Key Takeaways
- Customize your Windows 11 PC with StartAllBack for a classic Start menu design and enhanced File Explorer with modern looks.
- Say goodbye to unwanted recommendations and hello to efficient access to apps and folders with StartAllBack on Windows 11.
- For just $5, StartAllBack offers extensive customization options, including transparent taskbars and ribbon-style File Explorer menus.
There are plenty of ways you can customize your Windows 11 PC, but when it comes down to it, the operating system is fairly limited in the options it gives you. You can change the color of the taskbar and Start menu, but really, that’s about it. That, paired with some of the things Microsoft tries to force on its users, makes third-party apps like StartAllBack all the more compelling.
I recently reviewed StartAllBack and loved the app for everything it offers, but I’d like to highlight some of the reasons you should consider getting this app if you have Windows 11.
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Who wants a recommended section, really?
The first and most obvious reason to get StartAllBack is to change the Start menu from the default on Windows 11. Now, personally, I like the Windows 11 Start menu, but it is limited in many ways. Most notably, the Recommended section at the bottom is forced on everyone, and while you can remove the content shown within it, that header will always be there. Plus, links to system settings and folders are hidden by default.
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StartAllBack fixes all of this by bringing back the Start menu design from Windows 7. This means the primary list of apps you see only includes the apps you actually use, and you can still pin the most important ones to the top. No more “recommendations” you don’t actually need. Plus, the other half of the menu has all the major user folders and system settings pinned by default, so you have quick access to your images, documents, and settings. You can even turn all these links into menus, so you can browse those files without having to open File Explorer.
The slick looks
Classic doesn’t mean old
StartAllBack may bring back the WIndows 7 Start menu design, but that’s only in spirit. It has the features of Windows 7, but in terms of looks, it feels right out of Windows 11 out of the box, so it’s still modern and beautiful. And hey, if you do want that older look, you can make it look more like Windows 10 or 7.
Plus, I just have to comment on the super-slick animation when you open the Start menu. The way your user profile picture fades in looks super smooth and beautiful, it puts Windows 11 and other third-party alternatives to shame.
It even enhances File Explorer
You can use the Windows 10 ribbon
StartAllBack may seem like it only focuses on the Start menu (it is in the name, after all), but it does more than that. One of the coolest parts of this app is that it can also enhance the File Explorer. Most notably, it lets you change the command bar at the top for the Windows 10 ribbon style, which is a far more capable tool. The Windows 10 ribbon has a ton of commands across different tabs, so there’s a lot more you can do without having to hunt within menus.
And, to top it off, just like the Start menu, this more classic style still looks super modern. All the icons have been redone to look more like Windows 11, so it fits right in and looks fantastic.
If that’s not enough, how’s this: StartAllBack also forces dark mode for all the File Explorer dialogs, like the Properties window and file transfers, something Microsoft still hasn’t done. It delivers the consistent experience we should have had all along.
All the customization options
You can get a transparent taskbar
Of course, at the top of the list we have to have all the customization options the app offers. Of course, you can change the Start menu designs and File Explorer menus like I just mentioned above, but it’s not just the functional changes that matter, it’s the aesthetics. StartAllBack gives you all the colors in the world to choose from for the Start menu and taskbar, but it also does something else Windows 11 doesn’t: offer transparency settings.
Indeed, you can make the taskbar completely transparent, which is something I know many Windows fans would like to be able to do. You can also segment the taskbar, so only the empty space is transparent. And you can change the type and amount of blur, or disable it completely, both for the taskbar and the Start menu, so you get a ton of ways to make your PC look the way you want it to.
Plus, you can move the taskbar to the sides or the top of the screen, resize the taskbar icons, or even change the icon for the Start menu. There are a ton of options here.
StartAllBack is an easy recommendation
At the asking price of $5, StartAllBack is very easy to recommend to anyone who’s not happy with the overall look and feel of Windows 11. It improves the Start menu and File Explorer in excellent ways while still feeling modern, and it has a ton of customization options to make your PC look just how you want it to. had already recommended it in the review, but if you needed further confirmation, this is an excellent app that’s definitely worth checking out.
StartAllBack
StartAllBack can restore the classic functionality of the Start menu of years past, with a Windows 7-like design modernized. It even enhances File Explorer with a ribbon menu and full dark mode.