Don't like the new Start menu in Windows 11? Start11 and Open Shell have solutions for that free download: software reviews, downloads, news, free trials, freeware and full commercial software

Windows 11 is here! It's shiny, it's new, it's stripped down, it's missing some of your favorite features. If you've found the new Start menu to be more of a stop than a start and are longing for something old and familiar, the good news is that there are options, both paid and free, to fill the void.

The main one comes from the famous Windows developer Stardock. Start11 v1.0 has just been officially released. The bad news is that it's no longer free to use now that it's out of beta, but you can at least try it out before you decide if $5.99 is a fair price to pay for it.

Start11 is not free, but it integrates seamlessly with the Windows 11 desktop.

Since all buttons are replaced by the Start menu, Start11 is like an object that gives complete control over how it will behave in the Start menu in Windows 11 (where all of that went to waste). space now is), but more importantly, you can choose what kind of Start menu you want.

After installation, launch Start11, and once you've activated your 30-day trial, you'll be guided through a setup wizard: start by choosing whether you want to align the taskbar (and its icons) to the left or to the center of the screen.

Then you will find the program settings screen. Step through the various options, coming up with the selection of a style: Windows 7, Modern, Windows 10, or Windows 11. Click the down arrow next to the chosen style to modify it further with options like compact and grid available, or click click the Settings Button button to adjust it further.

Start11 also gives you more control over the Windows taskbar, restoring missing right-click options and letting you change its appearance. You have 30 days to try it out, and see if you get along with the new features, and if you do, it's $5.99 one time.

Open Shell will work on Windows 11, but it adds its own menu alongside the existing Start menu instead of replacing it.

If you can't, or don't want to, pay for a Start menu replacement, the good news is that Open Shell is a free and open source native alternative that still works on Windows 11.

Open Shell will make a menu look like Windows 7, but it's not as elegant a solution as Start 11., meaning it can only be used in conjunction with the existing Start menu rather than as a replacement. If you want to explore the possibility of using Open Shell on the Start button in Windows 11, please see this forum post for more details.

You can download Open Shell and Start11 now on your Windows 11 PC. Open Shell is free forever, while Start11 costs $5.99 after the 30-day trial.

Stardock Start11 v1.11

Bring the classic Start menu back to Windows 11 and Windows 10

Free during beta test