Start Menu 8

The removal of the Start button and menu from Windows 8 was a significant blow to some users. Fortunately, it didn't take long until third party developers fixed this problem. If you are not accustomed to the Metro Start screen, you can go back to the traditional button and menu with IObit's Start Menu 8. Besides adding a Windows 7-style Start menu, the application provides you with a good number of tweaking options, to make Windows 8 more comfortable.

Start Menu 8 is absolutely free and you can have it up and running in no time. It was designed specifically for Windows 8 and it should be obvious that it makes no sense to install this application on an earlier Windows version. It doesn't have any significant impact on a computer's performance and you don't have to install any prerequisite tools.

When launched, the application will place a Start button on the task bar. If you have Windows 8.1, which comes with a Start button, but not a menu, Start Menu 8 will use the existing button, instead of adding a new one. The menu looks and feels like the one in Windows 7, but you can make a few changes if you want to.

A general settings menu can be displayed, by running an executable or by selecting an option in the Start menu. The application places a good number of customization possibilities at your disposal, which are neatly categorized on different tabs. You can apply a default theme on the menu, with or without transparency or choose the classic Window 7 theme. Alternatively, you can set the application to display the Metro Start screen as a menu, which can be small, large, tall or wide.

If you opt for a classic menu, you can decide what shortcuts and links should be displayed. Also, the application allows you to choose between various button styles, including the classic Windows orb. If you want more button styles, you can download new ones from the Internet.

Start Menu 8 is not limited to creating and customizing a menu. In addition, it allows you to disable and tweak certain Windows 8 features, which may be comfortable on tablets, but not on PCs. For example, it is possible to disable the Metro sidebars, as well as the top left and bottom right corners. Another useful feature is the possibility of setting the operating system to display the desktop, instead of the Start screen, when it starts up.