Windows 10: Customize Start List Folders in Windows 10

How to: Customize Start List Folders in Windows 10

How to Customize Start List Folders in Windows 10


Warning This tutorial will no longer work starting with the Windows 10 Creators Updates version 1703.



Information The Start menu in Windows 10 has a Start list that you can customize which folders appear in the list. Users can add or remove the File Explorer, Settings, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, Homegroup, Network, and Personal folder to their Start list to open from their Start menu.

If you like, you are able to change the name and target path of the default folders on the Start list to customize how you like for all users on the PC.

This tutorial will show you how to rename and change the target path of Start list folders to what you want for all users in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to customize the Start list folders.



Note This will not change the icons of the folders on the Start list.

You will not be able to change the target of the Homegroup and Network folder.

Renaming folders will only apply the new name on the Start list, and not in Settings.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Rename a Folder on Start List
• Option Two: To Change Target Path of Folder on Start List

EXAMPLE: Default and Custom Start list folders












OPTION ONE [/i] To Rename a Folder on Start List
1. Open File Explorer.

2. Copy and paste the location below into the address bar of File Explorer, and press Enter.
*Arrow %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu Places

3. Right click or press and hold on one of the default folders (ex: Documents) you want to rename, and click/tap on Rename. (see screenshot below)



4. Type in a name (ex: Documents library) you want, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)








OPTION TWO [/i] To Change Target Path of Folder on Start List
1. Open File Explorer.

2. Copy and paste the location below into the address bar of File Explorer, and press Enter.
*Arrow %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu Places

3. Right click or press and hold on one of the default folders (ex: Documents) you want to change the target of, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)



4. In the Target field, type the full path location of any file, folder, or drive you want this shortcut to open, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)


Tip The Documents, Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos folders open to the current user's personal %UserProfile% folder location.

If you wanted them to open to the library location instead, then you could use the target paths below.

Documents library: %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries\Documents.library-ms
Music library: %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries\Music.library-ms
Pictures library: %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries\Pictures.library-ms
Videos library: %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries\Videos.library-ms





5. Click/tap on Continue to approve. (see screenshot below)






That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Add or Remove Folders on Start List in Windows 10
• Complete List of Windows 10 CLSID Key (GUID) Shortcuts
• How to Create Shortcuts of Settings in Windows 10

:)

 

How do I customise the Start Menu

Hello,

You can pin some default folders and customize the Start List:

How To Customize Start List In Windows 10

Hope this helps, Good luck

 

View - C Drive Settings & Saving it

Hello,

By default, folders appear in Microsoft Windows as folder icons or as pictures that are contained in the folder. If you change these view settings or customize a folder, Windows remembers your settings when you open the folder again. You can use the folder's
View menu to change the view settings for the folder. You can use the Customize tab in the folder's Properties dialog box to modify the folder icon, picture, and template. To customize the appearance of a folder, follow these steps:

• Start File Explorer, and then locate the folder that you want to customize.
• Right-click the folder, and then click Properties.
• On the Customize tab, select the customization options you want to use for the folder.

For more information, see the article on
How to modify your folder view settings or to customized it.

Don't hesitate to get back to us if you need further assistance.

 

Hello @watdahaps, and welcome to Ten Forums.

Nope. It doesn't appear to be working anymore in CU. *Sad

 

Hem... Taking advantage of this thread, seems CU broke the intended behaviour of the "Personal Folder" item... now it opens the real location of the user profile folder, instead of opening the special shell folder, that includes all the user folders no matter if you move them or not...

Any idea why or how to fix this behaviour?