Start Menu 10

If you don't like the look of your Windows start menu or you just want a nice change of pace from the ordinary, this custom start menu can provide you with the solution you're looking for. Windows 8 and 10 made a significant push to the sleek and futuristic Aero design that Microsoft has now made their trademark, but it's a decision that didn't sit well with everyone. This custom start menu provides a more classic look that draws from both XP and Windows 7 for inspiration. With its big bold icons and classic, coloring, it gives off a strongly retro look that calls back the late 1990s and early 2000s. This start menu skin is compatible with XP, Vista, 8, and 10, and it's easy to install regardless of the version of Windows you're using.

If you're using a newer version of Windows, this won't just change the look. It will change how your start menu functions. Windows 10's took a bold new approach to how they handled their start menu, but this takes it back to basics by stuffing all of your most commonly used programs and most recently used programs and folders into a neatly accessible list alongside your traditional list of applications. While there are some customization options available, they're largely limited to a few different variations on the same basic design. You can shift up some of the colors, but you don't have much leeway to mix and match. The one feature that is interesting is the inclusion of a shutdown icon you can use to turn your computer off or set it on a timer. It's a neat addition, but certainly not enough to warrant a buy-in to the whole start menu. If this start menu feels like a relic, that's because it is. While some older users may feel a pang of nostalgia when they see the start menu, the lack of features and generally clunky integration with the more modern operating systems (especially Windows 10) makes for a skin that doesn't quite do enough to stand apart from the peak.