Introducing Start11 v2
The industry’s most advanced Start menu just got better
Thursday, October 26, 2023 by BradSams | Discussion: Software Blog
Introducing Start11 v2, the industry’s most advanced Start menu, is taking a giant leap forward today. With more than two dozen new features and even more quality-of-life updates, this is the biggest update to any Start product in history.
With this release, we have 3 brand-new Start menu designs, tabs for the Start menu, new functionality for the taskbar, backup and restore options and dozens of enhancements that let you customize menus to your exact specifications to make Windows more personal and productive.
New Start Menus
Windows Pro Style
When we set out to build Start11 v2, we wanted to take the idea of a centered Start menu but make it look professional while also blending in seamlessly with Windows 11 and 10 – thus the creation of the Pro (or Professional) Style.
With a two-tone color scheme that compliments your own color or the system accent color, the Pro Style works perfectly centered or on the left side of your taskbar. And with the ability to add tabs and groups to the application canvas (left side of the Start menu), you can turn this Start menu style into the perfect platform for keeping your tasks and applications organized.
Windows Launcher Style
Taking inspiration from the various mobile launchers that help organize applications on your favorite mobile platform, the Launcher Style is a modern companion of the classic Start menu.
With a prominent account icon at the top, a modern search interface, and a large application canvas to build your perfect Start menu layout, the Launcher Style is perfect for minimalist designs or maximized organization.
Windows App Style
For many, the Start menu is about one thing, and one thing only – your apps. With a default experience to open the All Apps list and a medium-sized application canvas, this style is perfect for anyone who wants the fewest amount of clicks to find all of their apps.
With shortcuts placed at the top, a smaller profile icon, and all of your apps available to scroll immediately, this is a powerhouse of productivity for users who want fast access to all apps at all times.
Start Menu Customization
New in Start11 v2 are options for customizing, organizing, and launching your applications. The application canvas lets you get creative with your organization and is a powerful tool for personalization and productivity.
Organization
In the application canvas, you can add tabs to your Start menu, group icons with different colored backgrounds, add pages and folders too. These options give you different tools to accomplish a single task, create your perfect Start menu layout.
And you can mix and match them as well, want a page with tabs, tabs with group, or a page with folders? It’s all possible with Start11 v2.
Customization
New in Start11 v2 is an option that allows you to tint your icons to create a perfectly uniform Start experience. Tint allows you to apply a color theme to all of the icons in your Start menu with a few clicks so that it is a uniform experience.
Each menu allows you to adjust the sizing of icons, spacing, rows, hide icon labels, and more. If there is something you want to adjust within the app canvas, it’s likely that Start11 v2 can be personalized to your desired specifications.
Taskbar Enhancements
The taskbar is arguably the most important element of Windows. It’s where open apps live and the anchor for your open windows; it also keeps you informed about what is running in the background with the System tray.
Pin Files, Folders, and Drives
Did you know that in Windows 11 you cannot pin a file or folder to the taskbar? It’s an odd omission from an OS that is designed for productivity but with Start11 v2, you can now pin any file, folder, or drive directly to the taskbar.
With the new pin functionality, you can navigate to your content significantly faster than having to open File Explorer every time.
Folder Menus
While pinning files, folders, and drives to your taskbar is a powerful feature, folder menus (shown above) take it to the next level by allowing you to navigate the contents of the folder directly from the taskbar.
When used with a folder like Downloads, it makes accessing your frequently used content significantly faster. And for OneDrive users, this is the new must-have feature as it makes accessing cloud content, directly from the taskbar a reality.
Enterprise Features:
Did you know that Start11 is widely used in businesses big and small all across the globe? From large retailers to small courthouses, Start11 is a tool used by many companies to create standardized desktop experiences across multiple versions of Windows.
With Start11 v2, we are introducing more features that will make the app an even better companion to the Windows desktop.
Kiosk Functionality
New in Start11 v2 is the ability to “lock” the apps that appear in the Start menu from being moved around. With this feature, IT admins can not only deploy a Start menu to their endpoints, but they can also make sure that it does not get altered by the end user.
Login Load
One of the bits of magic that Stardock enables with Fences and now Start11 v2, is that you can load a custom configuration based on who is logging into the device. With tooling that helps you export a configuration, you can load a configuration file, on login, that is linked to a specific type of user.
As an example, you can load a configuration for a bank teller, a different configuration for a loan officer, or a unique setup specifically designed for executives – it’s all possible with Start11 v2.
Quality of Life:
With Start11 v2, we not only wanted to deliver new functionality like the new Start menu designs or files on the taskbar, we also wanted to make it easier for our users to backup and restore their Start menu configurations as well.
