Windows 11 is the latest operating system from Microsoft that comes with a sleek and modern interface, including a redesigned Start Menu. While the Start Menu in Windows 11 offers a fresh and simplified look, it’s also highly customizable, allowing you to personalize it to suit your preferences and workflow.
In this blog post, we’ll explore various ways to customize the Start Menu in Windows 11, from moving the Start Menu to the left, changing the layout of the Start Menu, and more. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
How to Customize the Start Menu in Windows 11
There are different ways you can customize the Start Menu according to your liking. Here, we’ll discuss all the possible ways to customize it. Let’s discuss them one by one.
1. Pin and Unpin Apps from the Start Menu
First, let us discuss how to pin and unpin apps on the Start Menu. Pinning your favorite apps to the Start Menu gives you quick access to apps in no time.
Here are the steps you can follow to pin and unpin apps on the Start Menu:
1. Click on the Start button.
2. It will open the Start Menu. Here, look for the All Apps option and click on it.
3. Now, look for the app that you want to pin on the Start Menu and right-click on it.
4. Then click on the Pin to Start option from the context menu.
5. Now, to unpin the App from the Start Menu. Right-click on the App and click on the Unpin from Start option.
2. Remove the Items from Recommended
The Recommended section is the quickest way to access recently opened files in Windows 11. If you want to remove a particular item from the recommended list, you can do so.
Here are the steps you can follow to remove items from Recommendations:
1. Open the Start Menu by clicking on the Windows icon on the taskbar.
2. You will get the Recommended section on your Start Menu.
3. Here, right-click on the item and select the Remove from list option. This will remove the particular item from the Start Menu recommended section.
3. Group Apps into Folders
If you want to create folders on the Start Menu, you can organize your apps by doing so. Here is how you can do it.
1. Click on the Start button.
2. Drag one app onto another to create a Start Menu folder. You can also drag more apps into it.
3. Now, click on the folder and edit the name of the folder.
You can use this feature to organize applications of the same category into one folder for easier access.
4. Changing the Start Menu Layout
If you don’t like the default Windows 11 Start Menu, you can change it. In the latest version of Windows 11, you will have access to three different types of Start Menu layouts that you can customize according to your needs.
Here’s how you can change the Start Menu layout:
1. Open Windows Settings
2. Click on the Personalization tab from the left pane of the Settings window.
3. Then, select the Start options present to the right of your screen to configure Start Menu layout options.
4. Here, you will see a list of layout styles. Select the one you like the most.
- More Pins: This will display more pinned apps on the Start Menu.
- Default: The default layout will show the same number of pinned apps and recommended files and apps.
- More Recommendations: This will show more recommendations and fewer pinned apps.
5. Disabling Recommend Section
The Recommended Section in Windows 11’s Start Menu is a quick and easy way to open recently used files on your system. If you prefer not to display the most-used files in the Start Menu’s Recommended section for privacy reasons, you can disable it.
Here are the steps to do so:
1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Here, click on the Personalization tab from the left pane of the Settings window.
3. Then, select the Start options present to the right of your screen.
4. To remove the Recommended section, turn off the Show recently added apps, Show most used apps, Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer, and Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more, toggles to clear recent files from the list.
6. Adding Start Menu Folder
Now, if you want to add a Start Menu Folder in the same area where the power icon is located, you can easily do so. It will give you quick access to those folders.
To add Start Menu folders, follow the below-mentioned steps:
1. Open Windows Settings by pressing the Win + I key combination.
2. Navigate to Personalization > Start settings.
3. After that, look for the Folders option and click on it.
4. Here, you will find a list of folders that you can add to Windows 11 Start Menu. To add them, simply turn on the toggle next to each one.
5. Once you have enabled the Start Menu folder option, you will now see that the Start Menu folders have been added.
6. Now, you can use it for quick access.
7. Moving the Start Menu to the Left
Do you know that you can also move the Start Menu location? In the latest Windows 11, we have a centered Start Menu. If you prefer the old-school Windows 7 Start Menu location, then you can change it. In Windows 7, the Start menu is on the left.
Follow these steps to move the Start Menu to the left:
1. Right-click on the Taskbar area.
2. Then select the Taskbar Settings option from the menu.
3. Now, you will get the Taskbar settings option. Here, scroll down and click on the Taskbar Behavior Setting option.
4. After that, look for Taskbar Alignment and change it to Left from the drop-down menu.
5. This will move your Start Menu to the left as you can see in the below screenshot.
8. Changing Background Color
If you want you can also change the Start Menu background color to dark and light. Here is how:
1. Open Windows Settings.
2. After that, go to Personalization > Colors Settings
3. Here, under the Choose your mode option, you can select the color between light and dark. If you wish, you can also change the accent color from here.
Note: In Windows 11, if you have transparency effects enabled and want to disable these effects in the Start Menu, simply turn off the toggle next to the Transparency effects option.
Conclusion
Customizing the Start Menu in Windows 11 is a simple yet effective way to enhance your productivity and make your computer experience more enjoyable. By rearranging apps, pinning your favorite apps, and adjusting Start Menu settings, you can tailor the Start Menu to meet your specific needs.
Take advantage of these customization options to create a Windows 11 Start Menu that works best for you. That’s it! This is how you can customize the Start Menu in Windows 11. However, if you are facing any issues with Start Menu then check out the detailed guide on how to fix Windows 11 Start Menu not working.
