NOW AVAILABLE: Release Candidate 1 Update for Start11

Published on October 8, 2021 By Island Dog In WinCustomize News

Enhance the Start Menu and Restore Classic Functionality with Start11

Stardock announced the availability of the Release Candidate 1 update for Start11, a program that allows users to customize the Windows Start menu and taskbar. This update brings several new Start menu layouts to choose from, restored context menu functionality, enabled repositioning of the taskbar, plus one of our users’ favorite features: Fences integration. As with previous editions of StartX products, Start11 allows users to restore the Start menu to appear as it does in previous versions of Windows, as well as customize and enhance its functionality.

Start11 is designed for Windows 11 and Windows 10 and comes loaded with features intended to make Windows more productive and personal. Start11 supports moving the Start button to the middle or to the left, adjusting the taskbar size, re-ordering quick access shortcut lists, options for adjusting grid spacing, enhanced classic and modern search experiences, and much more.

For users who want to personalize their Start menu, Start11 offers robust customization options ranging from aesthetic to functional. The software enables enhanced Windows 10 and Windows 11 style Start menus, a compact Windows 7 design, optional Windows 11 style for classic menus, and many additional settings that let you configure your personalized Start menu.

Start11 extends this to support a host of new Start menu ideas such as the concept of pages, minimalism, and features for our enterprise customers.

The Start11 beta is currently available for $4.99.
Get into the Beta

Comments (Page 1)

LightStar

on Oct 08, 2021

Yep, did my first Windows 11 and Start 11 install today on the new PC I had to buy. Only going to sit there though until WB and SKS 11 come out. Start 11 was definitely needed on it though!

c242

on Oct 08, 2021

The main showstopper for me is, that You can show shortcuts as link only, no menu.

Pages are great!

Will shortcut menus work in the final version?

Neil Banfield

on Oct 08, 2021

c242

reply 2

The main showstopper for me is, that You can show shortcuts as link only, no menu.

Pages are great!

Will shortcut menus work in the final version?

We were not sure anyone would want that given that popout menus have never been a feature of the Win10 or 11 menus.

c242

on Oct 08, 2021

And will we get rid of the dark style inconsistencies?

c242

on Oct 08, 2021

Neil Banfield

reply 3

Quoting c242,

reply 2

The main showstopper for me is, that You can show shortcuts as link only, no menu.

Pages are great!

Will shortcut menus work in the final version?

We were not sure anyone would want that given that popout menus have never been a feature of the Win10 or 11 menus.

But that is one reason why we want to tweak the start menu, right?

UPDATE:

And that is an essential part of my workflow. As You see on my work-rig, where I use another startmenu-app:

I am not excited of losing another app in the Stardock portfolio because it now lacks options that where there before and now oneman-show programmers do better (for example ObjectDock). Apart from the aesthetical view of things mentioned above. That is sad I think.

Neil Banfield

on Oct 08, 2021

c242

reply 4

And will we get rid of the dark style inconsistencies finally?

We are aware those menus are not black. The long term plan is to move them over to the system used for the right click on Win10 / Win11 menus.

Jan Oscar

on Oct 08, 2021

Running Windows 10 Home 21H1 (19043.1266), I can't figure out how to customize the right panel using the Windows 7 style:

And why are the universal apps added to the left side of All Programs and impossible to move/delete?

I uninstalled and tried to go back to Start 10, but that didn't go well at all...

Neil Banfield

on Oct 08, 2021

JanOscar

reply 7

Running Windows 10 Home 21H1 (19043.1266), I can't figure out how to customize the right panel using the Windows 7 style:

And why are the universal apps added to the left side of All Programs and impossible to move/delete?

I uninstalled and tried to go back to Start 10, but that didn't go well at all...

Open Start11 settings, click the combo box under Windows 7 style.

Pick all programs list and expand down for putting universal apps back in their own folder (if you wish), for the right hand side click Quick access side shortcuts and you will find a huge number of options for you including reordering abilities.

Jan Oscar

on Oct 08, 2021

All I get in that combo box is four different styles for the W7 menu.

Neil Banfield

on Oct 08, 2021

JanOscar

reply 9

All I get in that combo box is four different styles for the W7 menu.

Reduced 83%

Original 1006 x 642

That is really odd. There should be one labelled settings at the bottom of that menu.

Do the Windows 10 and Windows 11 style ones show a settings link?

whistlerpro

on Oct 08, 2021

Hi all, just bought Start 11, great product! Having only just scratched the surface just a couple of questions...

Start 11's Win 11 style start menu is significantly wider on my Surface Book 2 than the regular Windows 11 start menu... will we get an option to tweak the width? I can see the appeal of a wider menu, but would like to be able to keep it compact.

Secondly, the in-built search seems to use Bing, which is ok I guess... but any chance we can get an option to change this to Google? For me this would be a big win in terms of making the search more useful.

In a similar vein I think I'd also appreciate a way to hide the search box all together, perhaps with it only appearing if I typed something...?

Thanks!

Jan Oscar

on Oct 08, 2021

Neil Banfield

reply 10

That is really odd. There should be one labelled settings at the bottom of that menu.

Do the Windows 10 and Windows 11 style ones show a settings link?

Something must be terribly wrong on my end. Now the config screen don't show at all, so I'll try a fresh install tomorrow.

Neil Banfield

on Oct 09, 2021

whistlerpro

reply 11

Hi all, just bought Start 11, great product! Having only just scratched the surface just a couple of questions...

Start 11's Win 11 style start menu is significantly wider on my Surface Book 2 than the regular Windows 11 start menu... will we get an option to tweak the width? I can see the appeal of a wider menu, but would like to be able to keep it compact.

Secondly, the in-built search seems to use Bing, which is ok I guess... but any chance we can get an option to change this to Google? For me this would be a big win in terms of making the search more useful.

In a similar vein I think I'd also appreciate a way to hide the search box all together, perhaps with it only appearing if I typed something...?

Thanks!

You can resize the menu by dragging the sides of the menu.

Jan Oscar

on Oct 09, 2021

Removed everything I could find related to Start 10 & 11 and did a fresh install and now everything seems to be working.

One thing though: Is there any way to hide the blue settings icon in All Programs? I seem to remember deleting it in Start 10 created a lot of strange errors.

1nsomn1ac

on Oct 09, 2021

tried it & get back to start10 right away due to these:

i don't think it's recommended for win10 users

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