Backup and Restore
New in Start11 v2 is the ability to easily backup your settings to a file and also restore them from a file too. With a simple click, you can export your Start menu configurations to a file that you can then load on a different machine or if you reinstall Windows and want to get back up and running quickly.
Reset and Clear
Sometimes you end up too far down the rabbit hole of customization and you want a fresh Start. New in Start11 v2 is the option to reset all of the settings to their defaults. And if you ever have a scenario where you want to clear your search history, it is now possible to do so from the configuration interface.
And a lot more
In total, there are more than 50 changes that are available in Start11 v2, you can view all the updates in our changelog.
When we set out to build Start11 v2, we wanted to continue our mission of making Windows more personal and productive. By removing the constraints of trying to work with the default experiences and creating the app canvas for the new Start menus, it unlocks the creativity of the user to design a Start experience that matches their style and workflow, rather than adapting to to a stock and locked menu.
Start11 v2 is available today in release preview for $5.99 (reg. $6.99) and is also available as part of the award-winning suite, Object Desktop.
Reply #42 Tuesday, October 31, 2023 9:56 PM
Yes, let's hope Win 12 is half as competent as Win 7 ...because at the moment we seem to be in a bit of a rut of Vista part 1...part 2...part 3....
Reply #43 Tuesday, October 31, 2023 10:54 PM
Yes, let's hope Win 12 is half as competent as Win 7 ...because at the moment we seem to be in a bit of a rut of Vista part 1...part 2...part 3....
![](http://web.stardock.net/images/smiles/themes/digicons/Wink.png)
I want it to be as skinnable as W7, too.
After all, if one can make requests, why not shoot for the moon?
Reply #44 Tuesday, October 31, 2023 10:58 PM
So you haven't mentioned anything about the new version running on Windows11 for ARM / Windows11 VMs on Apple Silicon?
I'm guessing is still doesn't?
Reply #45 Tuesday, October 31, 2023 11:05 PM
So you haven't mentioned anything about the new version running on Windows11 for ARM / Windows11 VMs on Apple Silicon?
I'm guessing is still doesn't?
Sorry, nothing new on ARM base system.
Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant
Reply #46 Wednesday, November 1, 2023 12:25 AM
So you haven't mentioned anything about the new version running on Windows11 for ARM / Windows11 VMs on Apple Silicon?
I'm guessing is still doesn't?
Sorry, nothing new on ARM base system.
Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant
Thanks for the update Basj, there's a whole heap of us out here waiting for it
Reply #47 Wednesday, November 1, 2023 11:31 AM
I have been using StartAllBack now for a few years and find it a Brilliant Theming tool, the devs have included a function to have the taskbar top, bottom, left and right from the beginning , but each time i move the taskbar, my old brain can not get my head around the new position, so i always move it back again.
It does seem like many users did expect this function to be in V2, I am just glad i have the ability to use both sides of the customising coin, WBs and Start 11, and StartAllBack with Themes, best of both worlds so i miss out on nothing.
Nice to see a link to StartAllback Doc, gives a user perspective.
Hello Naroon,
When you bring up theme's the discussion changes quite a bit because the world of theming is kind of a different world. Artists tend to really like using Windows 7 parts for their work a whole lot, and some of these artists are in fact really good at what they do. Unfortunately, for what ever reason the idea of using Windows 11 parts has not attracted very many artists and in my opinion Windows 11's policies may have slowed down the progression of what themes could have otherwise been today. But from your perspective and for where Windows 11 theming is currently at StartAllBack is an excellent tool because it is very good at getting Windows 7 parts onto a Windows 11 device. For me however, I have taken a turn towards ultimate usability of Windows 11 and the parts in Start 11 version 2 are masterful here. From a power user perspective or having the ultimate start menu program (minus the themes of course) Start 11 blows away StartAllBack.
Without a doubt, changing file explorer from Windows 11 to Windows 7's has been a big part of getting many themes to work. There have been several times I have wondered if Stradock were to get into the custom homegrown file explorer game if it were to be successful and get them back on top in the theming game. For example after they finish up with Start 11 version 2 they could do a file explorer alternative separate OR if they plan on releasing Start 12 as a paid upgrade they could implement the file explorer alternative right into start 12 to make the upgrade (after a short window) worth it to users. My two cents as you give me plenty to think about.
Hi Phoenix.
I think the reason i moved to StartAllBack and Themes, was because creating Themes and adapting existing ones, seems much easier to me than creating or adapting Windowblinds, my Vascular Dementia seems to choose what goes in and stays in my head these days, plus i have been able to make some in roads and partnerships in the whole Theming world, so it has moved faster and my skillset is improving each day.
