How to Customize the Start Menu in Windows 10

Edited 3 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

Windows 10Start MenuPersonalizationSettingsFeaturesSystemCustomizationInterfaceUsabilityApplications

Windows 10 offers a great balance between the classic Start menu of older versions and the full-screen Start screen of Windows 8. The result is a customizable Start menu that can adapt to your personal preferences. Understanding how to change the Start menu in Windows 10 can help you bring more order, personalization, and efficiency to your desktop experience.

Understanding the start menu layout

Before we get into customization, let's understand the basic layout of the Start menu. It consists of two primary sections:

• Left side: It contains the app list where you can find an alphabetical list of all your installed apps. It is designed for quick access to the programs you use most often.
• Right section: This is the "Tiles" section where you can pin your favorite applications and arrange them as you like. This can include live tiles that update in real time, such as showing weather updates or the number of unread mail.

Accessing the start menu settings

To customize the Start menu, you'll first need to access Settings:

1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of your screen.
2. Select Settings (represented as a gear icon).
3. In the Settings window, select Personalization.
4. From the left sidebar, select Start.

Pin and unpin apps

Pinning apps to the Start menu is a quick way to keep your most used applications accessible:

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Browse the app list or use the search bar to find an app.
3. Right-click on the application's name.
4. Select Pin to Start from the context menu. The app becomes a tile on the right side of the Start menu.

To unpin an app, simply right-click on the pinned tile in the right section and select Unpin from Start.

Resize and arrange tiles

The tiles in the Start menu can be resized and rearranged to your liking:

• To resize a tile, right-click it, hover over the Resize option, then choose Small, Medium, Wide, or Large.
• To move a tile, click and drag it to the location you want in the Start menu. You can reposition an entire group of tiles by dragging the group's title bar.

Creating and naming groups

Start menu tiles can be organized into groups, making it easier to find related apps:

1. Drag a tile into the space between existing groups until a separator appears, then release it.
2. Click the blank space above the group and type a name for the group, such as “Work” or “Entertainment.”

Use of live tiles

Live tiles are tiles on the Start menu that can display updates in real time. For example, a weather tile can show the current temperature or conditions without opening the app:

1. Right-click on the tile to enable or disable live updates.
2. Hover over More options and click Turn Live Tile On or Turn Live Tile Off.

Adding folders to the start menu

For quick access, you can add folders such as Documents, Downloads, and Pictures to the Start menu:

1. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start.
2. Click Choose which folders appear on Start.
3. Turn on the toggle for the folders you want to appear in the Start menu next to the power button.

Enabling the full-screen start menu

If you liked the Windows 8 Start screen, you can enable a similar full-screen experience:

1. Open Settings > Personalization > Start.
2. Toggle on Use full-screen Start.

When you enable this, opening Start will take up the entire screen, and your pinned and current apps will appear in greater numbers.

Customizing more settings

In the same settings under "Start", you'll find additional customization options:

• Show more tiles: Enable this if you want to show more tiles in each row.
• Show recently added apps: This displays newly installed or added apps to the Start menu.
• Show most used apps: This will show your frequently used apps in the start list.
• Occasionally show suggestions on Start: Windows occasionally provides suggestions that can be enabled or disabled.

Using the taskbar and start menu properties

The taskbar and Start menu properties allow detailed control:

1. Right-click the taskbar.
2. Select Taskbar settings.
3. Scroll down and click Start; adjust the preferences according to your preference.

Organizing via the file system

You can also customize the Start menu by organizing the file system:

1. Using File Explorer, navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.
2. Create folders for different categories and move the corresponding app shortcuts to these folders.

This will be reflected on the Start Menu app list structure.

Restoring the start menu to default

If you want to reset the Start menu, you can restore it to the defaults:

1. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start.
2. Turn off all custom toggles.
3. Remove extra tiles created by right-clicking and unpinning each tile.

Additional tips and tricks

To increase the usability of more advanced Start menu features, consider the following:

• Keyboard shortcuts: Windows key opens the Start menu, Windows key + number opens the corresponding numbered app pinned to the taskbar.
• Using the search bar: Start typing the name of the app you want to find, Windows will automatically search for relevant files or programs.

Conclusion

Customizing the Start menu in Windows 10 greatly enhances your productivity, provides quick access to essential tools, and delivers a personalized user experience. By following these steps, you can tailor the Start menu to best suit your workflow and style preferences, making your daily interactions with Windows 10 more intuitive and more efficient.

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