StartAllBack
Version 3.9.24.5378 · StartIsBack · Windows 11 (64-bit) · ranked #156 in the library
Puts the taskbar, the start menu and the file explorer back the way they worked before the redesign, with a real context menu, taskbar labels, a left aligned start button and a ribbon in explorer, without replacing the shell or running a second one alongside it.
Read the installation section below before you start. The order of the steps matters on this release.
About this release
Overview
The current desktop redesign removed a long list of things people relied on: taskbar labels and never combine, dragging a file onto a taskbar button, moving the taskbar to another edge of the screen, a context menu that shows every command without a second click, a start menu you can actually navigate, and an explorer command bar with the commands where your hands expect them. StartAllBack puts them back. It is not a replacement shell and it does not run a second interface on top of the real one. It patches the existing shell in place, which is why it stays fast and why it survives updates better than the alternatives.
The three areas are configured separately. The taskbar side restores labels, never combine, small icons, the left aligned start button, drag and drop onto buttons, the classic tray flyouts, and the ability to move the bar to the top or the side of the screen. The start menu side gives you a properly organised menu with a program list, jump lists, folder shortcuts down the right hand side, search that finds what you typed, and a choice of several menu styles from the last few generations of the system. Explorer gets the full ribbon or the classic command bar, the old context menu without the extra click, the details pane back where it was, and the navigation pane with the entries you actually use.
Everything is granular. If you only want the context menu fixed and nothing else touched, turn the other two sections off and the rest of the system is left exactly as it was. Themes and icon packs let you change how far it goes visually, from a subtle correction that still looks like the current system to something closer to the older look, and there is a per-user configuration so two accounts on the same machine can be set up completely differently. It uses a very small amount of memory and adds no measurable delay to boot.
What it does
Feature breakdown
Taskbar restored
Labels, never combine, small icons, drag and drop onto buttons, classic tray flyouts, left aligned start, and the ability to move the taskbar to the top or either side of the screen.
Start menu with a real program list
An organised menu with all programs, jump lists, configurable right hand shortcuts, working search, and a choice of styles from several previous system generations.
Explorer command bar and ribbon
Bring back the full ribbon or the classic command bar, restore the details pane, and tidy the navigation pane down to the entries you actually use.
Full context menu without the extra click
The complete right click menu with every shell extension visible immediately, rather than hidden behind a show more options entry.
Granular per-section control
Every area is independent. Fix one thing and leave the rest of the system untouched, with a per-user configuration on shared machines.
Themes and icon packs
Adjust how far the visual change goes, from a light correction that still matches the current system to a fuller classic appearance.
Changed in this build
Version 3.9.24.5378
- Compatibility updated for the current feature release of the system, including the reworked taskbar internals.
- Fixed a fault where taskbar labels could be lost after a display resolution change or a dock and undock cycle.
- Explorer command bar gained additional commands and better handling of third party shell extensions.
- Start menu search results now respect the folder exclusions set in the configuration panel.
- Reduced memory footprint and faster first paint of the start menu on cold boot.
Installation
Follow these in order
- Close any explorer windows you have open. The shell restarts during install.
- Extract the archive.
- Disable real time protection briefly. The licence component is flagged routinely.
- Run the installer as administrator. The taskbar will disappear and come back within a few seconds.
- Open the configuration panel from the start menu and pick a style, then work through the three sections.
- Confirm the context menu and taskbar behave as expected, then re-enable protection.
Release notes
From whoever packed it
- A feature update to the system can temporarily disable it while the shell internals change. It re-enables itself once a compatible build is installed.
- Do not run it alongside another shell modification tool. Two things patching the same shell is the main cause of a broken taskbar.
- If the taskbar ever fails to appear, boot to safe mode and the tool disables itself automatically so you can recover.
System requirements
Minimum and recommended
| Operating system | Windows 11, 64-bit. It is not needed and will not install on Windows 10 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Any 64-bit processor |
| Memory | No practical requirement. It uses a few megabytes |
| Graphics | No specific requirement |
| Storage | 20 MB for the application, themes and icon packs |
Questions about this release
Answered before you ask
- Does it replace explorer?
- No. It patches the existing shell in place rather than running a second one, which is why it stays light and why nothing else on the desktop behaves differently.
- Will a system update break it?
- A feature update can pause it until a compatible build is in place. Security updates do not affect it.
- Can I turn off just one part?
- Yes, each of the three sections has its own switch. Turn off what you do not want and that area is left completely untouched.
Download
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