Windows 10 Start Menu is a hybrid of the classic Start Menu that we have seen in Windows 7 and the Tile screen of Windows 8 as it brings functions of both together. Initially, when you buy the computer, you get Start menu options on the left column and live tile section on the right side of your computer screen. You can make changes and configure it according to your convenience as the operating system provides few controls for that. Here are a few steps that can be taken to customize the Start Menu in Windows 10 device in different ways.
How to Customize Start Menu in Windows 10
- Tablet Mode
- Remove All Live Tiles
- Change the Colour
- Resize your Tiles
- Add Extra Tiles
- Categorize your Tiles
- Customize the Left Side
- More Option for Tiles
1. Turn your PC into tablet mode
By default, a Windows 10 computer gives you the new hybrid Start Menu, but if you are habituated with the Windows 8 styled Tile Menu, then you can always switch between the Start Screen and the Start Menu and change the look of your desktop. To do so, you need to,
- Go to Settings
- Click on Personalization
- Click on Start on the left sidebar
- The fifth Option on the list would be Use Full Start Screen, which is by default set to Off, switch/toggle it On.
- Click the Windows button on the Taskbar.
Now you would be able to see the full Start Screen instead of Start Menu even if you reboot the system.
2. Remove All Live Tiles
Live tiles that show apps like Weather, Microsoft Edge, Calendar, Mail, etc. appear on the right side of the screen, but those who have moved from Windows 7 can also remove all the live tiles and make their Start Menu like the old computer screen. You need to,
- Right Click on a Tile
- Select ‘Unpin from the Start’
After that, resize the Start Menu till the time you don’t get satisfied. You can move new tiles from the left side as well by just clicking, holding, and dragging them to the right column. If you don’t find the app or want to get an old tile back which has been removed by you, Click on three lines appear in the left bottom on the screen, it will show you all the apps your PC has.
3. Change the Colour
If you want to change the color of your Start Menu, task tab, etc. and give them a classy look, then Windows 10 gives you the option to show your creativity. You need to,
- Go to Settings
- Click on Personalization
- Click on Colours
- Choose your accent color from the tiles.
Here you will get three options. The first one is “Automatically pick an accent color from my background” so that the operating system can scan the background automatically and fill your Start Screen and Start Menu with more shiny colors.
If your Task Bar is dark gray, then switch on Show colors on Start, Taskbar, action center, and title bar. You can also make your Start, Taskbar, and Action Center transparent or non-transparent by toggling the third Option.
Related Reading: How to Enable Dark Theme for Windows 10
4. Resize your Tiles
This Option is straightforward, and those who have already used Windows 8 know it very well. You can change the size of the tiles that appear on the right side of your Start Menu and make the background more visible or highlight an app that is more useful for you.
- Right-click on a Live Tile
- Move the cursor to Resize
- You will get four options Small, Medium, Wide and Large
- Select any of them and the size of the tile will be changed accordingly
You can change the location of a tile by just dragging it from one place to another, but you cannot drag them towards the left column of the Start Menu.
5. Add Extra Tiles
By default, Windows 10 provides two columns for tiles where three medium-sized tiles or one medium-one large tile gets adjusted in each section, but if you have a large screen and have enough space to accommodate more tiles, then you can add more tiles to each section by following these steps.
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Start
- Under Start, switch on Show More Tiles
After this, you would be able to place four medium-size tiles in each column. You can also switch on Recently added apps and Show most-used apps to get quick access to new and often used apps, which will appear on the left side of the Start Menu.
6. Categorize your Tiles
Alike Windows 8, Windows 10 also gives you the option to give a name to each group and categorize your tiles in various sections.
- Move the cursor at the top of the Tiles
- It will show you two parallel lines
- Once you click on them, a white outline will appear
Type the name over there and hit enter or just click somewhere else to get it done.
7. Customize the Left Side
You can also customize the left section of the Start Menu by right-clicking on any app. For instance, if you click on Internet Explorer under most-used apps and do a right-click on it, you will get three options Pin to the Taskbar, More, and Uninstall. If you click on more, then you will get more options, and one of them would don’t show on the list, which can be used to take that item off from there.
You can also determine which folder should appear on the Start Menu and which shouldn’t.
- Go to Settings
- Select Personalize
- Select Start
- Click on Choose which folder appears on the Start at the bottom
You will get a list of all folders such as Settings, File Explorer, Documents, Download, Music, Picture, Video, etc. and toggle between on and off to make them appear on the Start Menu as per your choice.
8. More Option to customize Windows Start Menu
If you right-click on any Tile, it won’t show you Pin to taskbar option after the anniversary update. Instead, it will show you More from where you can,
- Turn The Live Tile feature On or Off
- Rate and Review the app and
- Share it with Emails Clients using Windows Store
To pin any tile to the Taskbar, you have to click on it, hold it and drag it to the Taskbar, and a shortcut will automatically appear on the Taskbar after that to open the app next time. The main tile also remains on the Start screen.
Windows 10 is exceptionally user-friendly and made with so many helpful features to enhance the computing experience of an average person who doesn’t know much about computers. The smart functionality of Start Menu makes the appearance of your home screen/desktop more appealing and help you access your favorite and most used application quickly. I hope the post was easy to follow, and you can now customize the Windows 10 Start menu easily.
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