OpenShell needs no introduction at this point. If you want to replace the Start menu on Windows 10 and Windows 8.x, OpenShell is compatible, free, and open source. However, its development is not the fastest, and it still needs official support for Windows 11, but a new build has just appeared on GitHub, and with a little external help, its integration into Microsoft's new operating system is not difficult.
For many Windows 11 users, the design of the new Start menu is not the main problem, but its lack of flexibility. Support for grouping icons into folders has disappeared, the Recommended section cannot be disabled, its overall customization is much more limited... and the list goes on. Going back to the Windows 10 taskbar and Start menu only restores all those regressions, but there is also the possibility of replacing it entirely.
StartAllBack and Start11 are the two most recommended options on the Web, as long as you are willing to pay a few dollars for them ($4.99 and $5.99 respectively), but if you prefer something free and open source, the truth is that OpenShell has not gone anywhere. In recent days a new build appeared fixing several bugs, and today we decided to explore its relationship with Windows 11.
How to Replace the Start Menu in Windows 11 with OpenShell and ExplorerPatcher
As we explained in our original article, the standard installation of OpenShell does not work on Windows 11 without a replacement for the Start button. That new button must completely cover the original button, and every time we click on it, the OpenShell menu is activated. However, there is a less improvised way to integrate OpenShell with Windows 11, and that is using ExplorerPatcher.
Basically what ExplorerPatcher does is restore the Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11, or alternatively you can modify the behavior of the conventional Windows 11 menu. The current installation of ExplorerPatcher is much simpler than before (it only asks for an Internet connection in case dependencies are missing), and it takes care of automatically interrupting explorer.exe, then restarting it with its new configuration. Once that process is finished, we switch the menu and taskbar to its "Windows 10 mode", and once the changes are applied, OpenShell installation can proceed without issues.
With OpenShell working correctly, the customization options for the Start menu on Windows multiply. The default configuration includes three general styles and eight skins, to which we must add dozens of advanced parameters for its appearance, and the possibility of modifying the position of each item. Personally, I think this combo is an excellent solution to replace the Start menu on Windows 11, but even if you don't use it, it is definitely worth downloading the latest build of OpenShell, since its previous stable version dates back to October 2020.
Download OpenShell: Click here
