The open source software ' Open-Shell Menu ' allows you to change the appearance of the Windows start menu to the old style such as Windows 7. Welcome to Open-Shell | Classic Shell Reborn.

Tips When using Classic Shell and CSMenu, you can instantly switch back to the default Windows 7 Start menu by clicking the "Start" button while holding down the "Shift" key.

Windows only: Start menu replacement utility Classic Shell adds back some of the missing features in Windows 7 or Vista that used to exist in XP—like the Classic-style Start Menu.

Windows 7 Start Button Changer If you are bored with the look at the same old Windows 7 Start Orb, you can now change it easily. Click on Select & Change Start Button to select a custom Start Orb.

Our Verdict If you miss the Start menu on Windows 8, try Classic Shell before spending a dime on commercial alternatives. You’ll probably want to stick with it.

Classic Shell concentrates on providing a close-to-exact replica of Windows 7, and it’s free (formerly open source, now freeware).

Open Shell is also free software that offers a customizable classic Start menu. You can pick from three styles: classic single-column, double-column, or Windows 7.

Click on the Classic Shell Start button, and you'll have a choice of displaying the menu in a single column, dual columns, or in the classic Windows 7 style.

In Windows 8, Classic Shell adds the Start button back to a user's desktop and provides the same classic customizable Start Menu it does in older Windows builds.

Most of the complaints about Windows 8 are about the lack of a Start menu and the inability to boot to the desktop. These Start menu replacements fix that.

Change Start Button Text Start Button ToolTip Text Changer will allow you to change the tooltip text of your Start Button or Orb in Windows 7. It has been tested on Windows 7, 32-bit and 64-bit.