What Start Menu replacement software do you use?

Bree said:

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 )

View attachment 101553

GitHub - dremin/RetroBar: Classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista taskbar for modern versions of Windows

Classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista taskbar for modern versions of Windows - dremin/RetroBar

github.com

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Funny, it looks like Windows XP with shortcut for Microsoft Edge. Thanks for sharing.

I don't use any Start menu replacements. I've used Windows 11 for almost 3 years and I've never felt a need to make it look or act like earlier Windows versions.

I've used Windows 11 since the first weekend after it officially came out and I've never felt a need to make it look or act like earlier Windows versions either. Instead, I've felt the need to make the Windows 11 environment a more productive one. So, I always keep adding various enhancements to it, and, some of these are based on scripts/programs developed by me.

I don't use any Start Menu replacement but I do like taskbar enhancements like Translucent TB and Rounded TB. However with Beta Build 23H2 22635.3930 they both cause repeated explorer crashes on my machine and are especially frequent with Translucent TB so heads up. I'm back to stock taskbar for the time being.

To each their own.

As far as I'm concerned, The WinX Menu would even suffice.

Win+X works OK for me. As I said in an earlier post, if updating Explorer Patcher doesn't fix your bugs, you must manually download and install the latest version, even if you already have it. This does an in-place upgrade/repair and fixes your issues. Back several versions ago, File Explorer would crash if I clicked on the taskbar or tried to open any folder. Updating Explorer Patcher didn't make any difference. The issue was fixed after I manually downloaded and installed the same (latest) version I already had.

PS: These bugs appear usually when you have not updated Windows for many days and thus you also have an outdated version of Explorer Patcher. If you update Windows first, the outdated version will cause bugs. You must update Explorer Patcher and restart to download latest symbols as soon as you update Windows. Even better, manually download latest Explorer Patcher and install it immediately after Windows Update has finished and says there are no other updates available.

Found this forum searching for how to register the free version of TrueLaunchBar (yeah, I know it is free now), been using for years. So I like TrueLaunchBar, Start11v2 (been using Object Desktop for the same length of time as TrueLaunchBar), and WindHawk (not sure if that was mentioned at all, cause used to use t-clock and maybe that was why ExplorerPatcher was so buggy for me and could break at anytime Windows is updated). Try not to use the Start menu much at all, TrueLaunchbar is perfect for me.

Side note, cool, Snip tool now makes videos, and MS Paint now does layers.

netguru said:

Start11v2 … Object Desktop…

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Welcome to the forum

How much did you have to pay for these? They’re expensive now, and mostly subscription.

antspants said:

Welcome to the forum

How much did you have to pay for these? They’re expensive now, and mostly subscription.

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Hi antspants, Thanks for the Welcome.

Object Desktop yes is a yearly subscription, currently looks like $37.49 down from $49.99 but the amount of software you get for that is pretty outrageous, WindowBlinds, Iconpackager, Groupy, Shadow FX, Window FX, just to name a few and of course Start11. This is what I paid for the upgrade license for a year.

netguru said:

Hi antspants, Thanks for the Welcome.

Object Desktop yes is a yearly subscription, currently looks like $37.49 down from $49.99 but the amount of software you get for that is pretty outrageous, WindowBlinds, Iconpackager, Groupy, Shadow FX, Window FX, just to name a few and of course Start11. This is what I paid for the upgrade license for a year.

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I like Fences a lot too, they improve it yearly. Helps to improve the desktop.

Using Start 11 and its the King :)

netguru said:

I like Fences a lot too, they improve it yearly. Helps to improve the desktop.

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I use Fences4 and Start11v2, they work really well together. But they had lifetime licences so I did that. They gave me Start11v2 (long story about much complaining) for $5. And I own nearly 20 licences for different products with them… so there’s that.

Object desktop, I tried for 12 months. I just do not like subscriptions, for anything, at all.
Adobe I don’t have a choice.

None. I can adjust. It suffices and isn't of high priority to me.

Stardock Start11 v2.08. I've been using their software for years.

Bree said:

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 )

View attachment 101553

GitHub - dremin/RetroBar: Classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista taskbar for modern versions of Windows

Classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista taskbar for modern versions of Windows - dremin/RetroBar

github.com

Click to expand...

I checked out retro bar, its pretty cool. I miss vista aero start menu and taskbar.

What I like about reto bar too is it is very lightweight it feels. It doesn't seem to freak out the way other stuff does.

I won't permanently use it, but it's nice for the nostalgia. I still think vista looks quite modern. Same as windows 7. Loved the taskbar and start menu for both. I honestly would argue they look more modern than windows 11 looks. I miss windows Aero. If they brought it back it could look quite beautiful and it definitely wouldn't slow pc's down like the older days when it was shoved on systems with terrible integrated graphics.

I am using Classic Shell, Windows 95 style, here is my explanation.
But first. I should have a right to customize my computer how I want.
I should not have to explain it to people. If I believe that setting an option a certain way is okay, then
I dont need alot of hostility, insults, saying I dont understand the benefit of the default setting - that I am not giving the default setting a chance - alot of these default settings are based on providing benefit to novice users dont you know.
That's not why people invented computers.
So here is my thing.
I press the start button and the next button I press is the first letter in the name of the shortcut.
Or the first letter in the name of a folder. Which I fill with shortcuts as I see it, with subfolders and more shortcuts.
When I click the first letter of a folder the folder opens, when I click the first letter of a shortcut name the application opens.
These are desktop shortcuts, it means they have properties, it means they take arguments unlike metro shortcuts.
So I can have a shortcut to powershell that calls a script. Or a shortcut to a cmd that calls a batch file with a parameter value.
Or a shortcut to windows explorer with the name of a folder.
Once more I am going to state that I should not have to hear anybody's hostility at me for believing that any of this gives me an advantage. I will say nothing more about that.
The ways in which this is handy and useful and fast, if my testimony is to be believed, are substantial provable time savings, one slice at a time, all day long. And it adds up to significant time savings.

@User2000Forever
You do realize you're not supposed to use 3rd party software on Windows 11!!! It's forbidden!!! I think it even states that somewhere in the EULA!!!
(I'm just messin with ya!!!)
Welcome to the forums!

If you're happy with it, go with it!

User2000Forever said:

I should not have to explain it to people. If I believe that setting an option a certain way is okay, then
I dont need alot of hostility, insults, saying I dont understand the benefit of the default setting - that I am not giving the default setting a chance - alot of these default settings are based on providing benefit to novice users dont you know.

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Settle down

User2000Forever said:

I dont need alot of hostility, insults, saying I dont understand the benefit of the default setting

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Kind of pre judging us don’t you think?

ExBrit said:

Stardock Start11 v2.08. I've been using their software for years.

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I second this