Open Shell is the same Classic Shell app, but it’s updated by volunteer developers to stay up-to-date with Windows 10 updates. Unfortunately, the Classic Shell developer had to leave the project so he made it open source. Open Shell (Classic Shell)Ĭlassic Shell has been the staple alternative to Windows default Start menu for many years. Like other apps, the Start menu is fully customizable and you can add remove items and change icon sizes as you please. It has over a dozen built-in Start menu buttons that are actually very high quality. Start Menu 8 has two Start Menu styles, one is based on Windows 7 style and the other is a bit flat similar to Windows 8 menus. It does have a paid version that offers automatic updates, but it’s not compulsory to buy it.

It’s a free app, but IObit does advertise its other programs while installing and in the new Start menu on first use. Below you’ll find some of the best Windows 10 Start menu alternatives that will let you completely change the look of the Start menu and even add extra features you never knew you needed.

If you are one of those classic folks who prefer the elegant and straight forward design of the Windows 7 era, then I know just the right alternatives to help you.

Thankfully, I found a third-party replacement for the Windows 10 Start menu that allowed me to customize the Start menu exactly as I wanted. To make it simpler, I tried getting rid of the whole live tiles section, but it wasn’t the right call as I still need it to pin important apps. No matter how powerful it may be, I personally don’t like the Windows 10 Start menu it just looks like it got beat up by a rainbow. It’s sleek, heavily customizable, and comes with cool live tiles that show live information from apps. The new Start menu in Windows 10 is definitely one of the biggest upgrades to previous versions right behind Cortana.

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