If you use the Windows 11 style menu in Start11, it gives the option to remove the recommendation section and arrange the pinned apps into a group. You cannot do this with the start menu that comes with Windows 11. It can also make the Start Menu transparent
Aren't the folders that you can arrange pinned apps into, counting as groups for you? Like on an Android phone, I just drag one app onto another and it creates a group. Which I can then rename.
This is great to know, this was the only thing really stopping from updating to Windows 11. I hate that when I set the behaviour to show more apps than recommended, and I even empty the recommended section it still shows the empty section. It's such a waste of space.
@@xKhaozs what laptop?(brand and model)it is very rare that computer hardware factories make devices that support exclusively a single OS, probably the manufacturer of the laptop have drivers for windows 10 on its page
Open-Shell is in active development, the latest version is 4.4.190 released today. You just have to go to the releases page and you will find it there. The version you installed is the latest non beta release from 2022. Also, Shift+Click brings up the original Windows menu, no need to click on the edge of the menu icon.
@@CyberCPU hello can u help please i have problem when i point on icons on desktop the details not showing like size or video time any fix for this thx
StartAllBack is pretty cool. It adds full dark mode to legacy stuff like the control panel. And it's smaller than Start11 (And you can put folders into the programs section unlike ExplorerPatcher)
The thing with StartAllBack to keep in mind is that it doesn't work with Stardock WindowBlinds. I tried it once and it just keeped crashing the explorer until I stopped either StartAllBack or WindowBlinds.
@@markusTegelane They even said that they wouldn't give StartAllBack compatibility, because they're a competitor. Even though from what I remember, WindowBlinds and StartIsBack were compatible in Windows 10. Seems like a sabotage
I use Start 11 Modern. Very space efficient on my ultra-compact 10" laptop, love being able to scroll through all programs without opening another submenu, just like 10.
I already run Open Shell as a better start menu (and Explorer Patcher on my wife's Windows 11 system). So I'm mainly here because I loved the thumbnail. Timestamps would be helpful. Thanks for another great video.
I installed OpenShell on a new Win11 PC but with problems. The settings fonts are so small I have to use the magnifier to read them no matter how I resize the window. Also, I CANNOT make the start menu dark no matter what I try.
@@LeeBv9983 It may be your general font size settings, dependant on what you're running them at. For 1440p, we have font size generally set at 115 in custom scaling, under 'Advanced scaling' in Windows Settings. But it shows greyed out as 225% under 'change the size of text, apps and other items. ' We have Open Shell running on my wife's Windows 11 PC with these settings that you can try: Start Menu Style: Classic with two columns. Skin: Full glass. Default transparency. Large font. No icons in second column. Menu Look: Small icon size: 16 Large icon size: 32 Enable Menu Shadow. Enable Menu Glass. Opacity: 50% You can alter the icon size obviously, depending on your screen resolution.
@@ObakuZenCenter Thanks! As for monitor, it was small but OK on Win10 with 1980x1200 monitor but new Win 11 is on a 4K 3840x2160 already set at 150% font. But, I'll try the rest of the settings. Thanks!
Appreciated more than you know. I only just now realized windows 7 was old and find myself utterly confused by windows 10 or 11. The start menu re-skin/modification helps immensely
I always use Classic Shell. What I like especially about that and Open-shell is that it has a fair selection of skins and it actually ADDS a start menu next to (or over) the original one. (If it overlaps the original one you can use _Controls_ to add keybinds to choose which menu to open) On Windows 11 I use the Classic Shell menu to access my games; on the default one I access other apps (that aren't already pinned to the taskbar).
Love your channel, been working on computers since windows 3.11. very failure with dos prompts and commands here. I'm 60 years old and have no problems with learning new things you describe on your page. thanks for explaining everything the way you do.. GREAT JOB!
The Best Windows Start Menu by far was Windows 7... That is a hill I will die on. As a Network and System Admin I configure all the start menus the same so that all the employees have the same desktop experience. All The Software is uniform and where and how to launch them is uniform. Windows 7 Allows you to create "Folders" to group similar applications If you are limited in how you can structure your startmenu you have defeated the purpose of an application launcher. If you make the Start menu difficult to manage or require that you type the name of the application you want.... most people will just drop a shortcut on the desktop.
Preach it! What's the point of having icon "shortcuts" on your start menu when you can put them on your desktop. I keep a shortcut on my desktop to C:/...Start Menu and C:/... User Start Menu so I can manipulate or combine what is in the start menu. I also created a new folder in the User/Start Menu so I can put shortcuts to documents or programs I need to access all the time. "C:\Users\Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu" and "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu". I really hate 11 menus!
BIG feature in Start11 that practically makes it a must-have: seamless Everything search integration. Replaces Windows Search with Everything as long as you have it installed on your system and can be used by hitting the Windows key and typing. I want to think that StartAllBack has/had this feature, but my experiences with it were buggy, and required you to focus the search, and wasn't implemented anywhere near as cleanly as Start11.
