Alternative Windows 11 start menus

spapakons · Mar 12, 2026

Hello!

I recently updated Windows 11 25H2 to build 26200.8037 and whatever changes Vive Tool had made where probably canceled and Classic Explorer from Open Shell disappeared again. I tried to issue the Vive Tool command and restart, but this time didn't work. Here are two new commands that worked for me. Just run them in a Command Prompt as Administrator and restart your computer. Classic Explorer will work again.

vivetool /disable /id:57048237
vivetool /disable /id:58988972

From here:

New windows 11 update removed classic explorer bar · Issue #2406 · Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu

Describe the bug i updated windows 11 yesterday and it took my classic explorer bar Area of issue Windows Explorer To reproduce update windows 11 to 25h2 open explorer Expected behavior No response...

github.com

spapakons · Apr 16, 2026

Microsoft did it again! Once I updated Windows 11 25H2 to build 8243, the Classic Explorer stopped working. All three Vive Tool commands don't work. Let's hope some fellow from the community discovers new working commands. Once I get it working I will post again.

Kees · Apr 16, 2026

spapakons said:
... theClassic Explorer stopped working.

Already in Febr 2026, when Classic Explorer stopped because of a Windows 25H2 update, I decided not to use it anymore and removed it from my system. Only using the StartMenu part of OpenShell now.

Using Windhawk I modified the File Explorer in such a way, that only the (for me) necessary parts of the command bar did stay.

PS. In the attached textfile I posted the Mod Settings for this Windhawk File Explorer Styler tweak.

spapakons · Apr 16, 2026

All I want from Classic Explorer are the colorful cut/copy/paste (and other) buttons top right in each File Explorer window.

I could use an alternative, if any please suggest, but I would prefer to use Open Shell and not install any new application.

Kees · Apr 16, 2026

spapakons said:
All I want from Classic Explorer are the colorful cut/copy/paste (and other) buttons top right in each File Explorer window.

I used them too, have tried to keep that toolbar, but gave up.

OpenShell / Classic Explorer seems to be not that maintained as it once was:

That's a pity, but we'll have to do with that.

So if the start menu itself would not function anymore, I'll have to search for something else.
Not the Windows Start menu, not even the last version. I like an organized Start Menu.
Maybe it just will be a folder with subfolders organized in the same way how I have it now in the menu of OpenShell.
MS never can take that away from me!

Tweakfiend · Apr 16, 2026

Ive been using Start 11 from Stardock , since it started , something like £6.99 or so
IMO the others mentioned previously are not quite as good

spapakons · Apr 16, 2026

Start button and start menu work fine. Only Classic Explorer doesn't due to recent changes in the code of File Explorer. In a few days hopefully some new Vive Tool command will be discovered to fix this. Microsoft can't just let legacy stuff alone.

pietcorus2 · Apr 16, 2026

Open Shell ..............best !

Kees · Apr 16, 2026

Tweakfiend said:
Ive been using Start 11 from Stardock , since it started...

That is one of the tweaking apps I used as well for some time. Payed for a 5-pack, a short time later had to pay again when they went to Start11 v2, but at the end decided to leave it because I did not like the resulting Start Menu and Taskbar / SystemTray options. Don't want to go into details, for the simple reason I did not write them down.

Discovered WindHawk, with which I could influense the size, color and all kinds of other things of the taskbar and the system tray. I use OpenShell for my start menu and will use it as long as it keeps functioning. Made it all to my wishes, did a restyling of the File Explorer as well.

But if you're happy with Start11, then that is your program to use!

pietcorus2 · Apr 16, 2026

Using SAB together with OpenShell.............very fine

spapakons · Apr 16, 2026

Do you know any other application to add these colorful icons (cut, copy, paste etc, see my previous post) to File Explorer?

Kees · Apr 16, 2026

For already 40 years I am used to use the CTRL combinations for cut, copy, paste etc. CTRL X = cut, CTRL C = copy, CTRL V = paste. Use them 'blind'.
So I do not pertinently need those icons and would not know if there is any other app that you could use instead of Classic explorer for that.

spapakons · Apr 17, 2026

Yes, me too. I mostly use the "Copy to" icon to copy files in one step like in good old File Manager (Windows 3.1) and the "New folder" icon. For cut/copy/paste I use the keyboard shortcuts. Google AI suggested QTTABBAR to create the cut/copy/paste toolbar. However I visited their site and could not understand how to do that. Anyone?

Kees · Apr 17, 2026

spapakons said:
Google AI suggested QTTABBAR to create the cut/copy/paste toolbar.

If you have any questions about QTABBAR, you could post in this special threadabout that app:

QTTabBar

Post in this thread for anything related to QTTabBar on Windows 11.

www.elevenforum.com

spapakons · Apr 17, 2026

Thanks, I installed it but have not yet restarted to test it. I will restart later as my computer now is busy and cannot interrupt.

mirbam12 · Apr 17, 2026

I'm writing through Google Translator, so please don't laugh.
or maybe something like this Filepilot

spapakons · Apr 20, 2026

I restarted my PC, QTTABBAR doesn't appear to configure it. It seems it is blocked much like Open Shell's Classic Explorer. I even tried to remove it, restart, reinstall it, restart, it didn't make any difference. I also installed Windhawk, but I don't know what to do. How can I use Windhawk to create a toolbar with cut/copy/paster and other buttons? Can I use it to force Classic Explorer work? Please guide me step-by-step.

Kees · Apr 20, 2026

spapakons said:
How can I use Windhawk to create a toolbar with cut/copy/paster and other buttons?

If that's the only thing you would want, you would not need Windhawk at all, because those buttons by default are in the File Explorer:

They only are having colors (I put the red texts in there to show you what button does what function).
By means of Windhawk you can take certain unwanted buttons away.
Perhaps it is possible to make them colored, but that's some kind of programming matter, not for me if I don't need it.
I disabled all those buttons, which is rather easily done, but that would not serve your desires.

spapakons said:
Can I use it to force Classic Explorer work?

No you can't.

I don't think that what you want is achievable by Windhawk.

spapakons · Apr 20, 2026

No I don't want the default Windows 11 flat monochrome icons. I want the Classic Explorer colorful icons which I can add/remove as I like.

I browsed the Windhawk mods and added the "File Explorer Toolbar Links Item" as suggested in this Google AI result. When I clicked on the V below the "Option" button in File Explorer in order to see the list of toolbars and hopefully enable Classic Explorer or QTTABBAR, File Explorer crashed, so I disabled this mod. Any other workaround?

Thanks.

Kees · Apr 20, 2026

spapakons said:
I want the Classic Explorer colorful icons which I can add/remove as I like.

I only can say this: if that's not possible anymore, its not possible. "The king looseth his right where naught is to be had..."

spapakons said:
I browsed the Windhawk mods and added the "File Explorer Toolbar Links Item"

That's a mod last updated 2025, April. That's very old for Windhawk mods in general.
In my testsystem that mod does not door change anything at all, but did not break File Explorer either.
Beside that, it would not have solved the problem you have, because (according to the example shown in that mod) this is what should be reached by that mod:

Looks like this shot has been taken in Windows 8...

Not all mods in Windhawk are to be fully trusted. That's already written when you are installing a mod.

spapakons said:
...as suggested in this Google AI result.

That's why I am never using any Google AI results to modify my system. Basically I have my search engine set without any AI!

Alternative Windows 11 start menus

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