Start Menu Shortcut Program

Download a Shortcut that Opens the Start Menu in Windows​

   Information

This Start Menu program acts as a shortcut that will open the Start Menu just as if you had pressed CTRL+ESC in Windows 7 or Vista.

   Note

You can copy and use the Start Menu.exe file below in any user account (administrator or standard) to open the Start Menu in that user account.

   Tip

UAC will need to be turned on for this work.

You can Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu the Start Menu.exe file, or move where you like for easy use.

If you moved the taskbar to another screen location (left or right) and you do not like how the Start button (orb) is now at the top of the taskbar, then you can use the free program Start Killer to remove the default Start button (orb). Afterwards, you can place the Start Menu.exe file in a new folder somewhere, unlock the taskbar, pin the new folder to the taskbar as a toolbar, right click on the dotted lines to the left of the new toolbar and uncheck Show Text and Show Titile, click on View and Large Icons, then drag this new Start button toolbar where you like on the taskbar and lock the taskbar.

Here's How:
1. To download the Start Menu program, click on either one of the icons below for the one that you would like to be used for the Start Menu.exe file.
NOTE: If you would prefer a different icon than these, then just post a reply with the ICO or PNG you want attached below. If the other icon is still being displayed after using another one, then rebuilding the icon cache will fix it.



2. Click on Save, and save the .zip file to the desktop.

3. Open the .zip file and extract the Start Menu.exe file to the desktop.

4. If you have not already, be sure to turn on UAC to at least the default level. It needs to be turned on to be able to unblock this shortcut to allow it to work.

5. Right click on the Start Menu.exe file, and click on Properties, General tab, and on the Unblock button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not have a Unblock button under the General tab, then the file is already unblocked and you can continue on to step 5.

6. Copy the Start Menu.exe file into any user account on the computer, that would like to open the Start Menu with it, and move it to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Sort Pinned Programs into Categories on the Taskbar
• How to Center the Taskbar Icons in Windows 7
• How to Customize the Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Change the Start Menu Button in Windows 7
• How to Add or Delete Start Menu All Programs Shortcuts in Windows 7
• How to Use Small or Large Icons in the Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Change the Default Windows 7 Start Menu Power Button Action
• How to Change the Active Navigation Folder Icon in Windows 7
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Pin a Folder, Drive, and Library to the Start Menu in Windows 7
• How to Change the Number of Recent Programs to Display in Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Add or Remove Switch User from CTRL+ALT+DEL Screen and Start Menu

 

[kicks]

Wherever I save startmenu.exe, doubleclick on it never opens my startmenu. However, if pinned to the taskbar, a click on its icon changes its appearance as "activated".

 

[Brink]

Hello Tom, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Strange. A few questions:

• Did you Unblock (step 4) the EXE file?
• Do you have any issues running any other EXE on your computer? You can test by running C:\Windows\notepad.exe.
• Could you post a screenshot of this "activated" appearance that you see?

 

[kicks]

Did you Unblock (step 4) the EXE file?

The option to "Unblock" never appeared, so I did not perform it. Does "unblock" refer to DEP, or to what else? After being started, startmenu.exe is visible in Process Explorer, but vanishes about 5-10 sec later. Other exe files can be executed as they should.There is no virus protection running except Microsoft Essentials.

Many thanks for taking care!
Tom

 

[Brink]

Kicks,

Unblock in the EXE file's right click properties page is part of UAC. The exe would only appear briefly since it is only runing briefly to act just like you had pressed the CTRL+ESC keys to open the Start Menu. It does not continue to run afterwards.

If you manually press CTRL+ESC on your keyboard, does it open the Start Menu for you?

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Hello Shawn,

Doesn't work for me. I double click on it but nothing happens. Its already unblocked

Any thoughts ??
Captain

 

[Brink]

Hi Shyam,

Strange that it is already unblocked.

Where did you download it to, and run the EXE from?

Is UAC turned on?

If you manually press CTRL+ESC on your keyboard, does it open the Start Menu for you?

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Hi Shyam,

Strange that it is already unblocked.

Where did you download it to, and run the EXE from?

Is UAC turned on?

If you manually press CTRL+ESC on your keyboard, does it open the Start Menu for you?

Shawn,

I download it from your Tutorial.
UAC is turned off and YES CTRL + ESC works. I found that really strange that why though of posting it

 

[Brink]

Shyam,

As a test, turn on UAC, restart the computer, and see if it works for you then.

I'm thinking that may be it since you did not have a option to "Unblock" the EXE since you had UAC off. In turn preventing it from running.

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Shyam,

As a test, turn on UAC, restart the computer, and see if it works for you then.

I'm thinking that may be it since you did not have a option to "Unblock" the EXE since you had UAC off. In turn preventing it from running.

Shawn,

Got it working ... Not sure what happen even turning on UAC didn't make any difference finally opened the Start Menu.exe with Restorator then did a save as then tired it work its a mystery not sure how !! I guess you created it .. Good work !!

 

[Brink]

I tested it with UAC off, and it would not run for me until I turned it on and restarted again.

Where did you save it originally when you downloaded it?

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

I tested it with UAC off, and it would not run for me until I turned it on and restarted again.

Where did you save it originally when you downloaded it?

To the Desktop ..

 

[Brink]

Strange. Let's see how Kicks does after turning on UAC and restarting.

 

[kicks]

Shawn, the Windows key and Ctrl + Esc are working. So I turned on UAC, rebootet, got "unblock", clicked it. Now, Startmenu.exe was working fine. Then I turned off UAC, Startmenu.exe still working. When I rebootet, Startmenu.exe fails as before.

As for the trick of Capt.Jack Sparrow, I did not quite understand what to do.

---
An additional question: Can startmenu.exe be told by a parameter to open All Programs instead? This would be a better solution than my workaraound with a new toolbar in the taskbar (screenshot).

 

[Brink]

Kicks,

I'm happy to hear that you got it working with UAC on.


You could pin that folder to the taskbar to have that on the taskbar. You can use on of the hidden folders below.

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

Only your user account:
C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Strange. Let's see how Kicks does after turning on UAC and restarting.

Hello Shawn,

Any idea why its happening if UAC is turned off ??

 

[Brink]

Working on the issue.

 

[rsvr85]

Did we ever get this fixed? I too have UAC off, no unblock & no response other than the taskbar icon briefly turning to active.

 

[Brink]

Hello Stu,

No, UAC will still need to be turned on first to be able to unblock the shortcut for it to properly work.

 

[bourk]

Help

For the life of me, I've tried several times and I cannot make the origninal orb go away. Should I be able to do this