Microsoft appears to rethink the Begin menu with every new model of Home windows. Leaping from Home windows 10 to Home windows 11 could make your head spin with all the brand new instruments and methods it’s important to study earlier than you’ll be able to absolutely navigate the menu.

And even after you get used to the modifications, there are all the time hidden options it’s possible you’ll not understand exist. Regardless of which model of Home windows you employ, right here’s a rundown of the best way to most successfully use the Begin menu.

Click on the Begin button in Home windows 10, and all of your put in apps are listed alphabetically as shortcuts. Most of them seem individually, however some (reminiscent of Home windows Equipment) are nestled in folders that you should click on to open.

1. Handle Your Folder Shortcuts

To the left of the app checklist are icons that grant entry to Paperwork, Photos, Settings, and Energy. You possibly can peek on the names of the icons with out having to hover over each should you click on the hamburger menu within the top-left nook of the Begin menu. Click on the icon once more, and the pane returns to its condensed view.

The Photos and Paperwork shortcuts open to their respective folder in your PC. Settings will open the Home windows 10 Settings menu, whereas Energy will allow you to shutdown, restart, or (you probably have a laptop computer) put the pc to sleep.

Click on your account identify to entry extra choices. Select Change account settings to show your account display in Settings. Click on Lock, and also you’re thrown again to the Home windows 10 Lock display. Choose Signal out to sign off of Home windows and let one other individual register.

Do not just like the default folders? You possibly can change them should you open Settings > Personalization > Begin and click on the Select which folders seem on Begin hyperlink on the backside of the display. Further choices embody File Explorer, Downloads, Music, Movies, Community, and Private Folder.

2. Handle Your App Checklist

You possibly can handle the apps proper from the app checklist within the Begin menu. Proper-click on an app to view a pop-up menu with a couple of totally different choices. Click on Pin to Begin and the shortcut for the app is saved to the tiled part of the Begin menu. Select Uninstall should you want to take away the app from Home windows.

From the Extra submenu, you might be able to pin the shortcut to the Taskbar, view the app’s settings, price and overview the app within the Microsoft Retailer, or share a hyperlink to the app’s Microsoft Retailer web page with another person. Not all apps supply the identical choices right here.

It’s also possible to head to Settings > Personalization > Begin and allow or disable Present app checklist in Begin menu to find out whether or not the app checklist is seen once you click on the Begin button.

3. Handle Begin Menu Tiles

You possibly can drag and drop shortcuts from the app checklist to the tiled part of the Begin menu, which provides you a couple of extra choices. Proper-click on a tiled app to see one other pop-up menu. Relying on the app, you might be able to unpin it, resize the tile, uninstall it, and extra.

For some apps, you’ll be able to select as many as 4 sizes: Small, Medium, Vast, and Massive. Underneath Extra are choices to show off the stay tile for supported apps, pin or unpin the app from the Taskbar, and open the app’s settings, amongst others.

You’re capable of drag apps within the tiled part across the display. It’s also possible to place associated apps into their very own teams, after which give the grouping a reputation. Moreover, you’ll be able to open Settings > Personalization > Begin and allow Present extra tiles on Begin so as to add additional area to the tiled part so you’ll be able to squeeze in additional apps.

4. Create App Folders

You possibly can put apps into their very own folders to arrange them and unlock area on the Begin menu. To do that, search for two associated apps and drop one of many tiles on prime of the opposite. You possibly can then create a reputation for that folder. Extra apps could be added by dropping their tiles on prime of the folder.

5. Get App Suggestions

If you would like Home windows to make app suggestions, head to Settings > Personalization > Begin and ensure that any of Present just lately added apps, Present most used apps, or Present strategies often in Begin are enabled. Ideas might be displayed on the prime of the Begin menu.

6. Allow the Begin Display

For any system you management with a mouse and keyboard, the Begin menu ought to work simply nice. Nonetheless, you probably have a touch-screen system like a pill or hybrid, it’s possible you’ll discover the Begin display simpler to work on. You possibly can allow this function by going to Settings > Personalization > Begin and turning on Use Begin full display.

Now, once you click on the Begin button, you will note the Begin display as a substitute of the default Begin menu .

7. Show Latest Recordsdata

You may make sure apps, reminiscent of Adobe Acrobat or Photoshop, show latest information once you right-click on its shortcut within the Begin menu. Open Settings > Personalization > Begin and allow Present just lately opened objects in Leap Lists on Begin or the Taskbar and in File Explorer Fast Entry.

