So you just upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and the centered Start Menu is not to your liking. Customize the Windows 11 Start Menu according to your preferences and give it a try. I’m sure there’s a lot to appreciate in the revamped Start Menu. After all, the new Start is touted as one of the best features of Windows 11. If you still don’t like the new Start experience, you can revert to the classic Start Menu powered by Live Tiles in Windows 11. If you’re completely done with the revamped UI, you can switch from Windows 11 to Windows 10 at any time. But before you do that, I suggest you try to make the most of it to customize the Windows 11 Start Menu.
Customize the Windows 11 Start Menu (2021)
Here, we’ve detailed everything you need to know about the new Windows 11 Start Menu and how to customize it for your needs. The new Start menu is different so you may need to give it some time to develop on it. Still, we’ve provided some important tips to improve your Start Menu experience in Windows 11.
Rearrange Icons and Pin Apps to Windows 11 Start Menu
1. The best way to find your favorite apps in any version of Windows is to pin them to the Start Menu. And you can do the same in Windows 11. Click on “All Apps” in the top right, scroll down and go to the app you want to pin to the Start Menu.
2. Next, right-click on it and select “Pin to Get Started” option. You can also do it from the desktop or any other location. And you can also pin folders to the Start Menu, as we explain below.
3. And voila! The app will appear in the “Pinned” section front and center.
Manage Pinned Apps in Windows 11 Start Menu
1. You can also: drag the app and move it to any location in the “Pinned” apps list you like
2. Also, if you pin more than 18 apps to Start Menu, Windows 11 adds a second page. You can swipe to navigate between different pages of pinned apps.
3. By the way, you can still search for apps in Windows 11 at: alphabetical order. Just open “All apps” and click any alphabet.
Setting Suggestions in the Windows 11 Start Menu
1. Firstly, open Settings and select “Personalization” from the left pane. Here, scroll down and go to the “Start” settings.
2. Now, “Show recently added appsTo find the new application or program in the Start Menu immediately after installing it. You save time without scrolling through the entire app list to find a newly installed app.
3. Then, “Show most used appsTo get suggestions for frequently used apps front and center in the Start Menu.
4. Then, “Show most used apps” transition is grayed out, you need to enable a privacy setting for it to work. Open Settings and jump to “Privacy & Security” from the left pane. Here, click on the “General” option.
5. After that, “Let Windows improve Start and search results by monitoring app launches”. Now go ahead and open the Personalization page once again. You will now be able to turn on the “Show most used apps” option.
6. Besides, Enable “Show recently opened items” In the “Start, Jump Lists and File Explorer” option. Provides quick access to files and programs you access on your Windows 11 PC in the Start Menu.
Add Folder to Windows 11 Start Menu
1. Similar to Windows 10, Windows 11 also lets you add folders to the Start Menu. Go to Settings -> Personalization -> Start page and select “folders“.
2. Here you can add folders like: Downloads, DocumentationPictures and more to the Start Menu.
3. The folders will appear on the screen. To the left of the power menu in the Start Menu. That way, you can quickly access important folders from the Windows 11 Start menu without having to scroll through pinned apps or anything.
4. In case you want to add Folder specific to the start menu, this is also possible in Windows 11. To do this, right-click on that folder and click on the “Pin to Start” option. The new OS natively supports pinning folders to the Start Menu so you don’t need to use any third party apps or tweak the AppData folder.
5. Now, the private folder, “Pinned” apps section in the Start Menu. You can use this feature to keep your desktop clean and clutter-free.
Bring Back the Classic Start Menu in Windows 11
If you don’t like the Windows 10X style Start Menu in Windows 11 and you want the classic Start menu with Live Tiles support back in Windows 11, you can do that too. Follow our linked article for detailed steps on how to edit registry files to access the old Windows 10 style Start Menu.
Microsoft has also added an option to go back to the left edge to the Start Menu and other taskbar icons. Go to Settings -> Personalization -> Taskbar and select “Left” from the new “Taskbar alignment” option.
Windows 11 Taskbar, Move Start Menu Up or Sideways
This was all about the Start menu, but if you want to move the taskbar to different sides in Windows 11, say top or right side, well, you can do that with some Registry tweaks. Follow our detailed guide on how to move the Windows 11 Taskbar to the top, left or right of the screen and you’ll be all set.
Personalize the Start Menu in Windows 11 to Get the Most Out of it
Here are some ways to customize the Windows 11 Start Menu, improve app and file recommendations, get quick access to your favorite programs, and more. As you use Windows 11 more and more, it’s clear that Microsoft doesn’t want you to go through the entire app list. Instead, it aims to provide a deeply personalized experience right from the start. Anyway, that’s it for us. But how was your experience in Windows 11? Comment below and let us know what you think about Microsoft’s next-gen desktop operating system. If you have some questions about Windows 11, check out our Windows 11 FAQs to clear all your doubts.