In my opinion, the Windows 10 style is the best! You get full use of your monitor to display the files, folders, & apps you use. The bonus is that you can create tabs within the groups. The bonus+ is that you can create pages too! Didn't cross my mind to even have and once you do you don't want to go back. You can easily scroll from one page to another with your mouse. Definitely worth the $10! Only downside and why I watched this video is to figure out how to sort based on folders withing the group first then files but I'm on day 2 of the 30 day trial.
9:54 the 11 style is because you can install this on more then just windows 11. So if you wanted to to look like 11 for example (as you mentioned too). It's possible. Or if you just want a few of stardocks tweaks but keep 11 style.
The "Pin folder menu" in Start 11 is essentially the "Toolbar" feature in WIN10 which I really love and miss in WIN11. Not having it feels archaic!, glad I found Start 11!!!
It took 3 OEM keys to get Win11 Home to move to Pro. Not my first rodeo. I'm an old-school MCSE. The good news is that your discount did work and my son's PC went from home to pro.
I have been using StartisBack/StartAllBack for years and love it. I think it is the best overall. The fact that it makes the GUI closer to Windows 7 is the thing I like most.
2 months after this video has made, I have a very good opinion on Explorer Patcher. Bugs have been fixed, and also allows you to put the task bar in vertical position. I love it. Very smooth. Live titles, grouping titles, make folders, all works.
@@georgebetrian676 nvm i realised that it isn't *yet* but it will probably break later because microsoft is erasing the Windows 10 taskbar/start menu code from 11 and explorer patcher uses registry hacks to bring them back so it uses that left out code instead of replicating the start menu/taskbar
@@darkidk341 Thanks for the notice. I hope that removal will come not in a monthly release but in a new version so I can skip it. I will update the image stored of my windows, in case that chage happens suddenly
I've been using Startisback since 2014, I hated Win 8 UI but the performance was great so I found a workaround an stuck with it, I can't believe its been nearly 10 years WOW
I did use a Windows 7 PC for awhile. When I saw Windows 8 on someone else’s PC, I thought to myself, “No thanks. I stay with Windows 7 for now. “. After some time, I bought a Windows 10 PC, and used it for awhile. Now, I have a new Windows 11 Pro PC. Even though I never used Windows 8, I can understand why you don’t like it all. Thanks for all the info about the Windows 11 start menu alternatives.
Start11 having the Windows 11 as one of the plethora of options. It is about changing the grouping and texture that you demo’d plus all the other settings.
Nice video Rich I use Open Shell (yes my Windows 11 does support it and I have never had to get support for it) for my machines and it still has the Windows 11 menu as well plus Open Shell is free and I have the start button set as the old Windows7 orb . What I do is pin the the taskbar things that I use frequently ie : regedit, command prompt, Control panel, Notepad, snipping tool(old version) Settings Libre Office, calculator, disk clean, Powershell, etc etc this gives me a quick start to those apps although some like the command prompt still need a right click to admin rights. By the by Google Chrome 115 has just been released and it seems to me to be more intrusive than ever so I use the Brave browser which works on the Chrome principles . Anyway mate your channel is on of my go to channels so keep up the good work😀
Openshell works great on my win 10. My only issue with open shell is they didn't concentrate on making a consistent UI so explorer, context an other menu's don't match the basic shape of the start menu you choose. also mad at Microsoft for that too because we should have a consistent dark them through out the os an the option to round the corners of all menus is the user so desires!
did not know the classic-shell is no longer being developed and had the source code released and picked up by opene-shell so thx for the tip, not that I see many changes but always nice to have something actively developed rather then something 5 years old even though it worked perfectly on win10
I have W10. with taskbar verticaly on left (as ubuntu), start menu is cleaned from all the "tiles", so looks as win7 menu... it`s very handy setup. but! I love the windows 11 start menu!!!! can't get it due to hardware limitations... But! Now i know that "Start 11" can bring me that! ThankY!
Tell me we can still move the taskbar to the LEFT side. In what universe would a customer want to have FEWER options about how to customize the desktop and taskbar?
Start eleven is awesome especially if you want your taskbar at top and the different styles of Windows 11 start menus are great and the transparency effects are nice. It's totally worth the price.
Atleast the terrible tiles are gone. I always hated that in windows 8 and 10 but the spacing is too large between the icons on the windows 11 start menu because the start menu is simply too big and there’s too much wasted space. They haven’t did the start menu right since windows 7.
The options shown in the video to show "More pins" or "More recommendations" in the Windows 11 Start menu requires Windows 11 22H2, which you must manually update if you've forced Windows 11 on older hardware. Windows Update won't keep you updated.
OpenShell does have a newer beta version… I think it ends in.189… it makes the start button play much nicer with windows 11, though still not quite perfect, but much closer!
Though limited in some ways, I love StartAllBack! I have it on 3 Win11 computers I work on. The old context menus and file explorer changes alone are well worth the $5
I started using Classic Shell with Windows 8 and have stuck with it and Open-Shell through successive Windows versions. I haven't found anything else even remotely as customizable, including the ability to use a utility such as Resource Hacker to customize skins.
