How to Customize the Start Menu on Windows

The Start menu is the gateway to everything on your Windows computer. When you click the Start button (the Windows icon at the bottom of your screen), you see a menu with pinned apps, recommended files, and a list of all your programs. Customizing this menu so it shows what you actually use makes your computer much more pleasant to work with.

In Windows 11, the Start menu has two main sections: "Pinned" at the top (showing app icons you have pinned there) and "Recommended" at the bottom (showing recently opened files and apps). You can pin any app to the Start menu by right-clicking it in the All Apps list and selecting "Pin to Start."

To remove an app from the pinned section, right-click its icon in the Start menu and select "Unpin from Start." This does not uninstall the app — it only removes it from the pinned area. The app remains available in the All Apps list.

You can rearrange pinned apps by clicking and dragging them to different positions. Group related apps together — for example, put all your communication apps (email, video calling, messaging) near each other and all your productivity apps (word processor, spreadsheet, calendar) together.

To change how much space the Start menu gives to pinned apps versus recommendations, go to Settings then Personalization then Start. Here you can choose "More pins" to show more pinned apps, "More recommendations" to show more recent files, or "Default" for a balanced view. If you do not find the Recommended section useful, choose "More pins" to maximize your pinned app space.

You can also control which folders appear next to the power button at the bottom of the Start menu. Go to Settings then Personalization then Start then Folders. Toggle on shortcuts for Settings, File Explorer, Documents, Downloads, and other locations you access frequently. These small icons appear at the bottom of the Start menu and give you one-click access to important folders.

The Start menu also includes a search bar. If you cannot find an app, start typing its name in the search bar and it will appear in the results. This is often faster than scrolling through the All Apps list.