How to Change to Use Start Menu or Start Screen in Windows 10
Warning
This tutorial will no longer work starting with Windows 10 build 10041 released on March 18th 2015.
You can use this instead: How to Turn On or Off to Use Full Screen Start in Windows 10
Information
Windows 10 brings back the Start Menu from Windows 7 with the Start screen from Windows 8 merged together as one.
This tutorial will show you how to toggle to use the old resizable Start Menu or Start Screen at will in your user account in Windows 10.
CONTENTS:
- Option One: Set Start Menu or Start Screen in Taskbar and Start Menu Properties
- Option Two: Set Start Menu or Start Screen using a BAT File
EXAMPLE: Start Menu
EXAMPLE: Start Screen in Start and Apps view
1. If you have not already, you will first need to enable using the resizable Start menu.
2. Right click or press and hold on the taskbar, and click/tap on Properties.
3. Do step 4 or 5 below for what you would like to do.
4. To Use Start Menu instead of Start Screen
NOTE: This is the default setting on a desktop PC.
A) Check the Use the Start menu instead of the Start screen box, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below step 5)
5. To Use Start Screen instead of Start Menu
NOTE: This is the default setting on a touch PC (ex: tablet or laptop).
A) Uncheck the Use the Start menu instead of the Start screen box, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
6. Click/tap on the Sign out and change settings button to apply. (see screenshot below)
Note
If you click/tap on Cancel, then it will undo your setting change.
Be sure to save anything you have open before clicking on the Sign out and change settings button.
7. You will now be signed out of Windows, and you will then need to sign back in to Windows.
The .bat files below are to change the registry DWORD values in the key below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
EnableXamlStartMenu DWORD
0 = Enable resizable Start menu
EnableStartMenu DWORD
0 = Use Start Screen
1 = Use Start Menu
1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.
2. To Use Start Menu instead of Start Screen
NOTE: This is the default setting on a desktop PC.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .bat file below, and go to step 4 below.
Use_Start_Menu_instead_of_Start_Screen.bat
Download
3. To Use Start Screen instead of Start Menu
NOTE: This is the default setting on a touch PC (ex: tablet or laptop).
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .bat file below, and go to step 4 below.
Use_Start_Screen_instead_of_Start_Menu.bat
Download
4. Save the .bat file to your desktop and run it.
5. If prompted, click/tap on Run.
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.
6. You will now notice a command prompt quickly open and close, and your screen flash while applying the changes to your registry and to restart explorer.
7. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file(s) if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Enable or Disable Resizable Start Menu in Windows 10
- How to Reset Start Menu Layout to Default in Windows 10
Use Start Menu or Start Screen in Windows 10
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New #2
Thanks for info
I like the original start screen, but this new start menu looks interesting
good to be able to swap between them
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New #3
Hi Shawn. I upgraded a copy of W7 to W10 and noticed that the option to use the Start Screen is grayed out and can not be checked. So I will try out option 2 and see if it works. Thanks for the info!
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New #5
Very good Shawn, I will be using this soon. :)
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New #8
Thanks, Shawn. :)
I'm glad that we have the option.
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New #9
Thanks Shawn.
Use Start Menu or Start Screen in Windows 10
How to Change to Use Start Menu or Start Screen in Windows 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: General Tips
06 Mar 2017
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