OpenShell: Bring Back the Windows 7 Start Menu You Loved

Solves in one sentence: Don’t like Windows 11’s Start Menu? OpenShell lets you switch back to the classic style with one click, customizable to your satisfaction. Since Windows 8, Microsoft has been constantly tinkering with the Start Menu. Tiles, full screen, lists… every update changes it. But many long-time users still think Windows 7’s clean two-column Start Menu was the best. If you feel the same way, OpenShell is your answer.

What is OpenShell?

OpenShell (formerly Classic Shell) is an ओपन सोर्स Start menu replacement उपकरण. On top of Windows 10/11, it provides an additional set of classic styles (Windows 7/XP/Classic three modes) for the Start Menu. The core problem it solves: Turn a Start Menu you don’t like into one you do.

What Makes It Great?

परिदृश्य 1: Choose Your Preferred Style

OpenShell offers three basic styles:

• Windows 7 Style: Frequently used programs on the left, system विशेषताएं on the right, with search box
• Windows XP Style: Single-column classic menu
• Classic Style: Minimalist text menu Pick whichever looks best to you.

परिदृश्य 2: Extreme अनुकूलन

If the defaults still aren’t enough, OpenShell’s configuration panel is incredibly detailed — you can:

• Add or remove menu items, decide what shows and what doesn’t
• Adjust icon sizes and arrangement
• Change the Start button icon (or even use a custom one)
• Control hover behavior
• Set search scope and behavior You might find yourself spending more time configuring it than actually using it.

परिदृश्य 3: Disable विशेषताएं You Don’t Want

OpenShell can also turn off some Windows native विशेषताएं: like “Recent Documents,” “Recommended Items,” Bing search एकीकरण, और अधिक. If some Windows विशेषता annoys you, OpenShell might have a switch to disable it.

Competitor तुलना

| | तुलना | OpenShell | Start11 | StartAllBack | | |-----------|-----------|---------|--------------| | | मूल्य | Free & ओपन सोर्स | $6.99 | $5.99 | | | | Style Options | 3 basic styles | Multiple modern styles | 2 styles | | | | अनुकूलन | Extremely high | High | Medium | | | | Windows 11 Compatible | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | | | Other Optimization विशेषताएं | None | Some | Many (Taskbar/Explorer) | | | | अपडेट | समुदाय maintained | Commercial | Commercial | | OpenShell is सर्वश्रेष्ठ के लिए: Users who don’t want to pay, only need to change the Start Menu, and enjoy tinkering with settings.

लाभ and हानि

लाभ

• Completely मुफ्त और ओपन सोर्स, कोई विज्ञापन नहीं, no bundling
• Extremely rich अनुकूलन options
• Three classic styles to choose from
• Good प्रदर्शन, doesn’t slow down the system
• Active समुदाय maintenance हानि
• Too many configuration options — new users may not know where to start
• Interface style is somewhat dated; users seeking modern aesthetics may not like it
• Occasional minor संगतता issues on Windows 11
• Only affects the Start Menu, unlike StartAllBack which can modify the taskbar

डाउनलोड & इंस्टॉलेशन

• GitHub Releases (Recommended): https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/releases
  • डाउनलोड the latest OpenShellSetup_x64.exe installer
• During इंस्टॉलेशन, select the components you want — it’s recommended to install all
• After इंस्टॉलेशन, press the Win key to launch the configuration wizard

नोट: Make sure to डाउनलोड from the official GitHub repository, not from third-party डाउनलोड sites that may bundle malware.

त्वरित शुरुआत

1. डाउनलोड and install the package
2. The “Classic Start Menu” configuration wizard will automatically open after इंस्टॉलेशन
3. Choose your preferred style (recommend starting with Windows 7 style)
4. Press the Win key to see your new menu
5. Not satisfied? राइट-क्लिक the Start button → Settings to continue tweaking
6. Don’t forget to add your常用 programs under “Customize Start Menu”

निष्कर्ष

OpenShell is one of those “can’t go back once you’ve tried it” tools. If you think Windows 11’s Start Menu design isn’t working for you, don’t suffer through it — spend ten minutes installing OpenShell and give it a try. Even if you discover you still prefer the default menu, OpenShell has given you the opportunity to make a choice. In one sentence: Get back the Start Menu you love.