This list contains best free Start Menu Editor software for Windows. Using these software, you can replace the default Windows Start menu with a customized Start menu. Most of these software replace the original Windows Start menu, while some of these work along with the default one. Also, it is easy to switch to the original one, if you don’t like the downloaded Start menu. In many of these software, you get options to manage files/folders/software present in your PC in different categories. This categorization makes it easier to find items in suitable categories.
These Start Menu modifier software come with a number of skins and styles. Thus, they let you change the Start menu rendering style in different fashion. Also, most of them let you change the icon for the Start button. The search box is also provided in most of these software that helps to look for software and files/folders present in the PC.
My Favorite Start Menu Editor Software:
Pokki is one of my favorite software to customize Windows 10 Start menu. It helps to categorize programs in different categories and lets you easily switch to Windows default Start menu. It also lets you create a favorite list of programs to easily access them. There is a notification button available on its interface that helps to check out new notifications. If you want, you can also change theme, color, and language for the Start menu.
Start Menu X is also a good Start menu editor. It categorizes contents of your PC as per their types. It provides you options to choose from different menu styles and skins. Also, it lets you add different buttons like: Power Control, User Account, Sleep, Hibernate, Lock, Log Off, etc. to the Start menu.
Pokki
Pokki is a free Start menu customizer software for Windows. It is an alternative to Windows default Start menu. If you are using this software, you can still use Windows default Start menu. As you install this software, it will be pinned to the Taskbar and you can launch Start menu from there.
As you launch it by clicking on Pokki Start menu icon, the Start menu pops up. Now, you can access a number of configurable options from its interface. Also, you can change the Pokki Start menu icon. There are three categories available on its interface that help to manage computer programs accordingly. These categories are My Favorites, All Programs, and Control Panel. You can create a favorite list of programs and arrange them in a grid in order to improve accessibility. The good thing is you can directly uninstall any program from this Start menu.
At the top of the interface, it provides a Search box to look for apps or files of your PC. There is a notification button given next to the search box to check out new notifications. You can also edit content to appear on menu sidebar. It also lets you change theme, color, and language for Start menu.
From the left bottom corner of this Start menu, you can click on the given Windows icon to use the default Windows Start menu at any point of time.
Start Menu X
Start Menu X is an excellent free Start menu customizer software for Windows. The free version of this software comes with some functional limitations. As you install this software, the default Start menu will be changed with a new one. Now, you can click on Start button to access other options to customize this new Start menu.
There are three Start menu styles present in this software, namely, Start Menu X (default), Classic Menu, and Start Menu 10. You can select from these styles whichever you like. There are various skins available to choose from, such as classic, classic sky, Crystal Graphite, Windows Metro, Windows Spring, etc. It also lets you perform scaling of text to adjust the appearance.
One of the promising features of this software is that it lets you browse folders, sub-folders, and even files by easy navigation. Also, it lets you sort contents in categories (called as Virtual Groups) as per their types, which are: System, Graphics, Games, Office, Internet, and Others. Thus, you can easily access software and other files by looking in the appropriate category. You can customize these virtual groups by removing or adding programs.
It lets you change Start button icon, and provides easy reach to various options by pinning them to the Start menu. You can add Power Control, User Account, Sleep, Hibernate, Lock, Log Off, etc. buttons to the Start menu. It even lets you set customized shortcut keys to easily access aforesaid added buttons.
Classic Shell
Classic Shell is another free Start menu modifier software for Windows. It actually provides you another Start menu along with the default one. So, you can still use the built-in Start menu with the new one.
There are total three Start menu styles that you can choose from, which are Classic Style, Classic with two columns, and Windows 7 style. It comes with many types of skins: Metro, Metallic, Midnight, Windows 8, Windows Aero, etc. It lets you drag and drop applications to move them in desired folders category. Some of these categories are Document, Picture, Music, Games, etc. Also, you can drag any file and drop it to supported application listed in the Start menu to quickly open it.
Like other software, it also lets you change the Start button. You can either choose Aero or Classic button, or use Custom option to use any image from your PC as a replacement of Start button icon. It provides you an option to decide menu items to appear in the Start menu. Also, you can create a backup of Menu settings as XML file. Additionally, it provides you options to customize main menu, menu look, context menu, language, sound, etc.
Start Menu Reviver
Start Menu Reviver is next in the list of free Start menu editor software for Windows. It lets you customize the Start menu to get a distinct Start menu look.
After installing this software, clicking on Start button will display the Start menu as per this software. To access Start menu customization options, right click on the ‘Start‘ button and Start menu Setting will pop up in a new window. From here, you can access and apply a style from 11 different Start menu button styles. You also get the option to customize an extended menu to display in ‘Apps view’ or ‘Folder View’ mode with Start menu size adjustable to small, medium, or Large. From Appearance menu, you can personalize theme style as day, night, personal, etc.
From its interface, you can easily access Computer, Task Manager, Control Panel, Settings, etc. options to manage your PC.
Labrys
Labrys is another free Start menu changer software for Windows. This software replaces the default Start menu with its own. Like other software, it also provides search box to look for desired item in your PC. To search anything, you need to write command in search box and press Execute button.
There are two menus available in this Start menu changer: Run menu and Start Menu. The Start menu is divided in two parallel columns. The left part contains folders and software which are arranged in alphabetical order, while the right part contains Windows settings, Labrys Settings, Places such as downloads, Onedrive, etc.
In the Run menu, you can access SYS (default launcher), CMD, PwS (Windows PowerShell), and MMC (Microsoft Management Console) options. Also, at the same place, you can checkout the search history performed using Execute button.
Super Start Menu
Super Start Menu is another free Start menu software for Windows. It’s not a very advanced replacement for Windows built-in Start menu as it doesn’t contain different skins, styles, or configuration options. It doesn’t replace Windows default Start menu, but allocates its own Start button alongside the default one. Thus, you can use either of these Start menus as per your need.
The Start menu is divided into two columns. From the right part of the interface, you can access Documents, Computer, Control Panel, Software, etc. While, the left part contains Programs and various folders contained in the PC. Just click on the desired item to open it.