Tips & Tricks: Change Vista Start Menu to XP Start Menu
September 30, 2007 by Milo Riano
Filed under Computers
More information on Windows Vista.
During my first use of Windows Vista I found the new start menu awkward. I only like the idea of the search menu, but other than that, I still like the old XP look.
You can bring it back by right-clicking on the start menu, properties, choose Classic Start Menu and click on apply button.
Although I like the old structure of the classic menu of XP, what I do not like is how the color blends to the new Vista theme. Had they made the color the same as Vista while using the structure of XP, it could have been great for me.
More information on Windows Vista.
How sad is it that XP has now become “Classic” Start Menu. What happened to the “Real Classic Start Menu” rather than the one that came with the cartoon looking version of Windows?
Start Center was a bust (Disagree? Then why did it only survive one version, and in that version had the ability to go back to the previously mentioned REAL classic menu.
Yes once again another website calling the Windows 9x/2000 start menu the “XP Classic” start menu. Funny I don’t recall seeing this start menu when I booted XP up today. Where is my 2 column start menu, with Pinned items, and my most common used icons automatically listed.
I LIKE my XP Start Menu. If you want people to use Vista start off by offering the old start menu. Then they might start using it.
Mike Smith is correct, MILO is wrong.
“Classic Menu” in Vista is a real classic menu from Win9x/2000, but there is no switch to XP.
I find Vista start meny very awkward and I would like a real XP menu, not Win95 menu, which is also awkward.
Wow, JayMonster. You’re a tool. People like you are just anti-technologcy. The classic Start Menu has NOTHING on the XP one. With the XP SM, you don’t have to move the cursor to the top of the SM in order to open “All programs”; you have it in the bottom, just above the cursor. What’s more, most of time you won’t have to even select “All programs” at all, since you have the useful programs at hand just after clicking the SM.
I DARE you to name a part or aspect where the classic one is better.
“Disagree? Then why did it only survive one version, and in that version had the ability to go back to the previously mentioned REAL classic menu”
That statement holds no water, since Vista was a step back from XP in a lot of stuff.
I changed to classic menu but very soon changed back to vista as I had really got used to it… We all have to move on with the times people and just learn everything changes
you guys kill me with all this jazz about “classic menus” the vista menu is way better and alot more user friendly than any other version used on other windows platforms why in the world would you want to go back to the dull boring non user friendly start menu of yester year when the new one in vista is a more superb version than ever and basiclly works just like the others for the most part with a new much better way to do a search on your comp within the start menu what a bunch of maroons
This doesn’t change vista start to xp style menu. What a waste of time looking here.
That’s because ignorant people oppose to change. The Classic Start Menu is so badly designed that it makes me question the IQ of anyone who prefers it. I mean, in every session, the “Programs” element will be the one I will use the most, and the “Shut Down” option will be used only once. So WHY ON EARTH is “Programs” so far from the Start button??? It is a real PAIN IN THE ASS to have to move the cursor all the way to the top of the menu to select “Programs” every time I need to start something. And what on earth is wrong with having the list of most used programs?? It saves me A LOT of clicks!
And yes, the Vista Start Menu is the best one, because it has the search function, which makes it extremely fast to start applications.
Vista SM > XP SM >>> Crap = Classic SM
I agree. The Classic Start Menu is a incredibly overrated POS. Hell, it is even DISGUSTING! You must be a masochist to prefer it to the later ones, since using it is a pain in the ass. Compared to it, the XP Start Menu saved me many clicks and effort because I have the All Programs item just above the Start Button. Though most times I didn’t even have to use it, since what I needed was usually located in the list of most used programs.
Now, the Vista Start Menu… I didn’t like it at first, because navigating it was harder than on previous versions. But once I started using the Search function, I realized that it makes launching apps incredibly fast. What’s more, I recommend to every Windows user to download ViStart. It is a improved version of the Vista Start Menu, and the most efficient app launcher I have ever seen. Plus it works on both Vista and XP.
Yeah thats fine you like it, but not everybody does. So why not have the choice? My XP Professional start menu is great. I have 10 pinned items which are the items i use most, as well the bottom 5 items are set their by XP based on what I use most. Anything else i can navigate using my touchpad without clicking via All Programs. Vista’s all programs requires a lot of clicking which may be fine with those of you useing MICE but for us folks on Notebooks with touchpads all that clicking is not as convenient. And why in the world would I want to Search my start menu? What are we back to a command prompt now where I have to type in the name of the program i want to run? Why dont we just switch back to MSDOS then? If we want to type. PLEASE Microsoft, give us the option to use an XP style start menu in Vista THEN I will use it…. I’m afraid to see what kind of menu Windows 7 is gonna have….. Like how hard is it to make an option of an updated XP start menu?
The Vista start menu is user friendly if you use a mouse. If you use a keyboard (there is a start button on the keyboard), then hitting [Start] P and then the first letter of your folder and the first letter of your program is much quicker. That’s four keystrokes, compared to many more with a less informative interface. So, Vista is easy for mousers who don’t know what’s in their program menu, but not for people who know what’s on their machine.