Start8 Alternatives
Start8 is described as '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' and is an app in the OS & Utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Start8 for Windows, Android and Mac. The best alternative is Open Shell, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Start8 are Classic Shell (Free, Open Source), StartIsBack (Paid), Power8 (Free, Open Source) and Pokki (Free).
- 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.
- Free • Open Source
- Windows
- Classic 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.
- Free • Open Source
- Windows
Discontinued
The developer announced that Classic Shell will be no longer developed because Windows 10 is updated too frequently and because Microsoft is making more difficult to customize Windows: http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8147 Last version, 4.3.1, released in August 2017, can be still downloaded from the official website, together with the source code.
- StartIsBack 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.
- The start menu replacer for Win8, styled and integrated inside taskbar. Designed for Windows8 (v.1.0.1 tested under RTM 9200), works under XP SP3 and Se7en SP1 as well.
- Pokki puts web-connected apps in your taskbar, so they're always only one click away. Welcome to the modern desktop.
Discontinued
The program seems to be no longer updated. Social pages are not updated since 2014. Last version can be still downloaded from the official website.
- Start10 adds the familiar Windows 7 start menu experience to Windows 10 . Quickly access your most used items, search your PC more effectively and personalize the look and feel of your start menu.
- Start Menu X is a replacement of the system menu for professionals. Virtual Groups Group programs by purpose (office applications, graphics, etc) without changing their location on the hard drive.
- 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.
- Do you often find yourself looking for a program in the long list of the Start menu? The Handy Start Menu, a small utility will make your computation much easier and more productive. This utility will help you to get rid of the inconveniences of the standard menu.
Discontinued
The program seems to be no longer updated. Last version, 1.98, released in June 2015, can be still downloaded from the official website.
- Labrys is a replacement for Windows Start menu and Run dialog.