Add Classic Start Menu to Windows 8 Without Hacks or 3rd Party Software

By Nazmus Shakib Khandaker
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Nazmus Shakib Khandaker

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The Windows 8 Taskbar gives you the ability to add back the start menu. However, this menu is very simple, only showing cascading "Programs" menu. This simple start menu is more simpler than the "Classic Start Menu" from Windows 9x. Here's how to get it with a couple of clicks.

Step 1: Right-click on the Windows 8 Taskbar, point to "Toolbars", and click "New Toolbar..."

Step 2: On the Dialogue box that appears, type in the following in the "Folder" textbox: "%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu"

Step 3: The Start Menu now appears on the right of the taskbar, right beside the system tray. You can unlock the taskbar and more the Start Menu on the left of the taskbar, where the Start Menu traditionally exists.

Enjoy!

Basic%20Start%20Menu.png

Grand Master

+Xinok Subscriber²

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One problem with this trick: There are two start menu folders. The path you provided is for all users. The second path is for the current user. You can only show one at a time.

%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

Grand Master

nekrosoft13

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neat trick, i keep hoping someone will work some miracle and get a full start menu back.

right now using start8 on server 2012 and that works really well.

to bad you have to use 3rd party tools to get your os to function properly.

  • Lord Method Man
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