

Clicking on that button brings up the familiar two-pane menu. And you can change the image used by the button.īilled as "yet another Start menu replacer for Windows 8," the free Power8 displays a Start button in the usual spot on the desktop.
POKKI START MENU WINDOWS 8.1
You can choose to boot directly to the desktop when Windows starts, an option built into Windows 8.1 as well. You can opt to hide the program's Start button and instead trigger its roundup of six buttons by simply moving your mouse to the lower lefthand corner.
POKKI START MENU WINDOWS 8
You can choose whether your left click triggers the 8Startbutton menu, the Windows 8 Start screen, or the Windows 8 apps screen. Right-clicking the button for 8Startbutton displays a different menu, one with options to shut down, restart, or sign out, as well as pointers to the Task Manager and a handy list of Windows tasks that you can trigger all from one window.įrom the right-click menu, you can also customize various settings for 8Startbutton. And another field displays tools to access the command line, Registry Editor, Device Manager, and even all of your Metro, aka Modern, apps. A dropdown field provides options to shut down, sign out from, or lock your PC. The bottom of the menu sports more features, notably a search tool. With the menu as your starting point, you can navigate to virtually any application, file, or area in Windows. A third reveals a collection of tiles with pointers to popular Windows spots, such as your computer, your network settings, your personal folder, your photos, your music, and your documents. Another icon shows you a list of recent files. One icon points you to a built-in file browser so you can navigate to any folder on your PC. And a sixth opens the 8Startbutton menu.Ĭlicking the button for the 8Startbutton menu conjures up a Start menu with a single-column display featuring shortcuts for your programs on the right and a series of icons on the left.

A fourth button taps into Windows search. For example, one button shuts down Windows, another restarts it, and another signs you out. Each button triggers a different function. Instead of directly displaying the menu, the program shows you a series of six buttons that form more of a Windows control center. Windows 8 users in search of a free, simple, and flexible Start menu program will find all of that and more in Classic Shell.ĨStartbutton Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET 8StartbuttonĨStartbutton offers a different twist on the familiar Start menu. You can learn more through the program's detailed FAQ page.
POKKI START MENU PC
You can even back up your tweaks as an XML file in case you ever need to restore them or transfer them to another PC running Classic Shell. The program offers an array of basic and advanced settings that you can tweak all you want. And you can now search for and launch Windows Store apps directly from the program's submenu.Ĭlassic Shell lends itself to customization. It also adds jump lists to the main menu. The latest version of Classic Shell lets you bypass the Start screen even faster. The Help command even calls up the new Windows 8 Help and Support page. Clicking on the Shut Down icon brings up choices for Shut Down, Restart, Hibernate, Lock, and Switch User. The familiar Run command and Search field are visible. The Classic Shell menu displays shortcuts to all of your programs, documents, and settings.
