What Start Menu replacement software do you use?

There are ton of other devices that run Windows 11 on ARM, like recently released laptops with Snapdragon processor for example. I currently test ARM version on MacBook, and almost all important programs work, except OSH. I plan to buy a laptop rather than tablet, but I've used Surface tablet with Intel processor few years ago and it was becmong very hot very fast, and there are not many tools that use full capabilities of touch screen, so IMO I wouldn't recommend it either way.

asteski said:

There are ton of other devices that run Windows 11 on ARM, like recently released laptops with Snapdragon processor for example. I currently test ARM version on MacBook, and almost all important programs work, except OSH. I plan to buy a laptop rather than tablet, but I've used Surface tablet with Intel processor few years ago and it was becmong very hot very fast, and there are not many tools that use full capabilities of touch screen, so IMO I wouldn't recommend it either way.

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I use a lot of software tools that simply won't run on ARM.

hdmi said:

I use a lot of software tools that simply won't run on ARM.

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Exactly. Don't make that mistake, you will regret it! Stay clear from ARM, stick with x86 CPUs. The performance difference alone is huge, but most importantly you CANNOT run any application or game that is not in Microsoft Store. No thanks! I hardly use Windows apps, all of my applications are traditional desktop applications. Even those that exist in both versions (such as Skype, OneDrive) the desktop version is much nicer and the user interface more familiar than the Store version.

Warning: Don't admire M1 and M2 Apple computers. It is Apple's scum to force customers replace their computers every few years. Older Intel based Macs that cannot upgrade to Mac OS X 10.15 Catalina or higher are already obsolete regarding applications. Much like a PC that cannot upgrade to Windows 8 or higher. However, the owner can always wipe Mac OS and install Windows 10 or even Windows 11 if he bypass compatibility check. On Apple Silicon Macs once they become obsolete the owner has no other choice of operating system! Also I doubt Apple Silicon CPUs are better to Intel CPUs. Bulls**t.

classic35mm said:

What Start Menu replacement software do you use? Possible answers include:

• Start11 v1 or v2 ( Start11: The ultimate Start menu replacement for Windows 10 and 11. Restore the classic look and add new functionality. )
• StartAllBack ( StartAllBack to fix all Windows 11 deal-breaking UI issues )
• Open-Shell ( Welcome to Open-Shell )
• ExplorerPatcher ( GitHub - valinet/ExplorerPatcher: This project aims to enhance the working environment on Windows )
• RetroBar ( GitHub - dremin/RetroBar: Classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista taskbar for modern versions of Windows )

For the Start Menu replacement software that you use:

• What do you like about it?
• What don't you like about it?
• Does it noticeably reduce system performance?
• Is it compatible with the apps that you use for work and play?
• Has it been generally compatible with new versions/builds of Windows 11?
• If you've tried other Start Menu replacement programs in the past, why did you settle on this one?

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I don't use Start much, rather I use Rocket Dock instead.

Ok, this is way off topic..but

spapakons said:

Stay clear from ARM, stick with x86 CPUs. The performance difference alone is huge, but most importantly you CANNOT run any application or game that is not in Microsoft Store.

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This is false information. Pick your hardware and software based on problem you want to solve.

spapakons said:

Warning: Don't admire M1 and M2 Apple computers. It is Apple's scum to force customers replace their computers every few years.

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It is not. Development moves forward and new improved things pop up. Apple silicon is very good, but so is latest SnapDragon chips.

spapakons said:

On Apple Silicon Macs once they become obsolete the owner has no other choice of operating system! Also I doubt Apple Silicon CPUs are better to Intel CPUs. Bulls**t.

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This is false information and who cares really? Better is relative...atm. M1-M3 chips are way faster than any Intel chip that existed on pervious Macs. Also they consume only a fraction of the power.

Users accustomed to Windows and the millions of applications and games available will be disappointed by the very limited compatibility of ARM CPUs. Think twice before you buy. About performance let me doubt. Even if it is higher than Intel I value compatibility much more than speed. Better safe than sorry.

SlicEnDicE said:

Ok, this is way off topic..but

This is false information. Pick your hardware and software based on problem you want to solve.

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I already did solve it. That is, by steering clear of hardware that cannot run all the various software I need. Who cares that you think it is false information, when everyone and their cat can see that it's not? lmao

SlicEnDicE said:

It is not. Development moves forward and new improved things pop up.

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In a lot of ways it just moves one step forward, two steps backward. Except maybe for those who will insist that dark is the new light. For the most part, this is precisely what's been happening to Windows ever since the huge success of Windows 7 had gradually started to finally become old.

SlicEnDicE said:

Apple silicon is very good, but so is latest SnapDragon chips.

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My Nokia Lumia phone was very good also. But Windows Phone still flopped because almost no one was developing apps for it, at least not the kind of apps that enabled Windows Phone to stand a reasonable chance against Android/iOS. When I tried to use the Feedback app from Microsoft on Windows Phone, the app crashed. That is, it crashed immediately as soon as I tapped on its send button after I had gone through the effort of writing a fairly lengthy feedback message in it. Once bitten, twice shy. So, thanks but no thanks!

SlicEnDicE said:

This is false information and who cares really?

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Again, who cares that you think it is false information?

