You can customize your Start menu and taskbar. You can also make sure that installation errors, antivirus software, or pending Windows updates aren't getting in the way.
Note: Students using Windows 11 SE will not be able to download apps from the Microsoft Store. Apps are managed by their IT Admin. Learn more
Here's how to customize what you see on the Start menu and taskbar:
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To see a list of your apps, select Start , then select the arrow next to All apps to expand that pane. Scroll through the alphabetical list.
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To choose whether your Start menu settings show the most used apps at the top of your all apps list, or whether they show recently downloaded apps in the recommended section, select Start > Settings > Personalization > Start and turn Show recently added apps or Show most used apps on or off.
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To adjust which folders show up as icons next to your power button in the Start menu, select Start > Settings > Personalization > Start. Then select Folders and choose which folders will appear by toggling each option On or Off.
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To pin your favorite apps to the Start menu or to the taskbar, select and hold (or right-click) the app you want to pin. Then select Pin to Start, Pin to taskbar, or More > Pin to taskbar.
To quickly find a specific app, type the name of the app in the search box above the Start menu. If an app you downloaded didn't install correctly, it won't show up in your app list or when you search for it. You can try to repair the app.
If you still don't see the app you searched for, it's possible the app's installation is blocked by a pending Windows Update or your antivirus software. You can temporarily turn off your antivirus software while you try to install the app again. If you do turn off your antivirus software, make sure you turn Real-time protection back on after you've finished installing.
Turn off antivirus protection in Windows Security Check for Windows Updates
You can customize your Start menu and taskbar. You can also make sure that installation errors, antivirus software, or pending Windows updates aren't getting in the way.
Here's how to customize what you see on the Start menu and taskbar:
-
To see a list of your apps, select Start and scroll through the alphabetical list. Some apps are in folders within the app list—like Notepad, which is in the Windows Accessories folder.
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To choose whether your Start menu settings show all your apps or only the most used ones, select Start > Settings > Personalization > Start and adjust each setting you want to change.
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To adjust which folders you see on your Start menu, select Start > Settings > Personalization > Start. Then select Choose which folders appear on Start and toggle folders On or Off.
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You can pin your favorite apps to the Start menu or to the taskbar. Select and hold (or right-click) the app you want to pin. Then select Pin to Start or More > Pin to taskbar .
To quickly find a specific app, type the name of the app in the search box on the task bar. If an app you downloaded didn't install correctly, it won't show up in the Start menu or when you search for it. You can try to repair the app.
If you still don't see the app you searched for, it's possible the app's installation is blocked by a pending Windows update or your antivirus software. You can temporarily turn off your antivirus software while you try to install the app again. If you do turn your antivirus software off, make sure you turn Real-time protection back on after you've finished installing.
Turn off antivirus protection in Windows Security Check for Windows Updates
