Those who are homesick for the classic Windows start menu previously installed the Classic Shell tool. Unfortunately, the developer pulled the plug on the project late last year, and no updates have appeared since. Start10 is an alternative program that returns you to the Windows 7 start menu. How do you like this extension in practice?
Start10
Price$4.99 (approx. €4.32)
Language
Dutch English
OS
Windows 10
Website
www.stardock.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- Works very fast
- Easily customize design
- Negatives
- Languages mixed
- Pay after 30 days
Unlike Classic Shell, Start10 is not completely free. After a one-month trial period, the makers ask for a one-time fee of $4.99. For the 30-day version you need to leave a working email address, after which you will receive an activation link. Although the control panel of Start10 contains a mixture of Dutch and English, this software is nevertheless easy to operate.
Customize start menu
After installation, the start menu changes immediately, without having to restart the operating system. The search function is prominent in the tileless menu and you have direct access to the old familiar control panel. Start10 offers three styles for the start menu, while you can also change the theme. The default theme is specially tailored to the design of Windows 10, but you can just as easily opt for a more traditional sauce. You select the desired start button, where you can optionally upload your own image. The nice thing is that Start10 shows every change without having to wait even a second. If you dig deeper into the settings, you choose a color yourself, select larger icons and adjust the intensity of transparent windows. You can return to the original Windows 10 start screen at any time from Start10.
Other functions
In addition to the start menu, you can use Start10 to change even more things within Windows 10 without obligation. For example, you assign a different function to the close button and indicate how you want to use certain shortcuts. For example, you can assign the Windows 10 Start screen to the Win key so that you can access both menus. Finally, you adjust some small visual things of the taskbar.
Conclusion
Start10 is a nice solution for those who prefer to use the classic Windows 7 start menu in version 10. The adjustment does not cause restarts and delays, so you can use it immediately. Confusing is that the software uses Dutch and English interchangeably.
