How to change your Windows 10 Start menu to Open Shell
If you’re using Windows 10, you might have noticed the Start menu isn’t quite the same as it used to be. It doesn’t open automatically when you click the Start button, which means it feels much less like an always-available hub of quick access to your most-used apps and files. But if you want to change your Windows 10 Start menu back to its previous form, it can be done with a free app called Open Shell.
Step 1: Download and install Openshell from Microsoft Store
Open Shell is a great alternative to the default Windows 10 Start menu. It’s more customizable and can be tweaked to look and feel however you want. Plus, it’s free! Here’s how to get started Download and install Openshell from Microsoft Store: Open Shell is a great alternative to the default Windows 10 Start menu. It’s more customizable and can be tweaked to look and feel however you want. Plus, it’s free!
Step 2: Launch the program
To launch the program, find the shortcut icon on your desktop and double-click it. The first time you launch Open Shell, you’ll be asked if you want to set it as your default shell. Click Yes to continue. You may also be prompted to allow the program to make changes to your system. Click Yes here as well. Once the program opens, you’ll see a familiar looking start menu. From here, you can select any of the options in the left column or browse through other folders in the right column. There are two buttons at the bottom: one that takes you back to Windows 10’s Start Menu and one that takes you back to Open Shell.
Step 3: Select an icon theme
Windows 10 has a variety of icon themes available, and you can even create your own. To select an icon theme, open the settings window and click on the Personalization category. Then, click on the Themes subcategory. On the right side of the window, under the Related Settings section, click on the Desktop icon settings link. This will open a new window with options for changing your desktop icons.
Step 4: Customize what’s on your Desktop
Windows 10 has a variety of desktop customization options, and one of the most popular is to use Open Shell as your Start menu. This gives you more control over what’s on your Desktop and makes it easier to find what you’re looking for. Here’s how to do it Right-click the Taskbar, then click Properties > Taskbar tab > Under Multiple displays > select Show taskbar on all displays. Next, right-click an empty space in the taskbar, then click Toolbars > New toolbar > Customize.
Step 5: Using Wallpapers
One of the benefits of using Open Shell is that you can customize the look of it to match your personality. You can do this by changing the wallpaper. Press Win+D, then type in Control Panel. In there, go to Personalization and select Change desktop background from the left side menu. There are many different types of wallpapers available on Open Shell, but if you want something specific, click Browse and navigate to where you saved your desired wallpaper. Once selected, click Set as Desktop Background and choose Apply Changes before closing Control Panel
Step 6: Choose a Slideshow or Live Tile Theme
Once you’ve found a theme you like, click on it to select it. If you want, you can preview what the theme will look like by clicking on the Preview button. To make the changes permanent, click on the Apply button. You’ll be prompted to sign out and back in again. After that, the new start menu is yours! You can easily find everything you need with a little exploring. When you’re ready to go back to the default start menu, open up Settings > Personalization > Start from scratch.
Step 7: Personalize it with background images
Open Shell gives you the ability to personalize your Windows 10 Start menu with background images. This is a great way to make your Start menu unique and stylish. The image that I chose was one of my favourite pictures, but feel free to use whatever you like. All that needs to be done is dragging the picture into the desktop area on Open Shell, selecting it and clicking on set as wallpaper at the bottom of the window.
Step 8 (Optional): Search for additional themes online
If you want to add more flair to your Open Shell setup, you can search for themes online. Just make sure that any themes you download are compatible with Open Shell. To install a theme, simply extract the contents of the ZIP file into the Themes folder within the Open Shell directory. Once you’ve done that, you can select the theme from the Appearance tab in the settings menu.
Step 9 (Optional): Remove tiles you don’t want.
Windows 10 gives you a lot of pre-set tiles on your Start menu, but you can remove any that you don’t want. Just right-click on the tile and select Unpin from Start. If you ever want to add it back, you can find it under All apps in the Start menu. Alternatively, you can pin it using drag and drop as mentioned earlier. You will have an empty space where the unpinned tile was; just click on this blank space and choose Pin to Start again.
