How to Customize the Windows 10 Start Menu

If you’re a Windows 10 user, you know that the Start Menu is an essential part of the operating system. It’s where you go to open apps, search for files, and access important settings. But did you know that you can customize the start menu to suit your needs? In this article, we’ll show you how.

1. Pin and unpin tiles

The tiles on the start menu are shortcuts to your favorite apps and programs. By default, Windows 10 comes with a set of pre-installed tiles such as Microsoft Edge, Photos, and Mail. However, you may want to add or remove tiles based on your preferences.

To pin a new tile to the Start Menu:

1. Click on the Start button
2. Find the app or program you want to pin
3. Right-click on it
4. Select “Pin to Start”

To unpin a tile from the Start Menu, right-click on the tile and select “Unpin from Start.”

You can also resize tiles by right-clicking them and selecting “Resize”. You can choose from small, medium, wide or large sizes depending on how much space you want them to take up on your start menu.

2. Add or remove apps

In addition to pinning individual tiles, you can also add entire apps to your start menu for easy access.

To add an app:

1. Click on the Start button
2. Open Settings (gear icon)
3. Select “Apps”
4. Scroll down until you find the app you want to add
5. Click on it
6. Select “Advanced options”
7. Toggle “Pin to Start” switch

To remove an app:

1. Go back into Settings > Apps
2. Find the app you want to remove
3. Click on it
4. Select “Uninstall”

Discover more ways to uninstall software in Windows 10.

3. Group tiles into folders

If you have a lot of tiles pinned to your start menu, grouping them into folders can help keep things organized.

To create a folder:

1. Drag one tile over another tile that will be in the same folder.
2. Name this new folder.
3. Add more apps or programs by dragging them into this folder.

To rename or delete a folder, right-click on it and pick Rename or Remove from the list.

3. Customize Start Menu settings

Windows 10 offers several customization options for its start menu interface:

• Turn off live tile updates: If animated tiles are distracting for some users, they could opt out of these updates by right-clicking an animated tile and then selecting More > Turn live tile off.
• Resize the Start Menu: Hover the cursor over the edge of the window, then drag in/outwards as desired.
• Change color scheme: Go into Settings > Personalization > Colors, then choose your preferred color theme.
• Show more/less content: To see more than the default amount of applications listed in the All Apps section, click Expand arrow at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Conclusion

Customizing your Windows 10 start menu is a great way to make using your computer easier and more efficient! With just a few simple tweaks like adding/removing apps or resizing/reorganizing tiles and folders, users could personalize their experience within seconds.