Windows 11 Start Menu: How to Use It

The Windows 11 Start menu is your central hub for launching apps, searching files, and accessing system settings. This guide walks you through every part of it—from the basics of opening and navigating to personalizing its layout and using advanced features like pinned apps and recommended files. No prior knowledge is needed; just follow along with your Windows 11 PC.

What You’ll Need

A PC running Windows 11 (version 21H2 or later).
An active user account (local or Microsoft).
Administrator rights if you want to change certain settings, like adding or removing system apps.

Step-by-Step

Open the Start menu. Click the Windows icon (four blue squares) in the center of the taskbar, or press the Windows key on your keyboard. The menu appears with three main areas: a search bar at the top, a pinned apps section in the middle, and a recommended section at the bottom.
Use the search bar. Click the search field and type the name of an app, file, or setting. As you type, results appear instantly. Click any result to open it. You can also search the web—results from Bing will show at the top if you scroll down.
Open a pinned app. The pinned section shows your most-used apps as tiles. Click any tile to launch that app. To see all apps, click the “All apps” button (the small grid icon) in the top-right corner of the pinned area.
Scroll through the All apps list. This list shows every installed app in alphabetical order. You can scroll through it or use the search bar to filter. Right-click any app in the list to pin it to Start, pin it to the taskbar, or uninstall it.
Pin and unpin apps. To pin an app to the Start menu, right-click it (from All apps or the search results) and select “Pin to Start.” To remove a pinned app, right-click its tile and select “Unpin from Start.” You can rearrange tiles by dragging them with your mouse to any position in the grid.
Organize tiles into folders. Drag one tile on top of another to create a folder. Click the folder to expand it, then drag more tiles in or out. This helps keep your Start menu tidy.
Use the Recommended section. This area shows recently opened files and apps. Click any item to open it. To remove an item from the list, right-click it and select “Remove from list.” To clear the entire list, right-click the section header and choose “Clear all.”
Access Power options. Click your profile picture or the user icon at the bottom-left corner of the Start menu. From here you can lock your PC, sign out, or switch to another user account. The power button (circle with a line) lets you sleep, shut down, or restart.
Open Settings. Click the gear icon (Settings) just above the power button to open the Windows Settings app. You can also type “Settings” in the search bar.
Customize the Start menu layout. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start. Here you can toggle “Show more pins” or “Show more recommendations,” enable or disable the “Recommended” section, and choose whether to show recently added apps, most-used apps, or recently opened items in Start.
Change the Start menu alignment. In the same Settings page, under “Layout,” you can switch between “Default” (centered) and “Left” (aligned to the left corner, like Windows 10).
Use keyboard shortcuts. Press Windows + A to open Quick Settings, Windows + N for notifications, and Windows + D to show the desktop. These are handy for power users.

Common Mistakes

Dragging tiles to the desktop: Unlike Windows 10, you cannot drag a tile from Start to the desktop to create a shortcut. Instead, right-click the tile and select “Pin to taskbar” or create a desktop shortcut manually.
Expecting the old full-screen Start: Windows 11’s Start menu is a compact panel, not a full-screen overlay. If you prefer the full-screen view, you can enable it in Settings > Personalization > Start > “Use Start full-screen.”
Clicking the search bar instead of typing: The search bar is not a text field until you click it. If you start typing without clicking, nothing happens. Always click first.
Unpinning system apps accidentally: You can unpin apps like Settings or File Explorer. If you do, you can find them again in All apps and re-pin them.

Tips

Pin folders and drives: In File Explorer, right-click a folder or drive and select “Pin to Quick access” to see it in the Recommended section. You can also drag a folder into the pinned area of Start.
Use the “All apps” button to uninstall: Right-click any app in the All apps list and select “Uninstall” to remove it quickly without going to Settings.
Customize the recommended section: In Settings > Personalization > Start, you can turn off “Show recently added apps,” “Show most-used apps,” or “Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer” to declutter.
Keyboard navigation: Use arrow keys to move between tiles, Enter to open, and Tab to cycle through sections. This is faster than using a mouse.
Group pins by category: Create folders like “Work,” “Games,” or “Media” to keep similar apps together.

Troubleshooting

Start menu not opening: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click “More details,” find “Windows Explorer” in the Processes list, right-click it, and select “Restart.” This refreshes the shell and often fixes the issue.
Search not showing results: If typing in the search bar yields nothing, try restarting the search service. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Find “Windows Search,” right-click it, and select “Restart.”
Start menu is laggy or unresponsive: Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter: Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Store Apps > Run. Also, ensure your PC has the latest updates.
Pinned apps missing after update: Sometimes updates reset Start layout. You can re-pin your apps manually. To back up your layout, use a third-party tool like Start11 (not built-in), but be cautious with third-party software.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I resize the Start menu?

Yes, you can drag the edges of the Start menu to make it taller or wider. Click and drag the top edge to resize vertically, or the right edge to resize horizontally.

How do I add a website to the Start menu?

Open the website in Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu, then go to “More tools” > “Pin to Start.” This creates a tile that opens the site in Edge.

Can I remove the Recommended section entirely?

Yes. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start and toggle off “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.” This removes the entire Recommended section.

Why are some apps not showing in All apps?

Portable apps (that don’t install) won’t appear. Also, some legacy apps may only appear after you search for them. Check the installation folder or use the search bar.

How do I change the Start menu color?

Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors. Choose a custom accent color, or enable “Show accent color on Start and taskbar” to apply it.

Can I make the Start menu look like Windows 10?

Windows 11 does not offer a built-in “Windows 10 style” Start menu. You can align it to the left and disable the Recommended section to make it feel more familiar, but the layout remains different.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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