. Right-click the Start button and you will get a list of options. From here, you can quickly open Settings, Task Manager, Terminal, Desktop, and more.
Create the Start Menu of your dreams with Start11
Even after making these changes, you may feel like it’s not enough. If you just can’t get the Windows 11 Start menu to work for you, it’s time to go back. Install the Start11 app (free for 30 days, then $5.99). This app will bring back the familiar Windows 10-style Start menu. You get a similar two-pane interface, customizable menus, a search box at the bottom, and more.
Plus, you can customize this as much as you want. You can even revert to a Windows 8-style full-screen Start menu if you want.
Use ExplorerPatcher to create a serious Start Menu.
ExplorerPatcher is a free, open-source utility that restores the taskbar, Start menu, and File Explorer from Windows 10. It is a very simple one-click utility that is also highly customizable. You can use it to return to the small and simple Start menu. Click here for more information on how to use ExplorerPatcher .
Make your Windows 11 Start Menu much better with StartAllBack
StartAllBack is another full-featured Start menu replacement that’s more focused on settings. You can use the Windows 7 theme if you want, but the beauty of this app is the sheer number of changes you can make to the Windows 11 Start menu.
You can change taskbar icons, bring back app shortcuts, center app icons, and keep the Start menu pinned to the left. Windows 7 and Windows 10 style Start menu themes are also available.
Ignore the Start menu and use the PowerToys Run launcher instead.
Here’s a radical idea: stop using the Start menu altogether. Ask yourself, how useful is this at all? There’s actually no way to disable the Start menu, but you can ignore it and use something better instead. For this, we recommend the PowerToys keyboard launcher . It’s similar to Spotlight on Mac and lets you launch apps, actions, and tasks from the keyboard.
Press Alt + Space to open it and enter to open an app, website, or do some math. Here are the best PowerToys keyboard shortcuts you should know .