How to Customize the Start Menu to Better Navigate Windows 11

Windows 11 offers a simplified Start menu layout. However, it may not be easy to navigate right out of the box. Luckily, you can easily customize the Start menu to make accessing the apps and files you use much easier.

1. Change the layout to accommodate more pinned apps

How to Customize the Start Menu to Better Navigate Windows 11
Set layout for Start menu on Windows 11

The default Start menu in Windows 11 includes a combination of pinned apps and a dynamic section for suggested apps and files.

However, not everyone finds the reduced space for pinned apps ideal. If you rely on quick access to a lot of apps, you may want to adjust your layout to prioritize pinned apps.

To show more pins in the Start menu:

  • Open Windows Settings , click Personalization in the left panel, then in the right panel, click Start .
  • In the Layout section , choose from the 3 available options – More pins , Default , or More recommendations . Select More pins to allocate more space for pinned apps.
  • Once done, open the Start menu and click the All apps button to browse your installed apps. Right-click any app you use frequently and select Pin to Start .
  • In the Start menu, drag and drop icons to arrange pinned apps to your liking.

By maximizing the number of pinned apps, you can quickly navigate to frequently used apps without having to scroll or search every time!

Tip : Of course, if you're only working with a handful of apps, you might want to select the More recommendations setting to reduce your pinned apps to just two rows.

2. Add quick access to system folders

How to Customize the Start Menu to Better Navigate Windows 11
Folders on the Start menu on Windows 11

By default, the Start menu doesn't have quick access to important system folders like Settings, File Explorer, and Downloads. In fact, these are some of the most frequent destinations in everyday tasks, so having them available in the Start menu can save time.

Luckily, you can re-add these shortcuts for faster navigation.

  • Open Windows Settings, click Personalization in the left panel, then in the right panel, click Start .
  • Click Folders .
  • Turn on the folders you want to show on the Start menu. These include Settings, File Explorer, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, Network, and the Personal folder.

Once enabled, these quick access shortcuts will appear as small icons in the lower right corner of the Start menu next to the Power button. By adding these shortcuts, you can quickly access essential system locations without navigating through multiple menus.

3. Personalize more Start menu options

In addition to layouts and shortcuts, Windows 11 offers additional customization options to personalize your Start menu.

How to Customize the Start Menu to Better Navigate Windows 11
Customize Start menu settings on Windows 11

For example, the Start menu shows suggestions for apps you might want to install. If you find these suggestions irrelevant, you can turn them off. To do so, go to Personalization > Start and turn off Show app suggestions .

You can also customize the suggestions below your pinned apps. In Start settings, turn on Show recently added apps or Show recently opened items . If you prefer a cleaner look, you can turn off suggestions entirely.

You can also create app folders in the Start menu. For better organization, group related apps into folders by dragging one app icon on top of another to create a folder. You can then rename the folder to something descriptive.

This helps keep the Start menu organized and is similar to how many of us organize the home screen on our smartphones.

How to Customize the Start Menu to Better Navigate Windows 11
Pin folders to the Start menu

Although we discussed enabling quick access shortcuts for system folders, we often work with specific folders that are hidden inside other folders. To quickly access those folders, you can pin them to the Start menu, where they appear alongside pinned apps.

Just right-click any folder while browsing it in File Explorer, select Show more options and select Pin to Start .

And of course, you can also change the alignment of the Start menu. While the default center alignment is the hallmark of Windows 11, you can go back to the classic left-aligned Start button if you prefer.

By exploring these options, you can truly make the Start menu your own, aligning it with your preferences and daily workflow. In addition to customizing the Start menu for efficient and personalized navigation, you can also explore additional features like color schemes, transparency effects, and more to personalize your Windows experience.

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

If you don't care about having extra bloatware on your system, there are ways to remove or disable Windows Copilot on Windows 11.

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

Laptop batteries degrade over time and lose capacity, resulting in less battery life. But after tweaking some deeper Windows 11 settings, you should see a significant improvement in battery life.

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

The year 2023 saw Microsoft betting heavily on artificial intelligence and its partnership with OpenAI to make Copilot a reality.

Microsoft details Bluetooth LE Audio requirements and support for Windows 11, 10

Microsoft details Bluetooth LE Audio requirements and support for Windows 11, 10

Microsoft introduced Bluetooth LE (low energy) Audio support with Windows 11 22H2 KB5026446 (build 22621.1778), also known as Moment 3, in May 2023.

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows 11 has officially launched, compared to Windows 10 Windows 11 also has many changes, from the interface to new features. Please follow the details in the article below.

What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

There's always something incredibly cool about the nostalgic user interface of 90s versions of Windows.

Microsoft: TPM 2.0 in Windows 11 is mandatory and non-negotiable

Microsoft: TPM 2.0 in Windows 11 is mandatory and non-negotiable

More than three years ago, when Microsoft announced Windows 11, the operating system immediately caused a lot of controversy.

2 ways to create Windows 11 bootable USB using Mac

2 ways to create Windows 11 bootable USB using Mac

Creating a Windows 11 bootable USB on a Mac is definitely more difficult than on a Windows PC, but it's not impossible.

