The start menu of Windows 11 and 10 can customize and use some alternatives according to your needs. It is awesome for pinning favorite apps to Start for quick access, accessing installed apps and programs, switching to another account, etc.
In most of these tools, you will have access to two Start menus (including the Windows Start menu) and two Start buttons to use separately. Moreover, these third-party Start menus work for you as long as you run these tools. When closing the tool, you can continue using the native Start menu.
Start Menu Alternatives for Windows 11 and 10
Use below free five tools to replace Windows 11 or 10 Start menu.
- Open Shell
- Spencer
- Start Everywhere
- Start Menu X
- Start Menu Reviver
Open Shell
Open Shell, earlier known as Classic Shell, was later renamed Neo-Classic-UI and is one of the best Start menu alternatives for Windows 11/10. When the original developer of Classic Shell discontinued its development a long time ago, volunteer developers started developing this as open-source. Only the name has been changed; the Start menu style, Start buttons, etc., are the same as the original.
With this Open Shell tool, use a Windows 7 style Start menu, a classic Start menu with a two-column style, or a traditional Start menu to access all the programs, Microsoft Store apps, etc.
The main features of Open Shell:-
- Start button with Aero, custom picture.
- Classic style Start Menu for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11.
- Set actions for the left mouse click, Windows key, Shift + Windows keys, Shift + left mouse button, etc. For instance, you can configure the Windows key to open the Start menu of this tool, etc.
- Customize the taskbar to set its opacity, look, color, etc.
- Enable or disable right-click context menu of this tool for Start menu items.
- Have a show or hide the Search box.
- Toolbar for Windows Explorer.
- Show file size in Explorer status bar.
- Change and choose from 40+ languages for the user interface.
- Backup and restore settings as an XML file.
On a Windows 11 PC, you will notice an additional Start menu on the extreme left side of the taskbar, then see the native Start menu remains untouched, and you can use both the Start menus separately.
Click on the
Next, from the Settings of Open-Shell Menu, click the Start menu style, skin, and button and click on the
Note:- Uncheck the option
Download Open Shell
You can easily download Open Shell from GitHub.
Spencer
It is a portable tool, so installing it on your Windows 11/10 system is not required. Just pin it to the taskbar and start accessing or launching installed programs, Windows Tools, File Explorer, Settings app, System Tools (Command Prompt, Task Manager, Run Command box, etc.), Accessories (Quick Assist, Steps Recorder, etc.), and more.
It only lets you access those items stored in the Programs folder available in two different locations of your Windows 11/10 computer. The complete path is:-
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
To use this alternative, download its ZIP file from the-sz.com. Extract the ZIP archive in a folder and double-click the exe file to open its menu.
Download Spencer
You can download Spencer from here.
Start Everywhere
Another free Start menu is for quick access to Store apps, installed programs, Desktop items, user profile files and folders, power options, most used items, recent items, system tools, Microsoft Store apps, etc.
It sits in the system tray by default, clicking on its icon, you can access and expand available menus when you install “Start Everywhere” on your Windows 11/10 computer.
To access the Settings, click its icon from the system tray and select Others > Settings > Open.
Merits of using Start Everywhere settings:-
- Enable AutoStart.
- Set Active corner size.
- Set the number of maximum files and folders to display.
- Change theme color, text, etc.
- Create or choose from 8 different theme colors.
- Show/hide Application Data, User Profile, and other menus.
Once you make the desired changes, click the
Download Start Everywhere
You can download the Start Everywhere from this link if you need it.
Start Menu X
It has exciting options and is a suitable replacement for Windows 11/10 Start menu. Even this application sits on the system tray, and access the Start menu by clicking it.
I am right-clicking its tray icon and selecting
Features of Start Menu X:-
- Different themes or skins for the Start menu.
- Change the Start button with pre-added buttons (Such as Pikachu, Windows 7 Start orb, Angry bird, etc.).
- Add buttons to the Start menu, such as Lock, Log Off, Hibernate, User Account, Switch User, Shut down, Restart, etc.
- Change its layout. Available layouts or styles are Start Menu X, Classic Start Menu, and Start Menu 10.
Start Menu X will open a new Start menu by default, when you install Start Menu X and click on it, pressing the Shift + Windows hotkey will show the native Start menu. Moreover, you can reverse this action from the Settings of this tool.
You can quickly access installed apps and programs in separate sections, use power options, and access This PC, Desktop, and other items.
Download Start Menu X
You can grab Start Menu X from here.
Start Menu Reviver
The main features are:-
- Add up to 64 tiles.
- Eleven different Start buttons are available.
- Set its size.
- Change the theme and set the color for the background, empty tiles, etc.
You will find a new Start button on the bottom left corner of your Windows 11/10 taskbar when you install and launch Start Menu Reviewer. Click on its Start Menu button to access the Start menu with the default layout and options.
Sections of Start menu:-
- Left: Let you access user accounts, This PC, Settings app, Run Command box, etc.
- Middle: Find tiles for pre-added apps, add more tiles, edit and reset a tile, etc.
- Right: This section shows an expanded menu to access all programs or apps separately. The expanded menu is set to grow automatically to view programs and apps. However, you can change its view mode from the Settings of this tool.
Right-click on its Start Menu and select
Download Start Menu Reviewer
You can download Start Menu Reviewer from this link.
