What is the Start Menu?

Some of you surely installed applications and accessed some files or folders in your system that is easily available in the Start menu. On a Windows desktop, selecting Start in the bottom-left corner will normally bring up the Start menu. Let’s discuss all the necessary details about the start menu in Windows like its function, working, and structure. Start Menu is a GUI element found in Windows OS. It works as a central hub for operating various programs. The start menu plays a very important role in the computer interface. It maintains a list of pinned and frequently used software or apps in the OS so that when you need software again the OS will open it for you without delay. In the early days, it came with the Windows 95 version and underwent numerous tests and updates. Nowadays you will see a start menu with highly interactive graphics and much more functions that can be used for efficiently operating the system.

You can access the start menu by simply pressing the start button which can be seen at the lower left side of the window. You can slightly customize it by changing the taskbar’s location. You can only see this start menu in the Windows version because it is not available on other OS.

It seems to be a very funny question but you can see in all the versions of Windows, Microsoft has provided this start button in its operating system. The only version of Windows that doesn’t have a start menu is Windows 8 because it is created for the touch laptop and therefore no need to provide a start menu.

You can see both of the images belong to the start menu but the only difference is in their window’s version. The first one belongs to Windows XP and the other one belongs to Windows 7.

In the above image, you can see the start menu of Windows XP. similarly, you can see the start menu of Window 7 in below given image. Let’s understand the options in the start menu.

• Left pane: Any pinned application shortcuts or recently launched programs are displayed in the left pane. The recently run programs are arranged after one pinned program, which is divided by a line in the example above.
• Every program: Here you can see the list of all the programs located at the left pane of the window.
• Search: If you having any trouble finding the program then you can use the search option which is situated under the “All Program” option.
• Right pane: On the right side, you can see the recently used program or files which includes Music, Control panel, Document, etc.
• Shut down: At the end, you can see a shutdown button. It will turn off your whole system and it is located at the right pane. Here you can also change user and you can log off or sleep on your computer temporarily.

In the below, image you can see the start menu of Windows 10 that has been changed a lot. Now it has been completely changed and has a more colorful interface and user-friendly programs. Here you can see a tile pattern that is copied from Window 8. You can access all of the applications from the left pane.

To navigate the start menu through the keyboard, you can simply use the tab key in the keyboard and it will show you a block-type rectangular box on the program that you want to open. Just press enter when you get to the intended program or function. Then you want to navigate to the folder just use the arrow keys to navigate there.

It is very easiest task to do on your computer. You can simply just click anywhere outside the start menu then your start menu interface will be closed. If you want to close the start menu through the use of a keyboard then just press the Esc button.

How can I get out through the start menu?

To close the Start menu, get the mouse pointer anywhere outside of it and click.

How to open the start menu with the keyboard?

Just press Ctrl+Esc and then your menu willl pop up.

Describe the quick launch icon.

Quick launch icon is a best feature that can allow you to access recently or frequently used applications.