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Classic Shell at the start: Windows 8.1 with windows and start menu

9. May 2014
Updated: April 14, 2022
Quick overview:
classicshell

Article image: www.classicshell.net (Screenshot)

If you want the Start menu back and don't want to wait for the next update, Classic Shell is a good choice: The software can now also be used with Windows 8.1 and provides three versions of the Start menu.

Installing Classic Shell: made easy

Before downloading Classic Shell, the following system requirements must be met: The PC should be running one of the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or their server versions (both 32- and 64-bit versions are supported).

Once the free software has been installed on the Website of the manufacturer has been downloaded and started, you must first accept the license agreements.

The program modules are then selected: To restore the start menu and the window look, click on the "Classic Start Menu" module.

However, other modules can also be activated at this point: "ClassicIE9" for Internet Explorer, "Classic Explorer" for Windows Explorer and the "Classic Shell Update", which conveniently alerts the user to Classic Shell updates.

After selecting the desired module(s), simply click on "Next", then on "Install" - and you have the usual start button at the bottom left.

Classic Shell also ensures that the tile view of Windows 8 is automatically skipped and you start directly with the "old" desktop view.

Configure Classic Shell under 8.1: simple choice

To configure Classic Shell individually, simply right-click on the "new old" start button at the bottom left. Then select "Settings" in the scroll menu - you can then decide whether you want to make "Basic settings" or change something in "All settings".

It is worth going through the clearly arranged tabs to see what else you can optionally change.

The "Start menu style" tab is particularly worth mentioning: Here you can choose between the start menu designs of Windows Vista, XP or even older operating system versions.

The "Windows 8 settings" tab is also interesting: Here you can define whether you want the active corners to be activated or not - and whether the PC should skip the tile interface on startup.

Article image above: www.classicshell.net (screenshot)

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