Windows 11 comes with a sleek, modern design, and one of the standout features is the redesigned Start Menu. But let’s be honest, while it looks pretty cool, it might not feel quite right for you straight out of the box. Don’t worry—customizing it is easier than you think! In this post, we’ll walk through how you can personalize the Start Menu to make it work just the way you want.
Why Customize the Start Menu?
Think of the Start Menu like your kitchen—it’s where you want all your favorite tools (apps, files, and settings) to be within reach. By customizing it, you can make it faster to access the apps you use most and remove the clutter of things you never touch.
How to Open the Start Menu
First, let’s start with the basics. To open the Start Menu, just click the Windows logo button at the bottom center of your screen. Alternatively, press the Windows key on your keyboard—easy, right?
Pinning Apps to the Start Menu
Want your favorite apps at your fingertips? Pinning apps to the Start Menu is super simple:
- Open the Start Menu.
- Scroll through the list of apps until you find the one you want to pin.
- Right-click on the app and select Pin to Start.
Voilà! Your app will now appear as a tile on the Start Menu. You can pin as many apps as you like to make sure they’re always just a click away.
Unpinning Apps You Don’t Use
The Start Menu comes preloaded with apps that you may not need (looking at you, TikTok!). Here’s how to get rid of them:
- Open the Start Menu.
- Find the app you don’t want on your Start Menu.
- Right-click it and choose Unpin from Start.
This won’t uninstall the app—it just removes the shortcut from your Start Menu. So no need to worry about losing anything important.
Reorganizing Pinned Apps
You might notice that after pinning several apps, the Start Menu can start to feel cluttered. No problem! You can easily rearrange these tiles to suit your workflow:
- Click and hold the app tile you want to move.
- Drag it to the position where you want it to be.
- Release the mouse button, and the app will stay put in its new spot.
You can group apps by category (work, entertainment, etc.) to make your Start Menu more organized.
Adjusting the Layout of the Start Menu
If you don’t like the default look of the Start Menu, Windows 11 gives you a few options to tweak it:
- Open Settings by pressing Windows + I on your keyboard.
- Go to Personalization.
- Click Start.
Here, you can choose to show more pinned apps or more recommendations. Recommendations are shortcuts to files and apps you’ve recently used. If you prefer a cleaner look, you can turn off the recommendations entirely by toggling off the Show recently opened items option.
Changing the Start Menu Color
Why stick with the default colors when you can make the Start Menu match your vibe? Here’s how to switch things up:
- Open Settings (Windows + I).
- Go to Personalization.
- Click on Colors.
- Scroll down and turn on Show accent color on Start and taskbar.
Now, your Start Menu will sport the accent color you choose from the palette. It’s a small change, but it can make your desktop feel more personalized.
Resetting the Start Menu to Default
Maybe after customizing, you decide you want to go back to square one. Don’t worry—you can easily reset the Start Menu to its default settings:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- Click on Start, and select Reset.
This will remove any changes you’ve made, giving you a fresh slate.
Customizing the Windows 11 Start Menu is a great way to make your computer feel more like your computer. With just a few clicks, you can pin your favorite apps, remove the ones you don’t need, and even change the colors. So go ahead and give it a try—you’ll have your Start Menu looking and working exactly the way you want in no time!
Let me know how your Start Menu customization goes, and feel free to drop any questions in the comments!