Rearrange Windows 10 Start Menu: Tiles & Groups

Rearranging the Windows 10 Start menu lets you put your most-used apps and tiles exactly where you want them, creating a more personalized and efficient workflow. You can move tiles, resize them, group them by category, and even remove the ones you never use. No special tools are needed—everything is done directly in the Start menu itself.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows 10 PC with a mouse or touch screen
• Administrator rights (not strictly required, but needed to pin some system apps)

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Start menu by clicking the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen, or by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard.
2. Identify the tiles you want to move. The Start menu is divided into two main areas: the left column (recently added apps, most used, and the power/user options) and the right side (the tiled area with live tiles and shortcuts).
3. Drag a tile to a new position. Click and hold the tile with your mouse, then drag it to the desired spot in the tiled area. Release the mouse button to drop it. The other tiles will automatically shift to make room.
4. Resize a tile. Right-click on a tile, hover over Resize, and choose from the available sizes (Small, Medium, Wide, Large). Not all tiles support all sizes—for example, some app tiles only allow Small or Medium.
5. Create a group. Drag a tile slightly to the side of the existing tiled area until you see a vertical bar appear. Release the mouse to create a new group. You can then drag other tiles into this new group.
6. Name a group. Click on the small horizontal line above a group of tiles (the group header). Type a name for the group (e.g., “Work”, “Games”, “Media”) and press Enter.
7. Move an entire group. Click and drag the group header (the name area) to reposition the whole group within the tiled area.
8. Pin a new app to the Start menu. Find the app in the left column’s “All apps” list (click the hamburger icon in the top-left of the Start menu to expand it), right-click it, and select Pin to Start. The tile will appear at the bottom of the tiled area—you can then drag it to where you want it.
9. Remove a tile. Right-click on a tile and select Unpin from Start. This does not uninstall the app; it just removes the tile from the Start menu.
10. Adjust the overall Start menu size. Hover your mouse over the top edge of the Start menu until you see a vertical double arrow, then click and drag up or down to make the menu taller or shorter. This gives you more or less room for tiles.

Common Mistakes

• Dragging tiles to the left column: You cannot place tiles in the left column—that area is reserved for the app list and system shortcuts. If you try, the tile will just snap back.
• Expecting all tiles to be resizable: Some tiles, especially those from older desktop apps, only offer Small or Medium sizes. You cannot force a tile to be Large if the app doesn’t support it.
• Accidentally unpinning instead of resizing: Right-clicking a tile shows a menu; if you click “Unpin from Start” by mistake, the tile disappears. You can re-pin it from the All apps list.
• Not realizing groups need a header: If you create a new group but don’t name it, it will show a blank header. Click on it to name it, or it may merge with an adjacent group when you move tiles.
• Dragging too fast: If you drag a tile quickly, it might not “grab” properly. Slow down and make sure the tile is highlighted before moving it.

Tips

• Use groups to organize by task: Create groups like “Work” (Word, Excel, Outlook), “Entertainment” (Netflix, Spotify), and “Utilities” (Settings, File Explorer). This reduces clutter and speeds up access.
• Pin folders to the Start menu: Right-click a folder in File Explorer and select “Pin to Start” to create a tile that opens that folder directly.
• Take advantage of live tiles: Some apps (like News, Weather, or Mail) show dynamic content on their tiles. If you find them distracting, right-click and turn off live updates (under More options) or resize them to Small.
• Use the full-screen Start menu: If you prefer a more spacious layout, go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn on “Use Start full screen.” This gives you more room for tiles and groups.
• Back up your layout: While Windows doesn’t provide a built-in export, you can use third-party tools to back up your Start menu layout if you plan to reinstall Windows. However, for most users, manually rearranging is quick enough.

Troubleshooting

• Tiles won’t drag: If you can’t drag tiles, try restarting Windows Explorer. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, find “Windows Explorer” in the Processes tab, right-click it, and select “Restart.” This refreshes the UI and often fixes drag issues.
• Start menu is not opening at all: If the Start menu won’t open, run the built-in troubleshooter: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, then select “Windows Store Apps” and run it. Alternatively, restart your PC.
• Changes not saving: If your layout resets after a reboot, it could be due to a corrupted user profile or group policy restrictions (common on work PCs). Try creating a new local user account to see if the issue persists.
• Tiles appear greyed out or unresponsive: This often happens after an app update. Try unpinning and re-pinning the tile, or restart the app itself.
• Can’t create a new group: If dragging a tile to the edge doesn’t create a new group, make sure you’re dragging it to the rightmost edge of the tiled area, and that there’s enough empty space. If the Start menu is full, resize it or remove some tiles first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rearrange the left column of the Start menu?

No, the left column is fixed. It shows recently added apps, most used, and system shortcuts (like Settings and Power). You can’t reorder these, but you can choose which folders appear there via Settings > Personalization > Start > Choose which folders appear on Start.

How do I move a tile to a different group?

Simply drag the tile from its current group to the desired group. The tile will snap into place when you release it. You can also drag it to a new group you create.

Will rearranging the Start menu affect my desktop or taskbar?

No, the Start menu layout is independent. Changes you make to tiles and groups only affect the Start menu. Your desktop icons and taskbar shortcuts remain unchanged.

Can I make the Start menu smaller or larger?

Yes, drag the top edge of the Start menu up or down to adjust its height. The width is fixed, but you can also enable full-screen mode in Settings to use the entire screen.

Is it possible to have multiple Start menu layouts?

No, Windows 10 only supports one Start menu layout per user account. If you want different layouts, you’d need to create separate user accounts.

Why do some tiles not have a resize option?

Some apps, especially older desktop programs, don’t provide tile sizes beyond Small or Medium. This is a limitation of the app itself, not Windows. You can only resize tiles that support it.

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