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The Windows 10 Start menu strives to be versatile by offer you a traditional one-column menu and a tiled screen. You lot'll detect all your installed apps in the menu, and you tin can pin your favorite apps to the tiled screen for quicker and easier access. But editing the carte du jour itself is challenging–peculiarly if yous want to arrange and organize it into your own customized folders and shortcuts.

If you're not quite content with the Windows x Start carte du jour or the tiled department, or just want to explore other options, a Start bill of fare alternative is worth trying. One solid choice is a free plan chosen Open Beat out. Replacing the Windows x Start bill of fare with a more traditional Starting time menu, Open up Shell lets you customize the menu with the folders and shortcuts of your pick.

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Open Beat is based on another Windows Start carte du jour culling called Archetype Shell. A popular program, Classic Shell ceased agile development in December 2017. Since and then, development has been taken over by volunteers on GitHub who christened the new program Open Vanquish. The last version of Classic Shell withal works finer, and it remains available for download at its website, but if you'd prefer to use a plan that is continually updated, Open Crush is a meliorate option.

First, download the latest version of the OpenShellSetup .exe file from the program's GitHub page. Run the downloaded .exe file to install the software. After installation, the Settings window opens for Open up Shell. At this screen, cull your preferred layout for the Commencement menu: Classic style With Ane Column, Classic Style With Two Columns, or Windows seven Style. You tin also opt to replace the Start button with a dissimilar icon (Figure A).

Figure A

You can click on the other sections in Settings, such equally Basic Settings, Skin, and Customize Starting time Bill of fare. Yous can also cheque the box to Evidence All Settings where you lot can tweak every attribute of the programme. Only the array of settings tin can be overwhelming and then I would recommend using the Open Shell menu at this point to run across if y'all similar it. You can then ever return to the Settings window to fully customize the program. Click OK to shut the Settings window and so click on the Get-go button. The Open Shell Start menu appears with the layout you choose in Settings (Figure B).

Figure B

For case, if you selected the Windows vii Style menu, recently-used apps appear on the left, while specific features and folders, such every bit Documents, Pictures, Control Console, and Settings, appear on the right. Click on the All Programs entry to change the view on the left to all installed programs (Figure C).

Figure C

Yes, the All Programs card probably looks similar a mess with folders and shortcuts scattered about, only you can now customize the carte by creating specific folders and moving shortcuts into the right folders. You can practise this two different ways. Right-click anywhere on the All Programs menu. Select the command for New Folder (Figure D).

Figure D

In the text field, blazon the proper noun you wish to give the binder. For instance, if yous're creating a binder to store all the shortcuts for Microsoft Role, phone call the folder Microsoft Function. If you're creating a binder to shop utility programs, call the folder Utilities. Click OK (Figure Eastward).

Figure E

Subsequently you lot've created the necessary folders, move the appropriate shortcuts into them. Move the shortcuts for all the Microsoft Office programs into the Microsoft Office folder. Move all your utility programs into the Utilities folder. You lot tin hands do this in the Open Trounce menu by dragging and dropping a shortcut into the advisable folder. Yous can also correct-click on a shortcut and select Cut from the menu. Then correct-click on its new folder and select Paste (Figure F).

Effigy F

Alternatively, you tin can create folders and movement shortcuts in File Explorer. To get to the right folder, right-click on the entry for All Programs and select Open or Open All Users. Some Windows programs and apps install for all users then that every account on the PC can access them. Other programs install only for the current user. The Open All Users option points y'all to shortcuts to programs installed for all accounts, while the Open up option points y'all to shortcuts for programs installed but for your account. Ultimately, you lot'll need to work with both locations to fully organize all your apps if you wish to do so through File Explorer. (Figure M).

Figure 1000

In File Explorer, position the window for the First menu shortcuts for all users and the window for the shortcuts for the current user. I prefer to move all the shortcuts into the carte du jour for all users and so they're all in one single place. From there, yous can then create folders and move the corresponding shortcuts into the right ones (Figure H).

Figure H

When y'all're finished, close the File Explorer windows. Click on the Start button and so click the entry for All Programs to see your customized bill of fare (Figure I). If you lot want to access the regular Windows ten Start menu, click on Back then select the entry for Start Carte (Windows­) at the summit.

Figure I

If you're happy with Open Beat, you can farther customize the program. To do this, correct-click on its Outset button and select Settings. Y'all tin can at present tweak the basic settings. Cheque the box to Bear witness All Settings to view and work with more than advanced settings.