SlicEnDicE said:

Better is relative...atm. M1-M3 chips are way faster than any Intel chip that existed on pervious Macs. Also they consume only a fraction of the power.

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So? If it can't run the software, it can't run the software. Full end of story.

No need to argue. This is a WINDOWS forum. Talking about the "merits" (you wish) of other OSes is sacrilege and you must be executed (just kidding).

Back in topic, which start menu replacement I use and why. Back in Windows Vista I missed the cut/copy/paste buttons in File Explorer that Windows XP had, so a little research later got me to Classic Shell (the predecessor of Open Shell). Some years later, after upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8.0 I didn't like the new tablet style start menu or the plain white start button, so I reconfigured Classic Shell (the predecessor of Open Shell) to have the Windows 7 start button (the familiar orb extracted from a Windows 7 skin for Classic Shell) and start menu. I kept installing and updating Classic Shell until it was EOL. Later I read about Open Shell which was the successor of Classic Shell, so I replaced it. Thankfully the Windows 7 orb and all old Classic Shell skins can be used in Open Shell, so the replacement was seamless. Later when upgrading from Windows 10 to 11 I noticed that the power, sound and network icons on the taskbar are combined and as a result my customized icons were ignored. Also I noticed that I could no longer right-click on the taskbar and load Task Manager (later Windows 11 versions restored this feature). A little Google search and I found Explorer Patch which can ungroup the power, sound and network icons and also adds the familiar right-click list in the taskbar so I can load Task Manager. Therefore, I installed Explorer Patcher so I could ungroup the icons and customize them and also have the right-click list. Later I discovered other features such as return to the Windows 10 style File Explorer. I also hated that File Explorer and other applications have a very thin color outline instead of the blue background at their menus, so I also added Mica for Everyone to restore this effect.

For other customizations, I use Customizer God to extract the Windows 7/8 icons from their respective system files so I can replace the flat ugly Windows 10/11 default icons. Some system files cannot be modified by Customizer God, so I also use Resource Hacker for these. I use 8gadgetpack to restore the Windows 7 desktop gadgets in Windows 8/10/11, I use various utilities from Winaero to restore the old desktop calculator (the modern one is very large and ugly), the classic Windows games, the old Microsoft Paint and others. For more details read the relevant threads in Personalization section.

spapakons said:

No need to argue. This is a WINDOWS forum. Talking about the "merits" (you wish) of other OSes is sacrilege and you must be executed (just kidding).

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hdmi said:

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How dare you mention Ap**e or Lin*x here! Shoot him! Shoot him! We threaten kids with pepper in their mouth for saying bad words. I think you should eat the whole jar for that!

StartAllBack works fine for me.
It's not so much the Start Menu itself, it's more about classic Explorer functionality, right click menus, taskbar toolbars, jump lists, etc.

The ExplorerSDK is ridiculous.
A slowed gif of it loading...

I occasionally experience delays when I try to open start menu, because of Open Shell being busy, but most of the times it opens instantly.

Edwin said:

StartAllBack works fine for me.
It's not so much the Start Menu itself, it's more about classic Explorer functionality, right click menus, taskbar toolbars, jump lists, etc.

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As a matter of fact, Classic Explorer is an (optional) component of Open-Shell. Its main (non-optional) component is called Open-Shell Menu, and that also has several settings that do not relate to the Start menu part; these can be found on the Taskbar tab and the Context Menu tab of its settings window panel. (Each one of both these 2 different components uses its own separate settings window panel.)

Edwin said:

The ExplorerSDK is ridiculous.
A slowed gif of it loading...

View attachment 101488

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I have absolutely no idea what that is.

spapakons said:

I occasionally experience delays when I try to open start menu, because of Open Shell being busy, but most of the times it opens instantly.

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It always opens instantly for me. The average mainstream desktop PC had already become fast enough for these delays to no longer make any real difference under most circumstances even before Windows 8 came out. As you know, it was still called ClassicShell back then, and, it took another 5 years or so before it finally gave birth to Open-Shell. The last general release of ClassicShell is now almost 7 years old. In short, if you are still experiencing these delays even today, then I am fairly certain that this just isn't normal.

When you have opened too many applications at the same time and a third of them are rendering HD video peaking the CPU to 100% it is normal to experience a little delay. When my computer is sitting idle, I never have delays. I would bet I would have these delays even without Open Shell if the CPU is busy and running hot over 80 degrees Centigrade.

spapakons said:

When you have opened too many applications at the same time and a third of them are rendering HD video peaking the CPU to 100% it is normal to experience a little delay. When my computer is sitting idle, I never have delays. I would bet I would have these delays even without Open Shell if the CPU is busy and running hot over 80 degrees Centigrade.

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Those kinds of delays are not to be blamed on Open-Shell. Any CPU can be severely hogged with ill-behaved processes that can monopolize it as a result of their poor design, which is why some people still need to rely on Bitsum Process Lasso to fix that problem.

hdmi said:

I have absolutely no idea what that is.

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Me neither!
At least..., I pretend not to know!

I don't use any Start menu replacements, but I came across this today. RetroBar isn't a Start menu replacement, rather it is a Taskbar replacement. Thought some of you might find it amusing (@Edwin, I'm looking at you )

Like @Bree, I don't use 3rd party start menus. The menu that came with Windows 11 is adequate for me.