SOLVED Start Menu ( left side )

[davidhk129]

As you can see from my screenshot, I have removed everything I find redundant or useless to me.
Live Tiles section is completely unpinned.

Question :
On the left side of the Start menu, how do I place programs that I want to be listed ?
Such as : MS PowerPoint ( yes, I have MS Office suite ).
Thank you.

 

[davidhk129]

I need to elaborate the request I made above.

I know if I open a program, this program will appear on the left side Start Menu.
That is not what I want to happen.
I am looking for a way that I can choose a few programs to be listed there permenantly and all subsequent programs I happen to open will not replace the list.
I suppose that is not possible ?

I also know I can determine number of recent items to display in jump list, i.e. 10, but how will that help what I want ?

 

[Trouble]

The left side of the new "Start Button Utility" is actually comprised of two pieces (not counting the right side).
Recent Items and Start Menu.
Recent items, speaks for itself and we all pretty much no how that works (similar to jump lists).
The two ways that I've found that seem easy (and there are no doubt, more) is to locate the files executeable (not the shortcut the actual executeable) left click and drag it onto the start menu icon (bottom left corner of the screen) and let it go. Presto.
The other way is to select the icon from the all apps menu and this is really cumbersome, left click and drag it onto the back button and then onto where you want it in the start menu

 

[Trouble]

To prevent the "Recent" list items from repopulating and taking up room. You'll need to turn it off under taskbar properties Start Menu Tab

 

[davehc]

My favorourite has always been to go to the global Start menu

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

and edit from there. In older OSs , I made my own folders there and moved the files (shortcuts) into those folders.

It is then, for the perfectionist, neccessary to go to

C:\Users\David\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

and do he same there. I have always copied all those latter items into the program data start menu, and done everything from there.

 

[davidhk129]

@ Trouble
To locate the exe files and drag/drop to Start button works, but it is a pain to locate because, unlike Win 7 8/8.1, Open File Location option does not lead me to the exe files anymore. It takes me to the shortcuts then I need to right click at shortcut > Open file location.

@ davehc
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs also leads me to their shortcuts, not exe files.

So far this is what I have entered into my Start Menu, and I have unchecked "Store and display recent opened programs in the Start menu". Method works. BUT, I am not able to add Weather and Calculator into the list because I have no idea how and where are the exe files.

 

[Trouble]

@davidhk129..... I did some further experimenting and actually the drag and drop trick works just as well with the shortcuts with the additional added luxury of being able to rename them before dropping them onto the start menu. Which avoids adding some less than optimal names.

 

[davidhk129]

OK Found the calculator exe file.
No idea where Weather exe file is.

 

[Trouble]

As I said above drag and drop works with shortcuts.
All Apps -> Weather -> Pin To Start
Drag from right side to where you want it on the left
Clean up right side -> right click-> Unpin from Start
Awkward but it works

 

[Trouble]

Sure would be nice if they included a context menu "Pin To Start Menu" maybe a future feature.
And there is apparently only room for about 12 items on that start menu so being able to nest applications inside of fully functional expandable folders would be nice.

 

[davidhk129]

@davidhk129..... I did some further experimenting and actually the drag and drop trick works just as well with the shortcuts with the additional added luxury of being able to rename them before dropping them onto the start menu. Which avoids adding some less than optimal names.

Yes. that works. No need to locate the exe files.

 

[Trouble]

Nope I figured out after playing with it some more, it seems to work just as well with the shortcuts as they exist.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Sure would be nice if they included a context menu "Pin To Start Menu" maybe a future feature.
And there is apparently only room for about 12 items on that start menu so being able to nest applications inside of fully functional expandable folders would be nice.

Are you saying Windows 10 does not have this? That's the way I always pin to Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 7. If MS does add it (assuming you are right), they would only be putting it back.

 

[Trouble]

They still have pin to start and pin to taskbar, nothing has been taken out with respect to that. It's just that they've added or hybridized the new "Start" to include both "Start" and "Start Menu" and there's a bit of a minor distinction between how they are referenced as to what you want to do.