How to Add More Folders in Windows Start Menu for Quick Access?

Windows 11 Start Menu is now completely different than what it used to be in previous versions of Windows. The Start Menu is divided into your pinned apps and all apps. The pinned apps section is a great way to launch your most-used apps quickly. And you can always access more apps by going to the all apps menu. But what if you wish to add folders to the Start Menu?

So the question is, how to add more folders to Windows 11/10 start screen for quick access? Well, you can easily do so by personalizing the Start Menu. And here is how to do so.

Add More Folders in Windows Start Screen for Quick Access

How to Add More Folders in Windows Start Menu for Quick Access?

First, click on Start Menu and select Settings on your Windows 10 computer.
From settings, go to Personalization, located at the sidebar.

Scroll down and go to Start > Folders.
Now scroll down to the bottom and select Personal Folder. Also, you can enable additional options like File Explorer, Documents, Downloads, Music, and others if you want to access these folders quickly.

Once done, click on the Windows Start Menu, and you should see all the options you have selected at the bottom level.

How Do I Customize My Windows Start Screen?

You can customize the Windows Start Screen in various ways. You can manage the pinned apps on the Start Menu, see recently installed apps and most used programs, change the Start Menu’s background color, etc.

However, to help you get started right away, here are some quick methods:

To change the Start menu’s background color, go to Settings > Personalization > Colors and choose your preferred color.
To see recently installed apps, go to Settings > Personalization > Start and enable Show recently added apps, Show most-used apps, etc.
To unpin apps from the Start Menu, right-click on the app and select Unpin from Start. Also, you can add apps to the Start menu by going to Start Menu > All Apps > Right-click on App and then choose Pin to Start.

So these are some quick ways to customize your Windows start screen. Apart from them, you can go to Settings > Personalization and explore different ways to customize your Windows Start menu.

How Do I Add Files to the Start Menu?

Adding files to the Start Menu is relatively simple. However, adding a file to the Start Menu is tricker than adding a folder to the Start Menu.

Let me talk about the easy one, which is to add a folder in the Start Menu. Right-click on a folder and select Pin to Start to access the folder from Start Menu.

For files, here is what you have to do:

First, copy the file you would like to add to the Start Menu.
Go to the following path: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Then paste the file you have copied.
Now you should be able to see the file in your Start Menu.

So that was all for your how to add more folders in Windows start screen for quick access question. I hope this has solved your query. If you are stuck on anything, feel free to drop a comment below.

How to add Folders in Windows 10 Start Menu?

Windows 10 comes with its legacy folders like Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, and so on, which are very useful for anybody starting with Windows. However, I have always recommended maintaining files on a separate drive. Coming back to the topic, in the recent update to Windows 10, which rolled out the new Windows 10 Start Screen, the Power Button, Settings Icon, etc., are pushed into a separate column along with File Explorer.

While pinning any folder to the Start screen can be done with two simple clicks ( Right Click > Pin to Start), if you want to access all those legendary folders with a click from the Start screen, you can do it.

Settings > Personalization > Start.
Scroll down till you find the link which says, “Choose which folders will appear.”

You can select folders like Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, HomeGroup, Network, and Personal Folder on the next screen.
The personal folder gives you access to all those folders used to save media and documents, just for your account.

Once you choose the folders, they appear right above the File Explorer icon on the Start screen, like the Personal Folder icon in the image above. If any icons confuse you, click on the Hamburger Menu on the top left to see full details.

Here is a pro-tip If you wish to access any of the Pinned Folders or Frequent Folders, just right-click on the File Explorer icon, and you will get quick access to the files & folders.

The particular section of Windows 10 Start Screen is limited right now. I would personally want this space to be more helpful by letting me add what I want. Small icons are my preferred choice rather than big size tiles.