Start Layout in Windows 11 for All users

Bob Loblaw · Aug 31, 2022

I'm trying to create a Windows 11 master image for my VDI (Horizon) environment. I've got everything pretty much working the way I want it, EXCEPT for the Start Layout.
I tried everything in this thread to get the Start menu looking the way I want it, but it's not working. Unfortunately I dont have access to MDT or Intune where I imagine this would be easier.
Has anyone been successful customizing their Start Layout using the methods above?

imanlien2020 · Sep 1, 2022

well one can only hope in the next big release next month for Win11 that Microsoft starts tweaking the start menu etc and allowing US
to tweak it to our liking. I hate the Recommended section. For me it is totally useless but as we all know we cant remove it..yet...well without maybe breaking something and then having to reinstall windows

AgnoTek23 · Sep 29, 2022

Bob Loblaw said:
I'm trying to create a Windows 11 master image

I've got the same problem, coming out of sysprep the start2.bin always gets replaced with the standard one. Anyone know why?

Eolas · Dec 28, 2022

start.bin methods seem to be deprecated since 22H2, my settings work if I upgrade my 21H2 image to 22H2, but they no longer work on a fresh 22H2 image anymore unless someone knows differently.

Is there any method outside of intune to customize the start menu in windows 11?

garlin · Dec 28, 2022

22H2 replaced start.bin with start2.bin; likely because 22H2 supports Start Menu app folders, and 21H2 did not.
Your in-place upgrade would have converted the old format.

There is no word on how to group apps in folders.

Brink · Dec 28, 2022

garlin said:
There is no word on how to group apps in folders.

Group Pinned Apps into Folders on Start Menu in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to organize and group your pinned apps on the Start menu into folders for your account in Windows 11. The Start menu is comprised of three sections: Pinned, All apps, and Recommended. The Start menu contains shortcuts of all your apps, settings, and files...

www.elevenforum.com

garlin · Dec 28, 2022

Sorry Brink, I meant using the layout methods (other than start2.bin).

JimmyWork · Mar 2, 2023

For people having issues this is working during the deployment.

Deploy a customized Windows 11 Start Menu, that allows users to change pinned apps - Everything 365

Deploy a customized Windows 11 Start Menu, that allows users to change pinned apps

www.everything365.online

The scripts creates a schedule task that runs under the users group, this applies the Windows Start menu start.bin into the folder, no more issue with files not being copied.

JimmyWork · Mar 2, 2023

mk4d said:
Currently working on this for domain joined machines and the start.bin file seems to not get copied from the default user anymore for a new domain user profile. This is with Windows 11 pro. Haven't had luck with the json file either as we don't currently use Endpoint manager or intune. The main objective is to modify the start menu pins to not show the promotional apps such as tiktok/climpchamp/etc. Any thoughts?

This is working for me: Deploy a customized Windows 11 Start Menu, that allows users to change pinned apps - Everything 365