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.
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Start Menu X Alternatives for Windows
There are many alternatives to Start Menu X for Windows if you are looking for a replacement. The best Windows alternative is Open Shell, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 10 alternatives to Start Menu X and many of them are available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Windows alternatives to Start Menu X are Classic Shell, Start11, StartAllBack and StartIsBack.
Alternatives list
41 Open Shell alternatives
28 Classic Shell alternativesClassic Shell is free software that improves your productivity, enhances the usability of Windows, and empowers you to use the computer the way you like it.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Alerts
- Discontinued
Platforms
- Windows
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26 Start11 alternativesEnhance Windows 10/11 personalizing Start Menu and Taskbar with style changes, icon and section adjustments, taskbar improvements, quick access menus, and advanced search features for improved productivity.
Cost / License
- Paid
- Proprietary
Platforms
- Windows
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25 StartAllBack alternativesThe Windows 11 version of the Startisback replacement shell. This software allows you to make Windows 11 look like previous versions of Windows or a modified version of itself.
Cost / License
- Paid
- Proprietary
Platforms
- Windows
25 StartIsBack alternativesStartIsBack returns Windows 8 a real fully featured start menu and start button, behaving exactly like the ones in Windows 7. StartIsBack radically improves desktop usability and makes new Start screen clutter-free.
Cost / License
- Paid
- Proprietary
Platforms
- Windows
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17 RetroBar alternativesPining for simpler times? RetroBar teleports you back in time by replacing your modern Windows taskbar with the classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Longhorn, or Vista style.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source (Apache-2.0)
Platforms
- Windows
37 WindowBlinds alternativesCustomize Windows 10 and 11 with skins for Start menu and taskbar. Includes SkinStudio for designing skins, offering personalized fonts, and color and transparency adjustments.
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Return the Start Button to Windows 8 With these features:
- Search for Windows 8-style (Modern UI) apps
- Pin desktop and Metro apps to the start menu
- Jump List support
- Unified Search for apps, settings and files
- Boot directly to the Windows 8 desktop
- One click access to.
Cost / License
- Paid
- Proprietary
Alerts
- Discontinued
Platforms
- Windows
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Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Alerts
- Discontinued
Platforms
- Windows
Do you often find yourself looking for a program in the long list of the Start menu?
Cost / License
- Freemium
- Proprietary
Alerts
- Discontinued
Platforms
- Windows
Start Menu Reviver offers an improved Start Menu for Windows 8/7 that blends the traditional Start Menu functions with the Windows 8 design concept and provides quick access to all your desktop and Modern GUI (Metro) applications.
Cost / License
- Free
- Proprietary
Platforms
- Windows
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Start Menu 8 can help users who are not willing to change their behaviors and bring back the classic start menu. Users can enjoy a familiar start menu again with just one click while other styles are also available.
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It was one of the first, and it still works after being discontinued for over 2 years.... Microsoft just pushed too many real developers out with their 'telemetry'...