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Add Shortcuts To Windows Libraries To The Start Menu In Windows 10

The Start Menu in Windows 7 has links to your libraries; Documents, Music, Videos, etc. While Windows 10 is bringing back the beloved Start Menu that was killed in the previous version of Windows, it’s doing so with monumental differences (read improvements). In the process, it’s removed links to your Windows libraries. Fortunately, they aren’t gone and Users can customize which libraries appear on the Start Menu. Here’s how.

Open the Settings app and go to the Personalization section. There’s a dedicated tab here for customizing the Start Menu. Here you will see an option to ‘Customize which places to link to in the list’ and a ‘Customize list’ link just below it. Click the link.

start menu customize list

You get a list of places on your computer which include File Explorer, Settings, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, etc with a switch to turn them on. Each place that you enable here will appear on the Start Menu.

start menu libraries

As mentioned earlier, the Start Menu looks different in Windows 10 so with links to these places enabled, you can access them just above the Power option instead of on the right column like in Windows 7.

start menu win10

Props to Microsoft for still letting users customize this. The Start Menu in Windows 7 can also be highly customized but with live tiles and tile groups now part of the Start Menu in Windows 10, users might be a little choosey about which libraries they want taking up space here and it’s possible to customize them to suit your needs. You can even turn them all off if you find them redundant.

1 Comment

  1. Actually, “Libraries” has a specific meaning in Windows, and the links that you’re referring to in Windows 10 are only to individual folders, not Libraries. Unfortunately it appears Windows 10 has taken a significant step back here, and you can no longer link to your libraries from the start menu (the left side, anyway). Not sure why they figured it would be more convenient to link to the individual folder, since for most users the library would be the same thing.

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