Customize Windows 10/11 Start Menu: Create App Groups & Pin Shortcuts

Customize Windows 10/11 Start Menu: Create App Groups & Pin Shortcuts​

Difficulty: Beginner | Time Required: 10 minutes
This guide walks you through organizing your Start menu by grouping related apps and pinning useful shortcuts. Whether you’re on Windows 10 or Windows 11, you’ll learn how to keep your launcher tidy, faster to navigate, and tailored to your daily tasks.

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Introduction
Tidy Start menus help you launch your favorite apps faster and reduce visual clutter. By creating app groups (folders) and pinning shortcuts, you can quickly access what you use most—without scrolling through pages of icons. This tutorial covers both Windows 10 and Windows 11 with simple, beginner-friendly steps and practical tips.
Prerequisites

• A Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC (any supported version should work).
• Basic mouse or touchpad skills (drag-and-drop) and/or a touch screen.
• At least a few apps installed that you want to pin or group.

Step-by-step instructions
1) Open the Start menu

• Windows 10: Click the Start button or press the Windows key.
• Windows 11: Click the Start button (centered by default) or press the Windows key.
  Tip: If Start is hidden, press the Windows key to bring it up quickly.

2) Pin apps you want to group (if they aren’t pinned yet)

• Windows 10:
  • Open the All Apps list, locate the app, right-click, and choose “Pin to Start.”
  • Alternatively, drag the app from the All Apps list onto the Start grid.
• Windows 11:
  • Open the app list (All Apps) or search for the app, right-click it, and select “Pin to Start,” or drag the app onto the Start grid.
    Note: You don’t have to pin every app right away, but pinning the ones you plan to group helps.

3) Create an app group (folder)

• Drag one pinned app onto another pinned app to create a group.
• A new group (folder) will appear in the Start area containing both apps.
• Windows 10 and Windows 11 both support this pairing method; the exact UI may differ slightly, but the action is the same.

4) Rename the group (folder)

• Windows 10:
  • Open the new folder by tapping or clicking on it, then click the label area (often shown as “Folder”) and type a descriptive name.
• Windows 11:
  • Open the folder and click the name field at the top of the group to type a new name.
    Tip: Choose clear names like “Productivity,” “Media,” or “Games” to keep things intuitive.

5) Add more apps to the group

• Drag additional pinned apps into the folder. You can reorder within the group by dragging icons left/right or up/down, depending on your screen layout.
• If you need an app outside the group, simply drag it out of the folder or place it in another area of Start.

6) Create more groups (if you want)

• Repeat steps 3–5 to create additional groups for different categories (e.g., “Work,” “Photos,” “Utilities”). You can drag a new app onto an existing group to nest it inside or create a new folder entirely.

7) Pin shortcuts (files, websites, or custom apps)

• Shortcuts to non-app items can be pinned to Start to speed access.
• How to create and pin:
  • Desktop or File Explorer: Right-click a file or folder, choose New > Shortcut (if needed), or simply drag a file/folder/URL to the Start area.
  • For websites: In your browser, use the browser’s “Create shortcut” or “Pin to Start” option (method varies by browser). Then you can drag that shortcut into Start.
• Windows 10/11 will place the shortcut as a tile within the Pinned area. You can group it with related apps by dragging the shortcut onto a group.

8) Adjust layout and order

• You can freely move tiles and groups around:
  • Click and drag a group to reposition it on the Start grid.
  • Drag individual apps inside a group to organize their order.
• If you prefer more space, you can resize windows or collapse groups by clicking into or out of a group.

9) Fine-tune Start behavior (optional)

• Windows 10: Settings > Personalization > Start
  • Show more tiles
  • Show recently added apps
  • Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Start or taskbar
• Windows 11: Settings > Personalization > Start
  • Show recently added apps
  • Show recently opened items in Start
  • Show app search box, show suggestions, and clean up recommendations
• Note: These options influence what appears in Start beyond your pinned items. Toggling them can reduce noise or increase discovery, depending on your preference.

Tips and troubleshooting notes

• Touch-friendly tip: If you’re on a tablet or a touch screen, tap and hold an app to pick it up, then drag to the desired group; use long-press to access quick actions.
• Keeping Start clean: After grouping, periodically review pinned items. Move less-used apps into a dedicated “Archive” folder or unpin them to reduce clutter.
• Renaming issues: If you rename a folder but the change doesn’t appear immediately, try closing and reopening Start, or sign out and back in. Sometimes a quick restart of Windows Explorer helps.
• Non-app shortcuts: If you pin a shortcut to Start and later delete the original file, the shortcut may disappear or stop working. Keep important source files in a stable location or update the shortcut as needed.
• Version notes:
  • Windows 10 supports Start folders created by dragging apps together and renaming them; this has been a standard feature for several major updates.
  • Windows 11 continues to support app folders on Start and emphasizes a simplified grid. Pinning shortcuts (files, websites, and apps) works similarly, with a modern, centered Start experience.
• Keyboard users: You can still manage Start with the keyboard. Use the Windows key to open Start, then Arrow keys to navigate, Enter to open, and Ctrl+Left/Right to move focus while arranging items. This can speed up the process if you prefer not to use a mouse.

Conclusion
By grouping related apps and pinning useful shortcuts, you create a personalized Start menu that’s faster to navigate and easier to maintain. Whether you’re organizing for work, media, or daily tasks, the ability to categorize and pin items keeps your most-used tools at your fingertips. The steps above work across Windows 10 and Windows 11, so you can implement a cleaner, more efficient Start experience regardless of your version.
Key Takeaways:

• App groups (folders) on Start help you keep related programs together for quicker access.
• Pinning shortcuts (files, websites, or apps) lets you customize Start with exactly what you need most.
• Renaming groups and arranging tiles improves readability and workflow efficiency.
• Start customization options in Settings let you tailor how Start behaves, further reducing clutter.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.