With the release of Windows 8 and the lost of the classic Start Menu, many companies and developers have stepped in to help you bring back that old classic Start Menu that’s currently in previous versions of Windows, like Windows 7, Vista and XP.

One such is company is SODATWS. They have introduced a nice looking Start Menu for Windows 8 called StartW8. This tool is a start menu replacement for Windows 8 and helps you bring back that classic Start Menu experience of Windows 7 and Vista. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to install and configure it in Windows 8.

This program is a free yet powerful tool for Windows 8 users who prefer to sign directly to the desktop instead of the Metro Start screen in Windows 8. For more information about this tool, please click here.

This full-functional Start Menu will allow you access your folders and system’s settings with greater ease in Windows 8. If you like the Start Menu found in Windows 7, then you’re going to like this. So, without wasting too much of your time here, let’s get going.

To get stated, go and download a version for your Windows 8 system. A copy can be downloaded from here.

After downloading, double-click it to begin the installation. When you’re prompted with this screen below, it’s best to choose ‘Typical’

 

startw8_windows8_start_menu

 

Next, click ‘Install’ to start the installation.

 

startw8_windows8_start_menu_1

 

After installing, you’ll be prompted to configure StartW8 to your likings. The menu items below should just be enough to replicate your Windows 7 experience.

 

startw8_windows8_start_menu_2

 

Finally, enjoy your new start menu. As you can see, StartW8 provides Widows 8 looks and feel but Windows 7 functionality.

 

startw8_windows8_start_menu_3

 

Enjoy!