I still have a fully updated Win 10 SSD in my multi booting system running WBs and Start 11 V1, as neone6 created me some bespoke WBs under commission which i still enjoy a lot.
To anyone new to Theming Windows, i would say use WB 11 and Start 11 as it is much easier to use than the opposition i use daily, but i have never been one to choose a route just because is easier, plus i like the best of both worlds as they both have strengths and advantages, so for me, i enjoy all types of PC Customisation, and will always be thankful to Stardock for putting me on this path all those years ago.
Reply #48 Thursday, November 2, 2023 3:36 PM
more money for another app... Some innovations that could easily be included in V1. Stardock's greed is exceeding the limit of common sense
Reply #52 Friday, November 3, 2023 9:43 AM
When using Start11 v2 with WindowBlinds how do you configure Start11 to use the WindowBlinds skin?
Reply #53 Friday, November 3, 2023 9:46 AM
When using Start11 v2 with WindowBlinds how do you configure Start11 to use the WindowBlinds skin?
You cannot currently do so if you are using one of the new styles. Only Win7/Modern/Win10/Win11 styles support WB skins at this time.
Reply #54 Friday, November 3, 2023 9:47 AM
When using Start11 v2 with WindowBlinds how do you configure Start11 to use the WindowBlinds skin?
Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. But, Start11 V2 do work with Windowblinds 11. And for now only Start11 Win7, Win10 and Win11 style are skinable.
Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.
Reply #55 Friday, November 3, 2023 9:48 AM
Do you know how much is $10 in Brazil?
Yes, as with all countries/communities there is always going to be more valid/necessary options for where you spend your money. It is all about priorities.
When part of that expenditure is towards "necessary" online communication and your chosen OS has become somewhat annoying with its interface you opt for some of Stardock's software to make things a little more bearable.
If you have opted for Start 11 then that's entirely your choice, as is any subsequent purchase beyond that, such as Start 11 V2.
When the asking price is too great for your current socio-economic environment you simply make choices.
None of that is a fault of an entity such as Stardock who are simply pricing a new App for optional purchase...
Reply #56 Friday, November 3, 2023 10:52 AM
Quoting Victechnical,
When using Start11 v2 with WindowBlinds how do you configure Start11 to use the WindowBlinds skin?
You cannot currently do so if you are using one of the new styles. Only Win7/Modern/Win10/Win11 styles support WB skins at this time.
Thanks, I see how it works now
Reply #57 Friday, November 3, 2023 6:18 PM
Any chance of ARM support yet?
(both Win11 ARM and running in Parallels on Mac)
NVM - I see it was answered on Page 2...still not there.
Reply #58 Friday, November 10, 2023 4:23 PM
With regards to ARM I wonder if they have even just attempted to compile it to ARM. Getting ARM support can help drive ARM adoption.
Reply #59 Thursday, January 11, 2024 10:59 PM
Win12 will be SaaS, you're not fixing those bugs with local s/ware because it'll interrupt the design MS has in mind for 2024+ which is to move everything inhouse, remove functionality sprawl and convert support into an in-house support team as a Managed Service Provider. Everyone should be writing s/ware for Linux at this point because any s/ware house relying upon MS shortcomings in locally installed features for revenue is going to see a sharp decline in users needing those services. This is why they've been nerfing more and more local control systems every year, it's been written in the sky since 2013 after o365 was up and when they started aggressively changing policies for local s/ware around cpu based licensing. I'm hoping to god there will be a pro binary, but you know what happens when an o/s splits itself down the middle between extremely different platforms/designs and the horrible one also sees all the money. Shitshow.
Reply #60 Friday, January 12, 2024 12:04 AM
Can you make it so we can skin both the new "Pin Folder Menus" and the new start menu styles with windowblinds?
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Reply #41 Tuesday, October 31, 2023 9:14 PM
If Win 12 is soon to come out that will mean I will have totally missed an OS [11] and that'll be the first of all of them that I simply didn't bother with since the days of Dos...
It is interesting how common this is. By far most people are still on Windows 10. Windows 11 likely won't even have 25 percent market share when it retires. Which is crazy.
On top of that all the work that has gone into Windows 11 has felt like Microsoft trying to actually finish the operating system. To me the only thing that really makes sense about releasing Windows 12 would be if it is really a finished version of Windows 11 in disguise. I am not sure I really want to go through the process of what was Windows 11 all over again from the beginning. An unfinished task bar, missing features, ect. I would rather see them expand on the parts already in Windows 11. Kind of like a Windows Vista to Windows 7 transition. If not I may be staying on Windows 11 for a while.