If you're Windows user or have you ever used Microsoft's operating system or any other OS then without knowing it you have already made use of Start Menu. This is a very important tool for any technological device that owns it, since from there various shortcuts with program functions or other common options like the open folders, games or just turn off your computer.
Basically you can say that the Start Menu It has become the gateway for most programs, documents, files and system settings. It receives this name because it is a list that offers different types of options and as its name indicates, it is the place where the user goes to start a program or open any item.
In this way, it can be said that this tool offered by Microsoft has all the essential features so that users can start their experiences and activities within the operating system. Also, it should be mentioned that the W7 start menu It has been one of the most attractive for users, this is how we will explain a little more here what it is, what it is for and how you can start customizing it to the fullest.
What is the Windows 7 Start Menu and what actions can be performed from it?
For those who are still not completely clear what it is the Windows 7 start menu and what options you can make from it, It is important to mention that this is the main way to access all installed programs, folders, documents and operating system settings. It is named because resembles what a menu is, that is, that at the time of access it, the user will be able to see all the available options and simply choose the one they want.
Also, not only fulfills the menu functionit also allows start any kind of activity that you want to do in the computer, that's where it comes from the start term. The only way for user start a program, open a document or enter Windows settings is that you have previously created a shortcut of it and have it on the desktop, so you can access directly from there.
Taking all this into account, it is important to mention that this element of Win 7 allows you to start programs, search for files, folders, software, web pages, games, open frequently used files, uninstall programs, adjust Windows settings, shutdown, suspend or hibernate the PC, among many other functions that you will find there.
In order to access this start menu you simply press the start button located at the bottom left of your screen, or just press the key with the Windows symbol that appears on your keyboard. This way you can access this item and start enjoying each of its options, where you simply have to click on the item you want to start.
What are all the sections of the Windows 7 start menu?
It should be mentioned that this Windows element is divided into three different sections and that perhaps many of the users overlook.
This is how we are going to explain what each one is:
- The first section is about large panel on the left of your screen where you can see a summary list of installed programs, but which in turn offers you a button to see all the softwares that are available. When the computer is new or the OS, factory default will be placed some programs, but as you make use of them this list will present some changes so there will appear those applications that you use the most and those that you have recently started.
- The second section can be found just below the left panel already mentioned, as you can see there is a search bar that you can start using to find exactly what you want on your PC much faster, either a software, a document, file, image, video, among other elements.
- And finally, the third section is about panel that appears on the right side of your screen, in this panel are the shortcuts to the most frequented folders, as it is system settings, document folder, images, videos, music, control panel, among other.
So these are the three sections that make up the start menu, where each of these parts complement each other. This means that if you want start a program but it does not appear in the most frequented list just write it in the search bar, but if you want access your document folder you just have to use the section on the right, to access what you want just enough click on the option.
In case you see any application that you have never used or a folder that you do not recognizeyou can place the mouse pointer on the element and a brief description of it. This will allow you to know a little more about everything you have on your PC.
Learn step by step how to fully customize the W7 start menu
Something that many Users are unaware of the customization of the Windows 7 operating system is that the start menu also customizable, so you can start to modify its appearance in a certain way, either by adding administrative tools, recent items, removed items that are present, enabling the run command, among other.
All these Settings basically help you have faster access to operating system resources, programs, documents, and other elements that you have there, so you can start to be a lot more efficient in your daily tasks.
That is why here we show you how to customize the Win 7 start menu:
Add administrative tools
If you are a user who is constantly using Windows administrative toolsthen a very good alternative for you would be to open it from the start menu and not from the control panel> security system as usual.
To do this you must follow each of these steps:
- To start you must click with the mouse on the start menu and there select the item of "Properties".
- Then the window of the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" in the home tab you must click on "Personalize".
- Now you should scroll to the bottom of the window and look for the option to "System administrative tool", there you will find three options, you must select "Show all programs in the menu and in the start menu."
- The next thing will be to select "Okay" for all to be saved changes and the window closes.
- As can be seen, the administrative tool is now available in the start menu, you can now access it from there in one much faster and not doing it since the control panel tool.
- In which case you want to facilitate even more access to administrative tools can Create a shortcut on the desktop, for this you must right-click on the option of administrative tool and select the option of "Direct access" to appear on the desktop.
Add the Run command and the recent item
As you can see, the option to "Recent Items" neither does the command "Run", which are mostly used by Most users to carry out different types of actions on the PC. In the case of the option of recent elements it is in charge of organize shortcuts for documents, images, videos and many other files that the user you have recently accessedThis allows the person to enter them again.
In order to add these two commands, you need to follow each of these steps:
- The first thing you will have to do is right click with the mouse on the start menu and then you must select the option of "Properties", on the screen of the “Task bar and properties of the start menu” you must click on the option "Personalize" which is located under the tab "Start Menu".
- Now you must scroll down to find the options "Run command" and "Recent Items", here you must check the box next to it and click "Okay" for what changes are saved.
- The next thing to do is click "Apply" and then in "Okay" to close all windows. Then both the command Run like command Recent Items they are available in the start menu.
Delete all recent items with one click
In the event that you have recently accessed some file on the computer and for some reason you don't want anyone else to know that you did, It is important that remove it from recent items. This process is very easy to execute, although you should bear in mind that this will not delete the original file if not just the shortcut that appears in the start menu.
For remove these shortcut items you can do it manually, for this you must write in the search box "Shell: recent ”. There is also an option that allows remove all shortcuts from the list, This will allow you to leave no trace of anything.
To do this you must perform each of these steps:
- To start you must start notepad.
- Then you must write the following code in the notebook file. This code you should not copy and paste it because it will not work, so you should write it:
-
var fso = WScript.CreateObject ("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var WSH = new ActiveXObject ("WScript.Shell");
var = WSH.SpecialFolders ("Recent");
DeleteFile (folder + « *. *»); - Finally, you must save the file as "DeleteRecentDoc.js" and in this way you will be removing all recent items from the start menu list.
- It is important that at the time of Save as type" Choose "All the files".
- The file you have selected should be left with the next aspect.
- As long as running this file will delete all the log of all items that have been recently started on the computer. The next will be save the file anywhere on your computer, keep in mind to store it in a place where you have easy access to it, you can also do right click on the file and create a shortcut so you can have it on the desktop.