8. Open the Energy Consumer Menu

For one final tip, right-click the Begin button to entry a secret menu that lets you run instructions for Energy Choices, Community Connections, Home windows PowerShell, Process Supervisor, File Explorer, Search, Run, and extra. There are additionally methods to customise this menu to your liking.

For Home windows 11, Microsoft made a number of drastic modifications to the Begin menu. A search bar on the prime of the menu helps you to search for apps, information, and settings by identify. The Pinned part reveals all apps which have been pinned by you and Microsoft. The Really helpful part shows just lately added and just lately opened apps and information.

Nonetheless, we didn’t admire all of the modifications. Moderately than keep on with the standard checklist and tiled display, the menu was pared down right into a single sq. with solely sure apps seen. An additional step is now required to entry all of your put in apps.

The excellent news is that, even should you do not like the brand new Begin menu, there are methods to vary or exchange it. Microsoft has additionally made some enhancements with the Home windows 11 22H2 replace launched in October 2022.

1. Change the Begin Menu Format

With the Home windows 11 22H2 replace, you’ll be able to determine how a lot area to provide pinned apps and really useful apps. Go to Settings > Personalization > Begin to see three doable layouts.

The Extra pins choice devotes additional area to pinned apps. Default strikes a steadiness between pinned apps and really useful apps. Extra suggestions grants extra space to really useful apps and pares down the quantity of pinned apps.

2. Add Folder Shortcuts

Beneath the Really helpful part on the Begin menu is your profile icon, which you’ll be able to click on to vary account settings, lock the PC, or signal out. It’s also possible to click on the Energy button on the precise to place Home windows to sleep, shut down your PC, or restart it.

You possibly can add extra folders to the underside of the Begin menu should you open Settings > Personalization > Begin and click on Folders. You possibly can add icons for Settings, File Explorer, Paperwork, Downloads, Music, Photos, Movies, Community, or Private folder to realize easy accessibility to those areas.

3. Handle Your Apps

If you wish to handle your apps, right-click on an icon to view a pop-up menu with a number of choices. Relying on the app, you might be able to transfer the app’s place within the Begin menu, unpin it from the Begin menu, run the app as an administrator, pin it to the taskbar, open the app’s settings, or uninstall it instantly.

It’s also possible to change the order of the icons by dragging and dropping them. For instance, it’s possible you’ll need to drag the apps you employ most steadily to the highest of the pinned part and those you employ much less steadily to the underside.

3. Create App Folders

The preliminary model of Home windows 11 offered no option to create folders in your Begin menu icons. With the 22H2 replace, now you can drag one app on prime of one other to create an preliminary folder. Open the folder, then choose the Edit identify area to vary the identify of the folder. So as to add extra apps, merely drag their icons on prime of the folder.

4. View All Apps

To really view all of your put in apps, it’s important to click on the All apps button within the upper-right nook of the Begin menu. This may show the total app checklist within the Begin menu.

Proper-click on an app within the All apps checklist and you may pin or unpin it to the Begin menu, pin it to the taskbar, view its settings, price and overview it within the Microsoft Retailer, and share its Retailer hyperlink with another person. It’s also possible to uninstall sure apps from right here.

5. Management App Suggestions

Home windows 11 has quite a lot of annoying adverts. To tweak app suggestions, head to Settings > Personalization > Begin. Right here, you’ll be able to management the variety of really useful apps displayed within the Begin menu by enabling or disabling Present just lately added apps and Present most used apps.

When you flip off each choices, the Really helpful part of the Begin menu will nonetheless show, however it’s going to stay empty.

6. Transfer the Begin Button

By default, the Begin button is centered on the taskbar in Home windows 11, a departure from earlier variations of Home windows. When you favor the way in which it’s all the time been positioned, you’ll be able to transfer the whole taskbar. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and choose Taskbar behaviors. Click on the dropdown field for Taskbar alignment and alter the place to Left.

7. Open the Energy Consumer Menu

For one closing trick, you’ll be able to entry a secret energy person menu, identical to in Home windows 10. Proper-click on the Begin button to show a context menu stuffed with choices to open the Gadget Supervisor, Process Supervisor, Terminal, and extra.

Microsoft Home windows 11 Preview