How do I customize my Windows 10 Start Menu for better control & improved experience? Since it’s one of the most common questions asked by several PC users. Here we’ve listed a complete bag of tricks to customize Windows 10 and make it fit according to your needs & requirements.
But first, let’s breakdown how Windows 10 Start Menu is organized:
- Narrow Panel on the left – It features important program icons, this may vary depending on your settings. Generally, it displays account settings and power options.
- The center panel (more or less in left) – It displays a list of all your programs arranged in alphabetical order.
- The right panel – It houses a table of tiles categorized under sections: Create, Play & Explore.
Now that you’ve understood the structure of Windows 10 Start Menu, let’s start personalizing it!
How To Change Windows 10 Start Menu
So, how should you get started? Well, there are plenty of ways in which you can customize your Windows 10 individually. Let’s start first by resizing the Start Menu.
1. Resizing Windows 10 Old Start Menu
Click on the Start Menu Button and go to the top edge of your Start Menu, so that your cursor pops-up the double-sided arrow. Drag the window up or down to resize your Start Menu.
The Screen Recording is done with TweakShot – Screen Capture tool!
2. Enable Full-Screen Mode For The Start Menu
To navigate through Windows 10 Start Menu items in full screen. Head towards system Settings > Click on Personalization > Hit on Start option in the left panel and toggle on Use Start Full-Screen option.
3. Add/Remove/Resize Tiles In The Start Menu In Windows
Similar to Windows 8, you can add, remove or resize the program tiles located in the right panel of your Start Menu.
- To add app tiles: Right-click on the desired program and choose ‘Pin to Start’ button.
- To remove app tiles: Right-click on the desired app and choose ‘Unpin from Start’ button.
- To rearrange the tiles: Just drag & drop app tiles using your mouse to change the position of programs.
- To resize app tiles: Right-click the tile you want to resize in Start Menu and choose to Resize option > select Small, Medium or Large.
4. Change Windows 10 Start Menu With Rainmeter
Rainmeter is an amazing platform that allows users to transform their desktop in a matter of few moments. It offers a bundle of desktop skins, themes, wallpapers, widgets and much more to enhance the overall look of your PC. You can look for different themes that can help you customize the Windows 10 Start Menu. Here you can check out the Best Rainmeter Skins for Windows!
5. Add More Shortcuts To Windows Folders
Believe it or not, but your Start Menu is capable of slimming down with all the bits and pieces of what your whole Windows 10 shows. To add shortcuts on your Windows 10 Start Menu. Go to Settings > Personalization > Hit Start option in the left pane > Click ‘Choose which folders appear on Start’. A list of shortcuts would appear, including File Explorer, Downloads, Music. Photos, Videos, Personal Folder, Network, etc. Turn on the options you would like to place on Start Menu window.
Personalize your Windows 10 Start Menu with your choice of colors. Quickly head towards system settings > Personalize menu > click on Colors option in the left panel > select the color that pleases you. Check the boxes where you want to apply the accent colors to: On the Start Menu, Taskbar, Action Center or on the Title Bars or both.
If you are someone who gets extremely annoyed with unnecessary app notifications, then simply disable them. How? Head towards Settings > System > Click on Notifications & Actions in the left pane > start switching off whatever app notifications you don’t want to be displayed.
Say goodbye to annoying notifications!
8. Use Third-Party Apps To Change Windows Start Menu
There are a plethora of third-party tools available in the market specially designed to customize Windows 10 Start Menu that can help you to create attractive titles for better navigation and an improved experience.
- Winaero Tweaker – It offers a bunch of Windows features and tweaks packed in a single dashboard. It also features several tweaks to unlock hidden Windows settings and other registry hacks to customize Windows 10 Start Menu as per your preference.
- Start10 – From changing the overall look of your Start Menu to applying a plethora of background colors and themes, Start10 offers everything you’ll need to change Windows 10 Start Menu. Apart from customizing your Start Menu, the tool also brings options to apply Windows 7 Style Start Menu and more.
- Tile Creator – Unlike other third-party apps mentioned here designed for optimizing the app tiles, Tile Creator is a unique program. It allows users to create custom tiles with images and colors according to your preference. Just grab the free software from Microsoft Store and create your own custom tiles on Windows 10.
That’s all folks!
These were some of our most favorite ways to customize the Windows 10 Start Menu. Tell us which one you found most interesting. Comment down your favorite tricks as well in the box below!