Windows personalization help
The Windows Start menu is a key feature of the operating system, providing quick access to your apps, settings, and files. It includes a powerful search function and allows you to pin your favorite apps, folders, and websites for easy access. Customization options let you organize your pins into groups and change the Start menu layout to fit your preferences.
Start menu areasThe Start menu is organized into four main areas:
Search: Quickly find apps, files, and settings by typing keywords
Pins: Pinned apps, files, folders and websites in a grid format for easy access. All apps shows an alphabetical list of all installed applications
Recommendations: Recently added and frequently used apps, plus recently opened files
Account: Profile icon for account settings, switching accounts, or signing out. You can also add shortcuts for easy access to common folders. The power button lets you lock, sleep, shut down, or restart your device
Here are common customizations for the Start menu. Expand each section to learn more.
There are different ways to pin apps or shortcuts to the Start menu. For example:
In the Search box on the taskbar or on the Start menu, type the name of the app you want to pin. Right-click on the app, then select Pin to Start
From Explorer, right-click on a folder and select Pin to Start
For websites, open Edge and navigate to the website you want to pin. Then select the more options menu > More tools > Pin to Start
Unpin an item from the Start menu
To remove a pinned app or shortcut from the Start menu, right-click on it and select Unpin from Start .
Whenever you want to change the order of pins on the Start menu, drag the pin from its current position to a different one.
Organize your pins into folders
Grouping pins into folders in Start menu helps keep your apps organized, reduces clutter, and makes it easier to find and access related apps quickly. It also allows for better space management and personalization, giving your Start menu a cleaner and more efficient layout.
To create a folder, drag one pinned item over another to create a folder. The folder will automatically be created, and you can rename it
To add more pins to the folder, drag them into it
To remove a pin from a folder, open the folder and drag the pin out of it
Once only one pin is left, the folder is removed from the Start menu
You can customize the Start menu layout to show more pins, more recommendations, or keep the default layout.
Select Start , right-click on the bottom of the Start menu and select Start settings or use the following shortcut:
Select one of the layout options:
More Pins: prioritizes showing more pinned apps
More Recommendations: This layout focuses on showing more recommended items, such as recently added apps and files
Default: balances between pinned apps and recommended items
Toggle on or off the other layout options, which include
Show recently added apps
Show most used apps
Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists
Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more
You can choose which folders appear next to the power button on the Start menu. These folders can include common locations such as Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, Network, and Personal folder.
Simply toggle the switches for the folders you want to add. This customization allows you to quickly access frequently used folders directly from the Start menu, enhancing your workflow and making navigation more efficient.
Select Start , right-click on the bottom of the Start menu and select Start settings or use the following shortcut:
Select Folders then toggle to On all the folders that you want to appear next to the Power button
Typically, the Start menu is centered, but you can change the alignment to the side of the taskbar.
Right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings, or use the following shortcut:
Expand Taskbar behaviors and select your desired option for Taskbar alignment
To learn more, see Customize the Taskbar in Windows.
Support for Windows 10 will end in October 2025
After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend moving to Windows 11.
The Windows Start menu is a key feature of the operating system, providing quick access to your apps, settings, and files. It includes a powerful search function and allows you to pin your favorite apps, folders, and websites for easy access. Customization options let you resize tiles, organize them into groups, and change the appearance of the Start menu to fit your preferences.
Whenever you want to change the order of tiles on the Start menu, drag a tile from its current position to a different one.
Organize your tiles into folders
Grouping tiles into folders in Start menu helps keep your apps organized, reduces clutter, and makes it easier to find and access related apps quickly. It also allows for better space management and personalization, giving your Start menu a cleaner and more efficient layout.
To create a folder, drag one tile over another to create a folder. The folder will automatically be created, and you can rename it
To add more tiles to the folder, drag them into it
To remove a tile from a folder, open the folder and drag the tile out of it
To delete a folder, move all the tiles out of it
By hiding the app list, you can achieve a cleaner Start menu appearance. This can be useful if you prefer a minimalist look or if you primarily use pinned tiles for quick access to your most-used apps. Additionally, it can help reduce visual clutter, making it easier to focus on the apps and shortcuts that matter most to you.
To hide the app list in the Start menu, follow these steps:
In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Personalization > Start or use the following shortcut:
Toggle to On the option Show app list in Start menu
You can choose which folders appear above the power button on the Start menu. These folders can include common locations such as Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, Network, and Personal folder.
This customization allows you to quickly access frequently used folders directly from the Start menu, enhancing your workflow and making navigation more efficient.
In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Personalization > Start or use the following shortcut:
Select Choose which folders appear on Start then toggle to On all the folders that you want to appear next to the Power button
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