I have been using classic shell for many years and have it on my win 11.... I use it as my system looks like windows 7 and it is the best. thanks for the video.
I loathed Windows 8 and I ran it on a new, cheap Asus laptop for about an hour.......and the I wiped the hard drive and installed Linux Mint which I ran on it for 4 years until the crappy Asus laptop died. I am puzzled that Microsoft hasn't offered built-in options for the customer to choose, either during a fresh install, or after the install, to choose a different Start Menu.
I use Start 11 on my Windoze 11 PC. One of the worst things about Win11 is they removed the ability to add a custom toolbar to the task bar. I never used the start menu that much in Win10 because my task bar toolbar was more efficient for me. I'm a software junky so I have a lot of software on my PC. The Windoze 11 start menu was not a workable solution for me, plus the missing custom toolbar really made a hater out of me. Start 11 was the best fix I could find at the time, but I'm still not a fan of Win11 at all.
Funny how they all replicate Windows 7 or 10 (even to the point of using the remains of Windows 10) but the only start menu that is actually built from scratch is Start Menu Reviver because - unlike what you claim - it's not a clone of Windows 8, it is an attempt to make a brand new Windows 8 start menu that still allows to be touch compatible and other "Windows 8 stuff" instead of just cloning the past versions of the start menu. It was also built for Windows 8 and still claims to this day to be Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 compatible and make no mentions to be compatible with newer windows. So, the fact that it really sucks is beyond the point, you are just beating a dead horse.
14:00 Really you hate win 11 context menu? I get it's a setback, if you really take time and customize the context menu. That said I like how they cleaned up the context menu for vast majority of users who never get into customization of the context menu.. it hides everything you might not want to have your menu cluttered with. And if you need any shell extension and you use it by going an extra click to open the classic start menu.. it will automatically add that option to the modern context menu.. it's pretty cool if you ask me.
Love the content. Thank you. My hatred for all things Windows is the burning heart of a sun. Windows 8 was an unprecedented joke. Windows 11 shows the truth I've been screaming for decades: Microsoft is taking user control away from us; even system admins. I have the choice of not owning a computer or upgrading to Windows 11 so I can play my favorite game. Maybe some of these options can make the experience more bearable. Constructive Criticism: Say however less. Learn the difference betwen there is and there are. Learn when to say fewer vs. less. "There ARE a lot more pins, not as much room for recommended settings." "It gives you FEWER pinned icons and more recommendations."
Very nice! I always come to your videos for your great ideas. I always have to change things on my wife's computer because she's particular and likes to keep using what she's familiar with. These help. Thanks!
Thank you for all the work you give us. Although I knew about the programs you mentioned, I continue with the original version of open shell, which is the Classic Shell version 4.3.1, which works without problems even in 11.
imo the best one by far is explorer patcher bc it does not run in the background, doesnt keep the old start menu and you can tell its not just an overlay. as far as i can tell, its just a gui to change windows registry values
I dual-boot with Linux (Kubuntu specifically) and Windows 11, and I use StartAllBack on Windows 11. It's a great program. You can customize the start menu a bit by right-click settings options and adding different control panel settings to the start menu. So I can right-click display and have display show up on the start menu.
StartAllBack all the way, pity it can't be used on Windows 10 (older StartIsBack does work there though), speaking of Windows 8 start menu, those square tiles were actually really well designed for tablets and bigger phones, Microsoft will inevitably try to push them again with Windows 12 and proper tablet mode...
Please make a video on how to run Windows 7 on WIndows 7. Like full screen, seamless, at full speed, so you can just make Windows 11.. totally disappear and forget about it. And enjoy Windows 7 but with modern drivers on modern hardware with modern support, but not have to do a single thing inside Windows 11 except start the VM. That would be heaven. I think it's what everybody wants.
Every Start menus are just app luncher, aren't they? Only Win10 had innovation and iMO they should keep work on that and improve it to it's best. It was great idea to turn Start menu into something better.
At 3:31 actually you forgot to mention the 2 horizontal dots on the right of the Start Menu window. When click on them will show you more apps that one pins to the Start Menu
I installed Start 11 the first time I opened win 11. My idea of a apps launcher is a simple alphabetized list. I don't want the OS creating artificial distinctions, I don't need a huge open space with a big P to know where Photoshop is in the list, and I don't want things spread out all over the screen in an open grid. My computer is not a phone! I ;also do not need any of Microsoft's "Recommendations" which invariably suggest something which I NEVER use, or even would. I've been using it for almost a year now and had not a single bit of trouble out of it. I would put it into your win 11 "Recommended" section.
I don't completely hate it. However, if I used Windows 11 on one of my systems I would probably use explorer patcher. Currently all of my systems have Windows 10 still.
@@CyberCPU it's finr if you don't like it, i do have Startallback installed for a Better start Menu, but i only use it to make my Laptop look like it Runs Windows 7, but However it's fine not to like something
Starting with start 8 I have used the Stardoc program and am using the start 10 and if I go to windows 11 I will use start 11 great program and is cheap and easier than the free program out their. It just worked.
