ITS Tech Tips: Windows Tips

When you first get Windows XP, you may or may not like the new look. The Start menu has been considerably altered from previous versions and can seem daunting at times. You can however alter it to suit your needs.

The following instructions focus more on customizing the standard Start menu although screen shots of the Classic view are available where indicated.

• Right-click on the Start button and select Properties.

• Select either Start menu or Classic Start menu.
• Click on the Customize button.

The following screen displays for customizing the standard Start menu.

Note: You can click on the image below to see the customizing screen for the classic Start menu.

On the General tab, you can choose an icon size, the number of programs available on the left part of the menu (or you can just clear the list) and you can pick if and what main Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox) you want displayed as well as the email program (GroupWise) you want displayed.

• Click on the Advanced tab.

In the Start menu settings section you can set your preferences for how submenus are displayed and whether or not new programs are highlighted after installation.

In the Start menu items section you can show or hide several options including Control Panel, My Computer, My Documents, My Music, etc. and whether they display as a link (opens up a new window) or as a menu (expands a list).

You can also choose to clear the recent documents documents list.

Page last updated 08/14/06. Send questions or comments to ITS Training.