Open Shell
Open Shell is a fork of the Classic Shell project for Windows that getting back the classic start menu to modern versions of Microsoft Windows.
- Free • Open Source
- System Tweaker
- Windows
What is Open Shell?
Open Shell is a fork of Originally 
Classic Shell by Ivo Beltchev.
Flexible start menu that can mimic the menu behavior of Windows 2000, XP and Windows 7 and compatible with all recent versions of Windows 10 and previous versions of Windows.
Advanced features:
•Choose between “Classic” and “Windows 7” styles.
•Drag and drop to let you organize your applications.
•Options to show Favorites, expand Control Panel, etc.
•Shows recently used documents. The number of documents to display is customizable.
•Translated in 35 languages, including Right-to-left support for Arabic and Hebrew.
•Does not disable the original start menu in Windows. You can access it by Shift+Click on the start button.
•Right-click on an item in the menu to delete, rename, sort, or perform other tasks.
•The search box helps you find your programs and files without getting in the way of your keyboard shortcuts.
•Supports jumplists for easy access to recent documents and common tasks.
•Available for 32 and 64-bit operating systems.
•Has support for skins, including additional 3rd party skins. Make your own!
•Fully customizable in both looks and functionality.
•Support for Microsoft’s Active Accessibility.
•Converts the “All Programs” button in the Windows menu into a cascading menu.
•Implements a customizable start button.
•Can show, search and launch Windows Store apps (Windows 8).
Classic Shell by Ivo Beltchev.Flexible start menu that can mimic the menu behavior of Windows 2000, XP and Windows 7 and compatible with all recent versions of Windows 10 and previous versions of Windows.
Advanced features:
•Choose between “Classic” and “Windows 7” styles.
•Drag and drop to let you organize your applications.
•Options to show Favorites, expand Control Panel, etc.
•Shows recently used documents. The number of documents to display is customizable.
•Translated in 35 languages, including Right-to-left support for Arabic and Hebrew.
•Does not disable the original start menu in Windows. You can access it by Shift+Click on the start button.
•Right-click on an item in the menu to delete, rename, sort, or perform other tasks.
•The search box helps you find your programs and files without getting in the way of your keyboard shortcuts.
•Supports jumplists for easy access to recent documents and common tasks.
•Available for 32 and 64-bit operating systems.
•Has support for skins, including additional 3rd party skins. Make your own!
•Fully customizable in both looks and functionality.
•Support for Microsoft’s Active Accessibility.
•Converts the “All Programs” button in the Windows menu into a cascading menu.
•Implements a customizable start button.
•Can show, search and launch Windows Store apps (Windows 8).
Recent user activities on Open Shell
- bonepyramid liked Open Shell
- airboy liked Open Shellai
- ab1 reviewed Open ShellabGreat because Windows 10/11 Start Menu used to have ads even in Windows Professional.
This is a perfect replacement for the buggy Win10 Start Menu. Thanks to the customization, it feels like it belongs to ME, not to Microsoft or any other company. No ugly and useless tiles that can't be used as shortcuts to ANY files or folders. And most importantly, EVERY TIME I open the Start Menu and start typing, it behaves just as it should - I get a filtered list of installed programs. The Win10 Start Menu often fails to do so.
The only option I miss in Open-Shell is sizable multi columns. The available options "Use single column", "Use multiple columns", "Auto" and "All columns are same size" are not usefull for me cause I have too many programs installed. Start Menu X has sizable multicolumns and works very well but it is too slow.
Great because Windows 10/11 Start Menu used to have ads even in Windows Professional.
It is great that someone has continued Classic Shell. As Windows 10 evolves, so do programs built to run on it/with it. Open Shell continues to make Classic Shell work in Windows 10. This is the best 3rd party start menu for Windows 10 - giving you a Windows 7 like start menu but with more options to customize.
Amazing program for redesigning win10, because of this I could use win10(ugh, yea sadly I "have" to...) before it was impossible with the disgusting design of that OS, Open-Shell = awesome program for everyone who hates win10 awful looks or just want more control themselves(not Microsoft lousy "designers")!
I've been happily using it for a long time, but when I recently checked the openshell installation file on virustotal.com it gets flagged by 3 engines as malicious\trojan...
my anti virus never flagged it. any ideas?
Yea!
I used Classic shell before. Remove it.
Now after update i have a problem with Win10 start menu (search dont show results). Returns to Open shell and it's take old settings from CS. Great.