Open All Apps in Windows 10: Full Guide

To open all apps in Windows 10, you use the Start menu’s “All apps” list, which shows every installed program alphabetically. You can also open individual apps via search, taskbar pins, or File Explorer shortcuts, but the Start menu remains the single place that lists everything.

What “All Apps” Actually Shows

The All apps list in Windows 10 is generated from shortcuts stored in two main folders on your system drive: the per-user folder at %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and the shared folder at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs. Any shortcut placed in either of these folders appears in the Start menu list, which is why some apps show up even if they were installed without asking. The list is alphabetical and includes both traditional desktop programs and Windows Store (UWP) apps.

How to Open the All Apps List

Click the Start button (Windows logo) in the bottom-left corner, or press the Windows key on your keyboard.
The Start menu opens with a tile area on the right and a narrow column on the left. Click the All apps button (it looks like a small hamburger icon with three horizontal lines) at the top of that left column.
The list expands to show every app installed on your PC, sorted alphabetically. Scroll through it, or click any letter header to jump to that section.
Click any app name to launch it. Some entries are folders (like “Accessories” or “Windows System”) – click the folder to expand its contents, then click the app inside.

If you prefer keyboard navigation, press Windows key, then start typing the app’s name. Search results appear instantly, and you can press Enter to open the top match. This is often faster than scrolling through the full list, especially if you know the exact name.

Alternative Ways to Open Any App

Besides the All apps list, Windows 10 gives you several other routes to launch programs:

Search bar – Click the search box next to the Start button, type the app name, and select it. This works for almost everything, including Control Panel tools that aren’t in the Start list.
Taskbar pins – Right-click any app in the Start menu and choose “Pin to taskbar” for one-click access. Pinned apps stay visible even when the Start menu is closed.
Desktop shortcuts – Right-click an app in All apps, select “More,” then “Open file location.” In the File Explorer window that opens, right-click the shortcut and choose “Send to” > “Desktop (create shortcut).”
Run dialog – Press Windows key + R, type the executable name (like winword for Word or calc for Calculator), and press Enter. This only works if the app’s folder is in the system PATH.
Command line – Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and type the app’s executable name, then press Enter. For Store apps, you may need the full package name, which is more complex.

Why Some Apps Don’t Appear in All Apps

Occasionally, a program you installed is missing from the All apps list. Common causes include:

Portable apps – Programs that run from a USB drive or folder without an installer never create Start menu shortcuts. You must manually create a shortcut or run the .exe directly.
Corrupted shortcuts – If a shortcut’s target path is broken, Windows may hide it. Reinstall the app or recreate the shortcut from the program’s installation folder.
Wrong installation folder – Some installers put shortcuts only in the per-user folder, while others put them in the shared folder. If one user can’t see an app, check both folders manually.
Group Policy restrictions – On managed (corporate) PCs, administrators can hide specific apps or the entire All apps list. This is rare on personal machines.

To manually add a missing app, navigate to the program’s installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\[App Name] or C:\Program Files (x86)\...), right-click the main .exe file, and choose “Create shortcut.” Then move that shortcut into the Start Menu Programs folder listed earlier.

How to Customize the All Apps List

You can organize the All apps list to suit your workflow:

Pin frequently used apps to Start tiles – Right-click an app and choose “Pin to Start.” The tile appears on the right side of the Start menu, where you can resize it (small, medium, wide, large) or drag it into groups.
Create folders in Start tiles – Drag one tile onto another to create a folder. This groups related apps without affecting the All apps list itself.
Remove unwanted shortcuts – Right-click an app in All apps and select “Unpin from Start” (if pinned) or “Uninstall” to remove the program entirely. To simply hide a shortcut without uninstalling, delete the shortcut file from the Start Menu Programs folder – but be careful not to delete the actual program.
Sort by category – Windows 10 doesn’t let you change the alphabetical sort of All apps, but you can create your own folders in the Programs folder with descriptive names (e.g., “Games”) and move shortcuts into them. Those folders appear as expandable entries in the list.

Common Problems and Fixes

If the All apps list is slow, empty, or unresponsive, try these steps in order:

Restart Explorer – Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find “Windows Explorer,” right-click it, and choose “Restart.” This refreshes the Start menu without rebooting.
Rebuild the tile database – Close all apps, then open PowerShell as administrator and run Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}. This re-registers all Store apps, which often fixes missing entries.
Check for corrupted system files – Open Command Prompt as administrator and run sfc /scannow. If it finds issues, follow with DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Create a new user account – If the problem persists, a corrupted user profile may be the cause. Create a new local account and see if All apps works there.

Note that the All apps list is not the same as the full list of installed programs you see in Control Panel’s “Programs and Features.” That list only shows traditional desktop apps, while All apps includes both desktop and Store apps. If an app is missing from All apps but shows in Programs and Features, it usually means the Start menu shortcut was deleted or never created.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I find a specific app in All apps?

First, try searching for it by typing the name in the Start menu search box. If that fails, check the installation folder for the .exe file and create a shortcut manually. Some apps, especially portable ones, never add themselves to the Start menu. Also verify that the app is actually installed – check Control Panel > Programs and Features or Settings > Apps.

How do I open All apps with the keyboard?

Press the Windows key to open Start, then press Ctrl + Tab to switch from the tile view to the All apps list. Or simply press the Windows key and start typing the app name – search is usually faster than scrolling.

Can I make All apps show more items per screen?

No, Windows 10 doesn’t offer a setting to change the density of the All apps list. However, you can resize the Start menu itself by dragging its top or right edge, which shows more items at once. On high-resolution displays, the list automatically fits more entries.

Is there a way to open all apps at once?

No, Windows 10 does not have a built-in “open all” command. Launching every installed program simultaneously would likely crash your system due to memory and CPU limits. If you need to start a set of apps together, create a batch file or use a third-party launcher that supports groups.

Why does All apps show apps I already uninstalled?

This usually happens when the uninstaller leaves behind a shortcut in the Start Menu Programs folder. Delete the leftover shortcut manually, or run a disk cleanup utility to remove orphaned entries. It’s harmless but can clutter the list.

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

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