Home / Windows 7 / Getting Started

Customizing User Navigation

Customizing user navigation is the next stop on the Windows 7 customizing road trip.

This tutorial starts with customizing the look and the content of the cool new Start menu. The improved Start menu in Windows 7 has many useful new features, and I show how you can use them best. Then, I show you how you can customize the new program list and customize almost everything you see. If you don't like the new Start menu, you can get the old classic Start menu back. Then, you can improve and customize the classic Start menu with some cool hacks.

You also learn how to customize the taskbar on the bottom of your screen. The taskbar is an essential part of navigating your computer. I show you how to customize and improve its features and give you some new ideas about how you can use it to dramatically improve your experiences with Windows 7.

In this tutorial:

  1. Customizing the Start Menu
  2. Customizing Navigation Shortcuts
  3. Customizing the Frequently Run Programs List
  4. Keeping Programs off the List
  5. Pinning Programs
  6. Customizing the Program List and Search
  7. Disabling New Program Highlights
  8. Customizing the Taskbar
  9. Pinning Applications
  10. Modifying Icon Locations
  11. Enable Classic Taskbar Look and Behavior
  12. Customize Taskbar Icon Sizes
  13. Restore Classic Quick Launch Bar
  14. Modifying the Taskbar Location
  15. Using Group Policy Editor to Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar
  16. Setting Policies with the Group Policy Editor
  17. Start Menu and Taskbar Policies