Windows 10's new Start menu, what it comes with, and how to customize it
One of the big beefs desktop consumers have with Windows 8 is the lack of a proper Start Button/Menu. Even Windows 8.1 doesn’t fully return the coveted feature back to its original taskbar seat. The thinking on Microsoft’s part during the Windows 8 launch was that consumers, even those on the desktop, would love the new Start Screen and Modern UI apps. Unfortunately, for many desktop customers, the Start Screen and a lack of a Start Menu were such drawbacks that they decided not to upgrade.
Windows 10 plans to change that.
For this article, we used Windows Technical Preview Build 10130. Appearance-wise, the Start Menu button appears to be a little smaller than the one in Windows 8.1. However, it resides in the same virtual place on the taskbar. The Windows 8.1 version, when clicked, pulls up the Start Screen, whereas Build 10130’s Start Button brings up the new Modern UI–laced Start Menu.
For power users, the context menu is still in place when right-clicking the Start Button. This menu provides quick access to the task manager, the control panel, File Explorer, Search, and more. Presumably, Microsoft plans to keep the context menu in place when the final version of Windows 10 ships in July.
Despite a unified appearance, the Start Menu consists of two components: the standard Menu layout we’ve known for decades on the left, and a Start Screen–like panel on the right that plays host to Modern UI apps. This is the best of both worlds without one dominating the other and, quite frankly, should have been the solution for desktop users in Windows 8. Live and learn.
On the left-hand side of the Start Menu, users will see their name and image at the top. This is followed by a list of eight of the most-used apps. After that are links to File Explorer, the Settings app, Power, and an icon for All Apps. This last option is where users will click in order to pull up a full list of apps and desktop programs installed on the computer. Users can leave this list by clicking the “back” button.
On the Modern UI side, with Build 10130 the window no longer consumes the entire screen as it did in earlier builds. Instead, the Modern UI area uses far less space and plays host to a number of default Windows Store apps including Skype, Mail, Calendar, Music, Movies & TV, and more.
In order to place apps on the Start Menu, just hit the Start button, click “All Apps,” find the app or program, and right-click it. This brings up a context menu with “Pin to Start,” “Pin to taskbar,” “Uninstall,” “Run as a different user,” “Run as administrator,” and “Open file location.” For the purposes of this article, we pinned the Epic Games Launcher and a few other non-Modern UI apps to the Start Menu, and they appear as they would on the Start Screen.
Notice that you can uninstall an app or program by simply right-clicking it, which takes you to “Programs and Features” in the Control Panel; it doesn’t automatically begin the uninstallation process. As previously mentioned, this area can be accessed through the context menu by right-clicking the Start Menu button.
As expected, the Start Menu can be resized by clicking on one of its edges and dragging it up, down, left, or right. That means customers who actually liked the Start Screen in Windows 8/8.1 can continue to have that experience to some degree. The Start Menu won’t cover the entire screen on desktop in high resolutions, at least not in this build.
In addition to the Start Menu, the apps can also be resized. Right-click any tile and a menu appears, with options to unpin the app from Start, pin to taskbar, uninstall, resize, and turn the live tile off. Sizes include Small, Medium, Wide, and Large. Don’t want the Modern UI side of the Start Menu at all? Simply unpin all of the apps and programs from Start.
As with the Start Screen, Windows 10 users will be able to move tiles around and create groups on the Start Menu. For example, suppose the user wants to group together entertainment-based apps and programs while also creating a separate group for the basic Windows 10 apps like News and Calendar. To move an app, simply click it and hold while dragging it to the desired empty spot. When making a new group, drag the tile to an empty space under the previous group, then provide a name for that group. To add apps, drag the apps into the new group.
Windows 10 Build 10130 “ships” in a default gray color. Users can change this by right-clicking the desktop and choosing “Personalize” and then “Colors.” Click the desired color in the menu’s palette and tick “Show color on Start, taskbar and action screen.” Like the transparent look? Make sure the transparent switch is ticked as well.
In addition to changing colors, users will also notice a “Start” section for controlling the behavior of the Start Menu. Customers who liked the Start Screen can turn it back on by flipping a switch. That said, the Start Menu is gone when the Windows key is tapped, and everything in the Modern UI aspect of the Start Menu now resides on the Start Screen. The good news is that there’s no reboot necessary: simply flip the switch and you're good to go.
As with Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, Windows 10 users can change the name of an installed program by right-clicking its icon and choosing “Open file location.” This brings up the “Start Menu/Programs” area, which lists shortcuts and program folders. To change the icon, just right-click the shortcut and click the “Change Icon” button.
Given that this article is based on Technical Preview Build 10130, there’s a good chance that some of the Start Menu features will change before Windows 10 goes retail on July 29. The platform will be a free upgrade for one year after its release for those running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
Currently, Microsoft is insisting that customers get in line for the upgrade by launching a notice in the Windows 7/8/8.1 system tray. This icon will send users to Microsoft's website, where they can register for a spot in the upgrade rollout. The icon also provides a link to more information about Windows 10.
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