Start Menu Customization in Windows 10 and 11: A Complete Guide

Introduction / Why This Is Needed

The Start menu is the central hub for accessing applications, settings, and files in Windows. By default, its interface may not be optimal for your needs: too many unnecessary elements, inconvenient layout, or lack of quick access to frequently used programs. Customizing the Start menu allows you to:

• Speed up access to needed applications.
• Remove visual clutter (unused tiles, recommendations).
• Adapt the interface to your workflow (e.g., group software by category).
• Optimize screen space (change size or position).

After completing this guide, your Start menu will become a personalized and efficient tool.

Requirements / Preparation

Before you begin, ensure that:

1. You have Windows 10 (version 1507 or newer) or Windows 11 (any version) installed.
2. You are logged in as a local user (standard permissions are sufficient; administrator rights are not required for basic settings).
3. For advanced settings via the registry (step 6), it is strongly recommended to create a system restore point or export the registry key before making changes.

⚠️ Important: Some Start menu settings may be blocked by organizational policies (e.g., in corporate networks). If options are unavailable, contact your system administrator.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Open Start Menu Settings

All main customization options are located in one place:

1. Press Win + I or open Settings via the Start menu (gear icon).
2. Navigate to Personalization (in Windows 10) or Personalization → Start (in Windows 11).
3. On the left, select Start.

You will see toggles and options that affect the Start menu's display and behavior.

Step 2: Change Size and Position

For Windows 10:

• Size: Open the Start menu (press Win or click the logo). Hover the cursor over the right or bottom edge of the menu — a double arrow will appear. Hold the left mouse button and drag to resize. Alternatively: in settings (Personalization → Start), use the dropdown "Start menu size" (Small, Medium, Large).
• Position on screen: By default, the Start menu opens in the lower-left corner. To change alignment, go to Settings → Personalization → Taskbar and under "Taskbar alignment" select "Left" (default) or "Center" (this indirectly affects Start menu perception).

For Windows 11:

• Size: In Windows 11, the Start menu size is fixed and automatically adjusts based on the number of pinned apps. It cannot be changed manually.
• Alignment: As in Windows 10, this is controlled via Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar alignment. By default, the Start menu and app icons are centered.

Step 3: Manage Pinned Apps (Tiles and Icons)

Pinned apps are the main elements of the Start menu.

To add an app:

1. Find the app in the Start menu or via Windows Search.
2. Right-click on it.
3. Select "Pin to Start".
   • Note: In Windows 11, the app will be added as an icon in the "Pinned" section. In Windows 10 — as a tile (live or static).

To remove an app:

1. In the open Start menu, locate the tile/icon.
2. Right-click on it.
3. Select "Unpin from Start".

To resize a tile (Windows 10 only):

1. Right-click the tile → "Resize".
2. Choose a size: Small, Medium, Wide, Large.
   • Live tiles (e.g., Weather, News) support only specific sizes (usually Medium, Wide, Large).

Reorganization:

• Drag and drop: Hold a tile/icon with the left mouse button and drag it to the desired location.
• Create a folder: Drag one tile/icon onto another — a folder will appear. Name it by clicking the folder title.

Step 4: Create Folders and Groups

Folders (both versions):

• Drag one pinned tile/icon onto another to create a folder.
• To add to an existing folder, drag an element into it.
• Rename a folder: Open the folder (click it), click the title (e.g., "New folder"), and enter a name.

Groups (Windows 10 only):

• In Windows 10, you can create groups — unnamed clusters of tiles. Simply drag a tile into an empty area of the Start menu to create a new group. Groups have no titles but are visually separated by spaces.

💡 Tip: For quick sorting in Windows 10, use drag-and-drop tiles into groups by category: "Work", "Games", "Utilities".

Step 5: Configure Displayed Elements

Here you control what else, besides pinned apps, appears in the Start menu.

General settings (both versions):

• "Show app list": Enable to display an alphabetical list of all installed programs when scrolling down from pinned items.
• "Show recently added apps": Shows apps installed in the last few days.
• "Show most used apps": Automatically promotes frequently launched programs.

Windows 10 specific:

• "Show live tiles": Enable for tiles to update content (weather, mail, news). Disable to remove animation and save resources.
• "Choose which folders appear on Start": Click the button to add folders (Documents, Downloads, Pictures, etc.) to the left side of the Start menu.

Windows 11 specific:

• Instead of live tiles and folder selection, Windows 11 has a section "Folders to show on Start". Here you can enable display of system folders (e.g., "Files", "Mail", "Calendar") to the right of pinned apps.

Step 6: Advanced Settings via Registry (Windows 10 only, optional)

⚠️ Caution: Incorrect registry edits can make the system unstable. Before editing, create a restore point (Control Panel → Recovery → Configure → Enable) or export the registry key (File → Export in Registry Editor).

For fine-tuning (e.g., disabling animation, changing accent color), you can use the registry:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, press Enter.
2. Navigate to:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage
   

3. Modify the DWORD values:
   • Start_TrackDocs (1 — show recent documents, 0 — hide).
   • Start_TrackProgs (1 — show recent programs, 0 — hide).
   • Start_ShowClassicMode (1 — disable live tiles, 0 — enable).
4. Restart your computer or restart File Explorer in Task Manager.

Verify the Result

1. Open the Start menu (Win or click the logo).
2. Ensure that:
   • Size is changed (Windows 10) or alignment is set (Windows 11).
   • Pinned apps appear in the desired order and groups/folders.
   • Unnecessary elements (live tiles, recent apps) are hidden.
   • The full app list (if enabled) is accessible when scrolling.
3. Launch a few apps from the Start menu to test functionality.

Possible Issues

Issue: Cannot resize Start menu (Windows 10)

• Cause: Start menu is not open or you're not dragging the edge.
• Solution: Ensure the Start menu is actively open (Win key pressed or logo clicked). Hover specifically over the right or bottom edge — a double arrow should appear. If that doesn't work, check settings under "Personalization → Start → Start menu size".

Issue: Live tiles not updating or missing

• Cause: The app doesn't support live tiles, or the option is disabled.
• Solution:
  1. Check if "Show live tiles" is enabled in Start menu settings.
  2. Verify that the app itself (e.g., "Weather") has a live tile. Some third-party programs may not support this feature.
  3. Restart the app or the computer.

Issue: Start menu settings reset after reboot

• Cause:
  • Group policies are enabled (e.g., in a corporate environment).
  • User profile corruption.
• Solution:
  1. Check if settings are available (they may be grayed out). If so — contact your administrator.
  2. Try creating a new local user and configure the Start menu there. If the problem disappears, the profile is corrupted — migrate your data and switch to the new user.
  3. Run sfc /scannow in Command Prompt (as administrator) to check system file integrity.

Issue: Cannot add a folder to Start menu (Windows 11)

• Cause: In Windows 11, you cannot directly add an arbitrary folder as a tile. Only apps can be added.
• Solution:
  1. Create a shortcut for the folder (right-click the folder → "Create shortcut").
  2. Rename the shortcut (e.g., "My Projects").
  3. Find this shortcut in File Explorer, right-click → "Pin to Start".
  4. The shortcut will appear in the Start menu as an icon. Clicking it opens the folder.

Issue: Start menu won't open at all

• Cause: System file corruption, software conflict, shell failure.
• Solution:
  1. Restart File Explorer in Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc → Processes → File Explorer → Restart).
  2. Run sfc /scannow and DISM (DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth) as administrator.
  3. If the problem persists, create a new user or use a restore point.
  4. Additionally: check the article /errors/windows/start-menu-not-opening on FixPedia.