Customize the Windows 7 Start Menu
by Mark Kaelin | September 27, 2010 6:34am PDT | Image 1 of 10
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The basic Start Menu
The Start Menu in Microsoft Windows is the first place most users go when they interact with the operating system. But the way the Start Menu is configured is not set in stone. Windows 7 allows users to change which applications will be listed in the menu and how they will be presented. This customization process is relatively straightforward and simple and you don't even have to use regedit.
Customization
This image shows a typical Start Menu with application links down the left side and library and folder links down the right. At the bottom of the left side of links is the All Programs link.
This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic blog post and download. Image created by Mark Kaelin for TechRepublic.
Customization
This image shows a typical Start Menu with application links down the left side and library and folder links down the right. At the bottom of the left side of links is the All Programs link.
This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic blog post and download. Image created by Mark Kaelin for TechRepublic.
Just In
So, is there an easy way to make the menu taller, so that one does not need to use scroll bars so much to find a program?
@carlolsen@...
If you still have too many programs after increasing the "Number of recent programs to display", create category folders in your Start Menu.
Right click "All Programs" and choose "Open All Users".
Create your category folders and move the program shortcut folders to the desired locations.
You will probably have to delete a bunch of empty folders (for some reason move and cut don't necessarily remove the old folders).
I have 12 category folders in my Start Menu.
My 53 installed programs are distributed amongst them.
If you still have too many programs after increasing the "Number of recent programs to display", create category folders in your Start Menu.
Right click "All Programs" and choose "Open All Users".
Create your category folders and move the program shortcut folders to the desired locations.
You will probably have to delete a bunch of empty folders (for some reason move and cut don't necessarily remove the old folders).
I have 12 category folders in my Start Menu.
My 53 installed programs are distributed amongst them.
There is also a free add-on for Win7 that converts the start menu to the older XP style called CSMenu, available at:
http://www.csmenu.com/
Many other handy Win7 tips may be found at:
http://www.howtogeek.com/tag/windows-7/
http://www.csmenu.com/
Many other handy Win7 tips may be found at:
http://www.howtogeek.com/tag/windows-7/
This is what I use---the free version:http://www.startmenu7.com/index.html
The windows 7 start menu is absolutely horrible as was Vista's. I have many Clients that were very happy with Windows 7 at first, but have come to the same conclusions as many other people I know, and that is Microsoft seems to enjoy disfunctionality and confusion. Is it "Documents" or "My Documents" or "Public Ducuments" or "Documents and Settings" etc., etc. etc.. No, the Windows 7 start menu is a giant step backwards but, as usual, leave it up to third party solutions to fix the messes that Microsoft makes. As for most of my Clients, after months of enduring windows 7, they have installed the Windows XP start menu the easy way---they got rid of Windows 7 and reinstalled Windows XP. Talk about happy people, I didn't realize how much better I actually like XP until I reinstalled on a few machines. I'm sticking with XP until open source matures a bit more.
The windows 7 start menu is absolutely horrible as was Vista's. I have many Clients that were very happy with Windows 7 at first, but have come to the same conclusions as many other people I know, and that is Microsoft seems to enjoy disfunctionality and confusion. Is it "Documents" or "My Documents" or "Public Ducuments" or "Documents and Settings" etc., etc. etc.. No, the Windows 7 start menu is a giant step backwards but, as usual, leave it up to third party solutions to fix the messes that Microsoft makes. As for most of my Clients, after months of enduring windows 7, they have installed the Windows XP start menu the easy way---they got rid of Windows 7 and reinstalled Windows XP. Talk about happy people, I didn't realize how much better I actually like XP until I reinstalled on a few machines. I'm sticking with XP until open source matures a bit more.
@warnerpeter@... Just because you don't know how to use it, doesn't mean it is horrible. There is nothing wrong with the Windows 7 start menu and it's actually very intuitive. Maybe you should try to learn new technology before you discount it.
I just installed Windows 7 a couple of days ago upgrading from XP and had done all this already. I even did a few extra options he has not got listed here like adding the downloads folder onto the menu list under the oned normally there
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