Customize the Windows 11 Start Menu: How to Optimize Your System

Microsoft's new operating system brings many visual changes. The most striking feature? The centered taskbar design. A bold change – but not every user is happy with the default layout. Fortunately, you can customize the Windows 11 Start menu and tailor it to your preferences. Whether you want to move the taskbar to the left, pin important apps, create folders, or even bring back the classic Windows 10 design – the possibilities are endless. Today, we'll show you step-by-step how to optimally personalize your system and get the most out of your (perhaps even refurbished?) PC.

How to customize the new Windows 11 Start menu: The 3 core areas

You have extensive options to customize the Windows 11 Start menu. As soon as you open the menu via the Windows logo key or by clicking the mouse, it's immediately apparent: the new Start menu is much tidier than its predecessor. Instead of the familiar live tiles, Microsoft relies on a clear layout. The Start menu in Windows 11 can be divided into three core areas:

1. Search: At the very top is the search field. Here, without extra clicking, you can simply start typing to find apps, settings, or files.

2. Pinned: The middle section collects programs that you pin. This gives you quick access to your favorites.

3. Recommended: The lower part of the Start menu shows recently used files and recently installed apps.

If you don't like this default layout, that's no problem. You can change this preset Windows 11 view and adjust the menu to your preferences.

Taskbar settings: Displaying the Start menu on the left instead of centered

One of the biggest changes in the new operating system and the reason many users ask how to customize the Windows 11 Start menu is its positioning: by default, the Windows button is in the center of the taskbar. However, many users prefer the classic positioning. Fortunately, the Start menu can be displayed on the left or centered.

Windows 11 allows you to change the taskbar alignment from centered to left. This can be done in just a few clicks:

1. Right-click on an empty spot on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.

2. Expand the "Taskbar behaviors" menu.

3. In the "Taskbar alignment" field, simply change the value from "Center" to "Left."

Now the Start button returns to its familiar place in the bottom left!

Customize the Start menu: Pin apps and move them via drag-and-drop

To work as efficiently as possible, it makes sense to fill your Start menu with your favorite programs. Windows 11 allows you to pin apps to the Start menu. If you display all apps in the Windows 11 Start menu, you get a clear, alphabetical list of all your installed software. Then simply right-click on the desired app and select "Pin to Start."

And that's not all: If you want to further personalize Windows 11, you can also freely arrange the icons via drag-and-drop. Apps can simply be dragged to a desired position in the Start menu. To do this, click on an icon, hold down the mouse button, and drag it to the desired location. Alternatively, you can right-click and select the "Move to top" option to place an app directly at the first position.

Create folders in the Windows 11 Start menu and change the view

Over time, many pinned apps accumulate. To maintain an overview, Microsoft offers practical customization options. The major Feature Update 22H2, in particular, significantly improved these possibilities. Since this update, it has been possible to create app folders directly in the Start menu.

If you want to create folders in the Windows 11 Start menu, it's also very easy: Folders can be created by dragging app icons onto each other. Hold down an app and drop it directly over another app. The system then automatically generates a new folder. If you click on it, you can also give it its own name.

Customize Windows 11 Start menu layout: Recommendations, recently used files, and system directories

The Start menu layout can be adjusted to the specific needs of users. In the "Recommended" area, Windows 11 by default displays recently used files in the Start menu, as well as recently installed apps. Many users find this distracting or a privacy concern. But here, too, the system offers a solution.

Recommendations in the Start menu can be disabled in the settings. Start menu settings can be found under Personalization > Start. There, you can set the toggles for recently opened items, frequently used apps, and app tips to "Off." The area will physically remain, but will be empty. At this point, the menu can also be switched to "More pins" to maximize space for your app shortcuts.

Further down in the Start menu, next to the power button, quick access links can also be set up. For linking special symbols, folders can be activated in the Start menu. Permanent links for important system directories (such as Downloads, Pictures, Settings, or Network) can be displayed there in the Start menu. This option can also be found under "Personalization" > "Start" > "Folders."

Settings for customizing the Start menu color can be found under "Personalization" > "Colors." If you use Dark Mode, you can choose an accent color here and specify that it should be applied to the Start menu and taskbar. Note that while you can move the elements, there is no native setting to adjust the width of the Windows 11 Start menu; the size dynamically adjusts based on the layout and resolution of your screen.

Want your Windows 11 Start menu like Windows 10? Classic tiles and external tools

Change is not always viewed positively, and some users, despite the many new options, want the familiar look of their menu back. If you too want to make your Windows 11 Start menu less customized and more like the familiar Windows 10 layout, you will unfortunately reach the limits of what is currently possible with Microsoft's built-in tools alone. The beloved tile design has been permanently removed from the Windows 11 Start menu, and the classic view cannot be replicated.

If you still want to transfer the Windows 10 design to Windows 11, you'll need to resort to third-party software. Tools for customizing the Windows 11 Start menu, such as "Explorer Patcher" or programs like "Start11" and "StartAllBack," can make profound changes. With such tools, you can bring back the old tiles, completely hide the "Recommended" area, and visually revert the Start menu to the state of Windows 10 or even Windows 7. However, be aware that extensive system changes made by tools can occasionally lead to display problems during major Windows updates.

Work more productively with a perfectly customized Windows 11 Start menu

Even though the leap from the predecessor takes some getting used to, the options for customizing the Windows 11 Start menu, such as drag-and-drop sorting, the new folders, and the ability to position the menu classically on the left, provide an excellent foundation for productive work.

You've customized your Windows 11 Start menu, only to now realize that your hardware could also use an update? At IT-Versand, you'll find a huge selection of refurbished computers, laptops, tablets and more – from top brands like Lenovo, HP and Dell. Our Premium Refurbished devices are not only up to 75% cheaper than new goods, but also actively protect the environment. Many of our PCs and notebooks also come with Windows 11 pre-installed and ready to use.

Visit our shop, customize your Windows 11 Start menu exactly to your wishes, and start a more productive everyday life directly!