Classic-Start VS Classic-Shell

FYI, Classic Shell is discontinued, long live the https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu

Finally, to get a decent start menu and context menu back Explorer patcher and Shell work wonders. There is also Open shell if you want that classic Windows 7-10 look, but personally I think it looks dated in comparison. The Win11 start menu looks fine, it's just missing core functionality.

Open-Shell-Menu is a collection of utilities that can return some of your favorite features to newer versions of Windows. Revel in the glory of classic-style features like a Start menu for Win 7, 8 & 10; tool and status bars for Windows Explorer; title and status bars for Internet Explorer. Hel_OWeen says, "I honestly have a hard time to navigate any Windows version > W2K without it."

if you don't like the new taskbar, start menu, or the new right click menu, you'll want to grab ExplorerPatcher, Open-Shell, and WinAero Tweaker which will effectively make 11 look and feel like 10 again. sometimes i genuinely forget that i'm using 11

Reddit is full of facts about them. I offer you one: how to fix classic shell: https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu

ExplorerPatcher combined with Open-Shell

I'm using Win10 Pro, and I have no ads, no problems with unwanted apps, a sane start menu, and I run almost all non-ms software on top so microsoft's incompetence there is a nonissue. I can also replicate this on win11 but I don't see a reason to upgrade.

The way there is fairly simple, actually:

OOSU Shutup10: this removes pretty much all the annoyances. https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

Classicshell: Microsoft is never going to make a start menu that doesn't suck again, but others will. http://www.classicshell.net/

Everything search: classicshell comes with a pretty decent windows search replacement, but you should use this instead. It is so, so fast. https://www.voidtools.com/

StartIsBack -> Classic Shell

Check http://www.classicshell.net/ I'm using that since Windows 8.1 till now in Win 10, still works pertfectly even on low end laptops!

There are third party apps for doing so: http://www.classicshell.net/ http://www.classicstartmenu.com/

Let me tell you a secret. There's something called Classic Shell, and you can reskin your GUI of your task bar and start menu to fit your preference. It keeps me sane.

I've been using this since I switched to windows 10.http://www.classicshell.net it actually shows what you have on your drives instead of bing searches XD

IMO, Windows is just fine with Classic Shell. I don't know how people get by without it since Windows 8.

http://www.classicshell.net/