The Start menu in Windows XP is a lot different than the Start menu you got used to in previous versions of Windows. It does a good job of hiding things you don't use that often, while keeping your most frequently used programs front and center. Changing the Way the Start Menu WorksWindows XP applies a handful of special effects to the Start menu. You can animate the Start menu when it opens, force submenus to open when you hover over them, and highlight new applications. To change these special effects, follow these steps:
Changing the Size of Start Menu IconsYou can also choose from two sizes of icons in the Start menu. Follow these steps:
Displaying More or Fewer ProgramsBy default, the Start menu displays the five most-recent applications you've run. You can reconfigure the Start menu to display more (up to nine) or fewer (as few as zero!) applications at a time. To display more or fewer programs, follow these steps:
Hiding (or Changing) the Browser and E-mail IconsAlso by default, the Start menu displays icons for your Web browser and e-mail client. For most users, that's probably Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. (If you have Office installed on your PC, Microsoft Outlook may be displayed as the e-mail client.) You don't have to display these icons and you don't have to link them to Microsoft programs. Follow these steps to delete or reconfigure these two items:
Selecting Which Icons to Display and HowThe default Start menu also displays icons for the Control Panel, My Computer, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, Network Connections, Help and Support, and the Run command. You can configure Windows XP to not display any of these icons or to display some of the icons as menus. Follow these steps:
TIP You can use this same method to add any program file to the Start menu, even if it doesn't appear on the Programs menu. Just use My Computer to navigate to an application file, and then right-click the file and select Pin to Start Menu from the pop-up menu. When you choose the As Link option, clicking an icon displays the related item. For example, when you click the My Documents icon, the My Documents folder opens in a separate window. When you choose the As Menu option, clicking an icon displays a pop-up menu that contains all the options in the selected item. For example, when you click the My Documents icon, a pop-up menu appears that lists all the folders and files in the My Documents folder. Which option you choose depends on how you work. If you like to work from folders, choose the As Link option. If you like to work from menus, choose the As Menu option. Adding a Program to the Start Menu PermanentlyIf you're not totally comfortable with the way programs come and go from the Start menu, rest assured the tried-and-true Programs menu still exists. Just click the All Programs link on the Start menu, and the Programs menu appears, just like you remember it. If you'd rather display a program on the Start menu than on the Programs menu, but don't want the icon going away if you don't use it, you're in luck. You can add any program to the Start menu permanently. Just follow these steps:
The program you selected now appears on the Start menu, just below the browser and e-mail icons. To remove a program you've added to the Start menu, right-click its icon and select Unpin from Start Menu. Changing Back to the Old Style StartIf you don't like Windows XP's new Start menu, you can easily switch back to the "classic" Windows 9X/Me version. Follow these steps:
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