5 Best Free Start Menu Replacements for Windows 8 Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows 31 31 people found this article helpful

5 Best Free Start Menu Replacements for Windows 8

Restore the Start menu in Windows 8 and 8.1

By Robert Kingsley Robert Kingsley Writer ITT Technical Institute Robert Kingsley is a former Lifewire writer who specializes in technology. He has worked as an IT support engineer, installing, configuring, and maintaining Windows computers. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 16, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide If you miss the traditional Windows interface, you can add a Start menu to Windows 8 with a Start menu replacement. Some of the replacements introduce new features and interface elements, while others mirror the look and feel of the Windows 7 Start menu. We compiled five of the best Start menu replacements for Windows 8. Every tool is free and allows you to bypass the Start screen and boot directly to the desktop. The tools in this article are available for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. Some are also compatible with other versions of Windows. 01 of 05

ViStart

What We Like Looks like the Windows 7 Start menu. Highly customizable. Instant program search results. What We Don't Like Attempts to install third-party apps. Can be buggy at times. ViStart is about as close as you're going to get to the Windows 7 Start menu. All of the interface elements you'd expect are there. You'll have quick access to your programs and the ability to pin apps as in Windows 7. There are a couple of skins to choose from, and you also have the option to change how your Start icon appears. Other than that, there are no additional features, but ViStart is sufficient if you're used to older versions of Windows. Download ViStart 02 of 05

Start Menu 8

What We Like Free to download and use. Perfectly replicates the Windows 7 Start menu. Hide individual items. What We Don't Like Auto hide can be buggy. Plain interface. Incompatible with newer apps. Start Menu 8 is also very close to the Start menu in Windows 7, but it includes a MetroApps menu that you can select to access the Windows Store apps on your computer. This feature lets you seamlessly launch apps from the desktop, just as you would any other program. In addition, there are multiple themes you can choose from, and you can change the Start icon's style, font, and even the size of the menu. Unfortunately, though, you can't pin modern apps to the Start menu. Download Start Menu 8 03 of 05

Start Menu Reviver

What We Like Touchscreen friendly. Beautiful design. Highly customizable. What We Don't Like Doesn't fully replace the modern user interface. Can't permanently pin items to the Start menu. Start Menu Reviver doesn't recreate the classic Start menu; instead, it reinvents the idea and updates it to fit Windows 8 better. This application includes a bar of links and a series of customizable tiles. You can drag any desktop or Windows Store app into the menu to customize the tiles to your liking. The link bar on the left provides easy access to commonly used tools like Network, Search, and Run. Download Start Menu Reviver 04 of 05

Classic Shell

What We Like Highly customizable. Free and open source. Models the classic Windows 7 start menu. Displays system status data. What We Don't Like Complicated to customize. Can run slower than the standard shell. Not easy to find programs or folders. Classic Shell comes with a detailed Settings page that allows you to change almost every aspect of the menu to suit your preferences. It also lets you tweak File Explorer and Internet Explorer to make their interfaces more comfortable for you. In addition to the classic Start menu, Classic Shell offers a secondary menu for your Windows Store apps, which you can pin to the Start menu. Download Classic Shell 05 of 05

Pokki

What We Like Easy to customize. Simplified layout. Mail and social media notifications. What We Don't Like Default Start icon is an acorn. Unwanted app icons. Store links to Pokki. Pokki looks nothing like the classic Start menu you're used to, but that's not a bad thing. It offers a Control Panel view which, much like Windows GodMode, places all the computer configuration and settings tools in one place for easy access. You also have the My Favorites view, which offers a series of tiles you can configure to link to any program on your computer. You can even download apps from Pokki's store. Download Pokki Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire 10 Best Free Photo Editing Programs 9 Best Free Software Updater Programs (October 2022) 9 Best Free Firewall Programs (Updated October 2022) 12 Best Free Spyware Removal Tools (October 2022) How to Organize Windows 10 Start Menu 28 Best Free Registry Cleaner Programs (October 2022) How to Use the Charms Bar in Windows 8 The 9 Best Free Antivirus Software of 2022 12 Best Free Defrag Software Tools (October 2022) 10 Best Free Driver Updater Tools (October 2022) 17 Best Free Uninstaller Programs (October 2022) 8 Best Free Download Managers (Updated October 2022) Can I Upgrade to Windows 8? How to Properly Reboot (Restart) a Windows Computer The 21 Best Free Data Recovery Software Tools (Oct. 2022) What Version of Windows Do I Have? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies