Windows 10 is the latest operating system from Microsoft. It was released in July 2015 and has since been adopted by millions of users. If you’re using Windows 10 on a computer that’s running Windows 8 or 8.1, you may not have the new start menu. The start menu is a feature that was introduced in Windows 10 and is missing on older versions of Windows. If you want to get the start menu back on your computer, there are a few things you can do. First, open Settings from the Start menu and click System. Under “Personalization,” click Start Menu and Taskbar. In the “Start Menu” section, under “Show icons on the taskbar,” select “Only show icons when I’m using the taskbar.” This will hide the start menu from view when you’re not using it, but it will still show up when you right-click on an empty area of the taskbar and select “Show hidden icons.” You can also add items to your start menu by going to Start > All apps > Accessories > File Explorer (or whatever name your file explorer has). Right-click on an empty area of the file explorer window and select “Add an app to this window.” You can then add items to your start menu by selecting them from this list. ..
What’s Wrong With Windows 11’s Start Menu?
Windows users are typically pretty resistant to change when it comes to the user interface (UI), especially when Microsoft changes prominent things like the Start Menu, the right-click context menu, or the taskbar.
The Windows 11 Start Menu has proven to be one of the more controversial changes that came with Windows 11— it doesn’t display your installed applications without an extra click, you can’t show your pinned applications while displaying your installed applications, you can’t sort your pinned applications into groups, you can’t change the size of the icons of your pinned applications, and the entire recommended section is automatically populated.
It looks nice, but it is a significant step down from the Windows 10 Start Menu in terms of utility and customization.
How Do I Get the Windows 10 Start Menu Back?
Fortunately, there is an option: Stardock’s Start11. Start11 lets you customize the taskbar and the Start Menu.
Stardock provides a free 30-day trial for Start11 so you can take the software for a spin and see if you like it. Head to the download page, then click “Try Free for 30-days.” The link will redirect you to another page, and your download should start immediately.
Run the file that downloads. Click “Start a 30 Day Trial” unless you want to purchase a key or have already done so. You’ll just need to enter an email, and then you’re good to go.
The Windows 11 taskbar lacks some of the features the Windows 10 taskbar has — the first prompt you see will be related to those additional functions. Click “Yes.”
You’ll also be prompted to pick the location of your Start button, even though the previous prompt also mentioned forcing the Start button to the left side.
Select “Windows 10 Style” from the list and you’re done. It will take effect immediately.
There are a ton of additional customization options available for the new Start Menu once it has been activated. You should take the time to look through them and see if there are any additional settings that appeal to you.
Is Start11 Safe to Use?
Yes. Stardock has been making software like this for Windows since the late 1990s. They also make games, like the popular real-time strategy series “Galactic Civilizations.” You don’t need to worry about malware as long as you download it from the official source.
Start11 isn’t going to harm your computer in other ways, either — the absolute worst-case scenario is that your user interface gets buggy because a Windows update or some other software interferes with Start11. Nothing a quick uninstall and then computer restart won’t fix completely.
On that note, Start11 has proven to be remarkably stable. In the several months we’ve been using it, it hasn’t crashed, hung, or otherwise experienced a glitch, despite being used every single day. If you have to use a Windows 11 PC and you don’t like some of the changes to the user interface, Start11 is definitely worth the money.