Should I update Windows 11 now?

Should I update Windows 11 now?

Windows 11 officially launched on October 5, 2021. Unlike previous major Windows 10 upgrades, Microsoft is not encouraging people to upgrade this time.

Super slimmed down Windows 11 version is just over 100MB in size

Super slimmed down Windows 11 version is just over 100MB in size

Developer NTDEV has created a stripped down version of Windows 11 that's just 100MB.

More Windows 11 PCs Will Soon Get AI Copilot+

More Windows 11 PCs Will Soon Get AI Copilot+

Microsoft debuted most of its more advanced AI features with the Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PC, leaving many Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs out of the picture.

Windows 11 Market Share Is Quickly Catching Up to Windows 10

Windows 11 Market Share Is Quickly Catching Up to Windows 10

The October 2024 report provides an overview of Windows 11's market share compared to other versions of Windows.

Windows 11 will make a much-needed change to the Start menu

Windows 11 will make a much-needed change to the Start menu

The latest change being tested solves one of the most annoying things with Windows 11's Start menu, and hopefully it will actually make it to release.

How to hide/unhide the Taskbar on Windows 11

How to hide/unhide the Taskbar on Windows 11

In Windows 11, the taskbar takes up only a small portion of the display space at the bottom of the screen.

How to Restore WordPad in Windows 11

How to Restore WordPad in Windows 11

Microsoft is killing off its free rich text editor WordPad at the end of 2023 in an effort to transition users to premium Office apps.

Recover Deleted Data with Recuva Portable in Windows 7

Recover Deleted Data with Recuva Portable in Windows 7

In the following article, we will present the basic operations to recover deleted data in Windows 7 with the support tool Recuva Portable. With Recuva Portable, you can store it in any convenient USB, and use it whenever needed. The tool is compact, simple, easy to use with some of the following features:

How to delete duplicate files to save computer memory using CCleaner

How to delete duplicate files to save computer memory using CCleaner

CCleaner scans for duplicate files in just a few minutes, then lets you decide which ones are safe to delete.

10 Windows Settings You Should Never Leave as Default

10 Windows Settings You Should Never Leave as Default

Windows doesn't come with security set up by default, which means there are some default settings you need to change.

How to Download, Update, and Troubleshoot USB Drivers on Windows 10

How to Download, Update, and Troubleshoot USB Drivers on Windows 10

USB devices have become indispensable in everyday life, allowing us to connect a wide variety of essential hardware to our PCs.

How to Lock Guest Wi-Fi Network So No One Can Spy

How to Lock Guest Wi-Fi Network So No One Can Spy

If you properly lock down your guest Wi-Fi network, you can share your Internet connection with any visitors without sharing any other information.

Lost Admin rights on Windows 10, heres how to fix it

Lost Admin rights on Windows 10, heres how to fix it

For some reason, your Windows 10 computer lost Admin rights, every time you open an application on the screen you receive an error message. So how to restore lost Admin rights, please refer to the article below of WebTech360.

3 ways to turn off Windows 11 firewall

3 ways to turn off Windows 11 firewall

In this article, WebTech360 will guide you how to turn off the firewall on Windows 11.

Windows 11 22H2: Moment 1 update with many notable features

Windows 11 22H2: Moment 1 update with many notable features

After a long wait, the first major update of Windows 11 has officially been released.

How to fix Unhandled Exception Has Occurred error on Windows 10

How to fix Unhandled Exception Has Occurred error on Windows 10

The Unhandled exception has occurred error is not related to a specific application, making it more difficult to resolve. This article will guide you through some ways to fix the Unhandled exception has occurred error on Windows 10.

9 Ways to Convert MOV Files to MP4

9 Ways to Convert MOV Files to MP4

These days, most PCs and Apple devices can handle both MOV and MP4 files, at least to some extent. However, the need to convert MOV video files to MP4 files has not diminished.

What is end-to-end encryption? How does it work?

What is end-to-end encryption? How does it work?

Recognizing this need, major online messaging services use a technique called end-to-end encryption, to secure and protect users' conversations.

How to set different wallpapers on each monitor Windows 10/11

How to set different wallpapers on each monitor Windows 10/11

Setting up multiple monitors on Windows is quite simple and only takes a few minutes to do. After setting up multi-monitor mode (multiple screens), you can set up separate wallpapers for each screen. To do this, please refer to the article below from WebTech360.

How to use Command Prompt, how to use cmd on Windows

How to use Command Prompt, how to use cmd on Windows

Hidden deep within Windows is a world of command lines that few people know about. In this article, we will guide you on how to fix errors and make your computer more secure using the cmd command line tool.

How to enter BIOS (UEFI) on Windows 10, how to fix the error of not being able to enter BIOS Win 10

How to enter BIOS (UEFI) on Windows 10, how to fix the error of not being able to enter BIOS Win 10

Instructions on how to enter BIOS on Windows 10 for you, with video illustration.

How to use hidden video editor on Windows 11

How to use hidden video editor on Windows 11

Clipchamp is the default video editor on Windows 11, but if you just need to make a quick cut, split a simple photo, or add music to a clip, the classic editor inside the Photos Legacy app is a much better choice.