Reorganize Windows 7 Start Menu All Programs - Guide

Organizing Your Windows Start Menu

Do you find your Start menu becoming excessively cluttered, making it difficult to locate specific applications? While the All Programs area is typically arranged alphabetically – sometimes by publisher instead of application name – many users prefer a categorized structure.

A straightforward method exists to reorganize the All Programs section of the Start menu without relying on external software. To manually arrange your Start menu, initiate the process by clicking the Start orb. Then, right-click on the "All Programs" option and select "Open" from the context menu.

This action will reveal the folder containing program shortcuts specific to the currently logged-in user. For access to shortcuts available to all users on the system, choose "Open All Users" from the same menu. We suggest opening both folders, as the Start menu’s All Programs section draws from shortcuts present in both locations.

Accessing Program Shortcut Folders

The Programs folder houses all the shortcuts displayed when you select "All Programs" from the Start menu. Ensure you open the Programs folder for both the current user profile and for all users on the computer.

To reorganize the shortcuts, you can copy, move, and delete existing shortcuts and folders. Furthermore, you are able to add new shortcuts as needed. Creating new folders within the Programs folder allows for categorization, such as "Office," "Graphics," or "Browsers," enabling you to place related shortcuts within these designated folders.

Implementing the Organization

The result is a Start menu that is categorized and automatically sorted alphabetically within each category or folder you’ve created.

An organized Start menu significantly simplifies the process of finding programs. As new applications are installed, simply repeat this procedure to categorize them, maintaining a clean and well-structured Start menu.

Maintaining this organization will improve your workflow and reduce the time spent searching for applications.