{"slug": "start11", "name": "Start11", "category": "other", "category_name": "Other software", "description": "", "recommenders": 3, "commenters": 3, "warners": 0, "score": 2.677, "rising": -0.98, "first": "2026-03-24", "latest": "2026-06-14", "why": "Check out Start11. I\u2019m forced to use Windows 11 for work but I\u2019ve managed to get the Windows 10 taskbar and start menu back.", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 3, "neutral": 0, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "Check out Start11. I\u2019m forced to use Windows 11 for work but I\u2019ve managed to get the Windows 10 taskbar and start menu back.", "icon": true, "domain": null, "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://www.stardock.com/products/start11/", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["Start11"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 776595552, "item_id": 48537222, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48537222", "by": "BuyMyBitcoins", "date": "2026-06-14", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Check out Start11. I\u2019m forced to use Windows 11 for work but I\u2019ve managed to get the Windows 10 taskbar and start menu back.", "excerpt": "Check out Start11. I\u2019m forced to use Windows 11 for work but I\u2019ve managed to get the Windows 10 taskbar and start menu back. It only cost $8. I literally hate the Windows 11 taskbar.", "context": "forced to use Windows 11 for work", "use_case": "restore Windows 10 taskbar/start menu", "switched_from": "", "story": "Windows 11 users are tired of MS account requirements creeping into everything"}, {"id": 768034369, "item_id": 48002148, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48002148", "by": "ray023", "date": "2026-05-03", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "so I use Start 11 now, its works fine", "excerpt": "Besides, infesting Windows with Spyware and AI what they did to the start menu was among the most atrocious changes they made. I was always a taskbar top guy, because it simply makes more sense, this is not opinion this is fact. Browser tabs are on the TOP, your mouse hovers over the top of the screen WAY more, and It's stupid to have to spend miles in mouse travel time to the bottom of the screen. Window controls li", "context": "uses Windows only for gaming, Linux otherwise", "use_case": "moving Windows taskbar", "switched_from": "Explorer Patcher", "story": "Windows quality update: Progress we've made since March"}, {"id": 760100880, "item_id": 47506305, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47506305", "by": "BitwiseFool", "date": "2026-03-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I was given permission to install a third-party taskbar and start menu replacement called Start11. I would say it gives me about 95% of the functionality I wanted back.", "excerpt": "While I have many grievances with Windows 11, I am particularly upset about the taskbar. Back in Windows 10, I used a double-height taskbar positioned at the bottom of the screen. I forget the name of the specific setting, but all windows would appear as their own item, and, the taskbar would ensure that all items retained the same width. The taskbar in Windows 11 is a downgrade in every conceivable way. I can look p", "context": "", "use_case": "taskbar and start menu replacement", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft's \"Fix\" for Windows 11: Flowers After the Beating"}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [{"by": "BuyMyBitcoins", "context": "forced to use Windows 11 for work", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48537222", "date": "2026-06-14"}, {"by": "ray023", "context": "uses Windows only for gaming, Linux otherwise", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48002148", "date": "2026-05-03"}], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["restore windows 10 taskbar/start menu", "moving windows taskbar", "taskbar and start menu replacement"], "compared": [{"slug": "explorer-patcher", "name": "Explorer Patcher", "co": 1, "switched_from": 1, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48533101", "title": "Windows 11 users are tired of MS account requirements creeping into everything", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47980279", "title": "Windows quality update: Progress we've made since March", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47500335", "title": "Microsoft's \"Fix\" for Windows 11: Flowers After the Beating", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {}}, "quotes": [{"id": 776595552, "item_id": 48537222, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48537222", "by": "BuyMyBitcoins", "date": "2026-06-14", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Check out Start11. I\u2019m forced to use Windows 11 for work but I\u2019ve managed to get the Windows 10 taskbar and start menu back.", "excerpt": "Check out Start11. I\u2019m forced to use Windows 11 for work but I\u2019ve managed to get the Windows 10 taskbar and start menu back. It only cost $8. I literally hate the Windows 11 taskbar.", "context": "forced to use Windows 11 for work", "use_case": "restore Windows 10 taskbar/start menu", "switched_from": "", "story": "Windows 11 users are tired of MS account requirements creeping into everything"}, {"id": 768034369, "item_id": 48002148, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48002148", "by": "ray023", "date": "2026-05-03", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "so I use Start 11 now, its works fine", "excerpt": "Besides, infesting Windows with Spyware and AI what they did to the start menu was among the most atrocious changes they made. I was always a taskbar top guy, because it simply makes more sense, this is not opinion this is fact. Browser tabs are on the TOP, your mouse hovers over the top of the screen WAY more, and It's stupid to have to spend miles in mouse travel time to the bottom of the screen. Window controls li", "context": "uses Windows only for gaming, Linux otherwise", "use_case": "moving Windows taskbar", "switched_from": "Explorer Patcher", "story": "Windows quality update: Progress we've made since March"}, {"id": 760100880, "item_id": 47506305, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47506305", "by": "BitwiseFool", "date": "2026-03-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I was given permission to install a third-party taskbar and start menu replacement called Start11. I would say it gives me about 95% of the functionality I wanted back.", "excerpt": "While I have many grievances with Windows 11, I am particularly upset about the taskbar. Back in Windows 10, I used a double-height taskbar positioned at the bottom of the screen. I forget the name of the specific setting, but all windows would appear as their own item, and, the taskbar would ensure that all items retained the same width. The taskbar in Windows 11 is a downgrade in every conceivable way. I can look p", "context": "", "use_case": "taskbar and start menu replacement", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft's \"Fix\" for Windows 11: Flowers After the Beating"}]}