How To Enable New Sleeker Looking Windows 10 Start Menu

Credits: Microsoft

 

Microsoft is working on a new start menu that looks like it is dropping the live tiles that exists in the old and current start menus. After a long over due Microsoft is overhauling the old start menu to a new sleeker looking design with its Build 20161 of Windows 10.

But all the excitement for the newer, cleaner, sleeker looking design with more refined look combined with translucent backgrounds was overtaken by disappointment when the users realized it was not available to everyone (yet).

Also read: Use Start Menu in Full Screen In Windows 10

Here's how you can enable the new Start menu on your Windows 10 device:

The New start menu is still undergoing testing and is only available to people who have updated to the Windows 10 build 20161 which is part of an Insider build and only few people can test it. In addition these insider builds often contain hidden functions that Microsoft has not yet released for the masses.

Credits: Microsoft

But just having the correct build of Windows 10 is not enough, as Microsoft is doing A/B testing. So not all of the testers gets a hands on experience with the new layout of the start menu. Unless, of course, you are interested in the new layout so much that you are willing to do these extra steps tweaks to have the new layout on your device before everybody else.

As shared by WindowsUnited there is a handy utility called the ViveTool that can be utilized to manually activate the new start menu if you happen to be an Insider tester and have the required build.

1. Download the ViveTool from here and extract it's contents from the archive.
   
2. Search for 'cmd' in the start menu search and right click on 'Command Prompt' and select 'Run as administrator'
   
3. Click 'Yes' in the User Account Control Dialog box. A command prompt window will open.
4. Now enter the command cd C:\Users\User\Downloads\ViveTool-v0.2.0 and press Enter (this address should be entered according to the address of the folder you extracted ViveTool to).
   
5. Now enter the command ViveTool.exe addconfig 23615618 2 and press Enter.
6. Now restart your computer, when Windows loads you should be able to see the new Start Menu.

Also read: Replace PowerShell With Command Prompt In Power Users Menu In Windows 10

We hope this little guide helped you, we at PC Seekers take no liability for any damage to your system, go ahead with the process at your own risk.

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