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StartAllBack restores several Windows 7- and Windows 8-style behaviors that Windows 11 removed or buried: a conventional Start menu, taskbar labels, ungrouped taskbar buttons, taskbar placement on any screen edge, and older File Explorer and context-menu layouts.
The current vendor-listed release is StartAllBack 3.9.24, dated July 27, 2026. It is listed for Windows 11, and the vendor does not specify a particular edition, build, or CPU architecture on its current download pages. StartAllBack begins a trial after installation; it is not a permanently free utility.
What StartAllBack changes
StartAllBack is broader than a Start-menu replacement. Its current feature set can affect these parts of Windows 11:
- Start menu: Windows 7-style, Windows 8-style, or a default-style layout, with configurable icon size and item count.
- Taskbar: labels, icon size and spacing, drag-and-drop, separate taskbar sections, translucency, autohide, and positioning at the top, bottom, left, or right of the screen.
- Taskbar buttons: an option to keep windows separate instead of combining them into one icon.
- File Explorer: a restyled Ribbon and Command Bar, an older search box, a bottom Details pane, and additional dark-mode coverage.
- Menus and Win32 interfaces: restyled context menus, Control Panel, and other older Windows interfaces.
These changes are implemented by modifying or replacing parts of the Windows shell. That is why Windows feature updates and Insider builds can occasionally require a newer StartAllBack release.
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Check the version before installing
Download the installer from the vendor’s site rather than relying on an old copy found on a download mirror. The current release listed by the vendor is:
| Version | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3.9.24 | July 27, 2026 | Minor improvements and fixes |
| 3.9.23 | May 16, 2026 | Fixes for the latest Windows updates |
| 3.9.20 | December 9, 2025 | Fix for an older Windows 11 24H2 incompatibility |
| 3.9.15 | September 4, 2025 | Windows 11 25H2 support |
| 3.9.9 | May 20, 2025 | Compatibility fix for Windows updates released from May onward |
The vendor’s main site lists the latest release. Its download page also provides a separate historical-version list, but an archived build should be used only when you have a specific compatibility reason.
Install StartAllBack on Windows 11
Option 1: Use the installer
- Download the latest installer from the vendor’s download page.
- Open the downloaded installer. Approve the User Account Control prompt if Windows displays one.
- Choose “为所有用户安装”, which means Install for all users.
- Allow setup to finish. StartAllBack starts its trial automatically; there is no separate trial-registration procedure.
If you want the program available only to the current Windows account, check the installer for a per-user option. The vendor’s documented installation instruction specifically describes the all-users choice.
Option 2: Install with WinGet
Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell as an administrator and run:
winget install StartIsBack.StartAllBack --scope machineThe --scope machine switch requests an all-users installation. If WinGet reports that it cannot find the package, update the App Installer package from Microsoft Store and run the command again, or use the graphical installer.
Open the StartAllBack settings
There are three documented ways to open its configuration window:
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- From the taskbar: right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select Properties. The vendor’s Chinese documentation labels this command “属性”.
- From Start: right-click the Start button and select Properties (“属性” in the vendor documentation).
- From Control Panel: open Control Panel, set View by to Small icons, and select the StartAllBack settings item.
The exact English wording can vary with the installed language and release. The vendor’s procedural pages expose the Chinese tab names “任务栏” (Taskbar), “开始菜单” (Start menu), and “关于” (About), rather than documenting every current English label.
Configure the taskbar
Keep taskbar buttons separate
To stop Windows from combining several windows into one taskbar button:
- Open StartAllBack settings.
- Open the Taskbar tab, called “任务栏” in the vendor’s documentation.
- Find Combine taskbar buttons, documented as “合并任务栏按钮”.
- Choose Never, documented as “从不”.
Version 3.8.10 added an option described as totally disabling task grouping, with behavior similar to the Windows XP-era taskbar. This is different from merely showing labels while continuing to group windows.
Move the taskbar
- Open the Taskbar tab.
- Find Taskbar position on screen (“任务栏在屏幕上的位置”).
- Choose Top, Bottom, Left, or Right.
Windows 11’s built-in Settings app does not expose all of these positions, but StartAllBack currently supports the four screen edges. The product page specifically continues to advertise the top, left, and right positions.
Adjust labels, spacing, and autohide
Use the remaining Taskbar settings to control whether window titles appear, change icon size and margins, and adjust the taskbar’s visual treatment. StartAllBack also supports taskbar segments, dynamic translucency, separate interfaces for corner icons, and autohide behavior when a maximized window covers the taskbar.
Version 3.8.11 added the shortcut Win+Alt+T to toggle taskbar autohide.
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Change the Start menu
- Open StartAllBack settings.
- Select the Start menu tab, documented as “开始菜单”.
- Under Visual style (“视觉样式”), choose Default, win7, or win8.
- Adjust the icon size and the number of displayed icons.
The menu can provide one-click access to applications and system locations, dropdown-style navigation, and search. If you want the closest traditional desktop experience, start with the Windows 7 style and then reduce or increase the icon count to fit your display.
Customize File Explorer and menus
StartAllBack’s Explorer options are useful if your main complaint is not the Start menu but the Windows 11 interface around it. Depending on the selected options, you can restore or restyle:
- the File Explorer Ribbon and Command Bar;
- the older search-box presentation;
- a Details pane along the bottom of Explorer;
- additional dark-mode styling for dialogs;
- classic-looking context menus;
- Control Panel and other Win32 interface elements.
These are shell-wide changes, so test the options you care about after enabling them. A setting that improves Explorer may make another older application look less familiar.
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Installation activates the trial automatically. When you have a valid activation code, use this procedure:
- Open StartAllBack settings.
- Select the About tab, documented as “关于”.
- Enter the activation code.
- Click Activate, documented as “激活”.
The vendor’s changelog records a 100-day trial, introduced in version 3.3.3 on March 6, 2022. Treat the trial as time-limited and obtain a legitimate activation code if you intend to keep using the software.
If normal activation fails
The vendor documents a Web activation option (“网页激活”). It opens a window with an upper field for a URL and a lower field for the activation response:
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- Start Web activation from the About page.
- Copy the complete URL from the upper field, including the beginning
https. - Open that URL in a browser.
- Copy the returned activation response into the lower field.
- Complete the activation process.
The vendor’s troubleshooting page says the browser should return a long alphanumeric string. That page was last updated August 14, 2022, so treat the procedure as a documented fallback rather than a guarantee that every current release uses exactly the same window.
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Windows updated and the taskbar stopped working
First check the installed StartAllBack version and update it before trying registry edits or shell-replacement workarounds. The release history repeatedly includes fixes for Windows updates, 24H2, 25H2, Insider builds, and Canary builds. Version 3.8 was described as required for the August 2024 Windows updates, and version 3.9.20 fixed an older 24H2 incompatibility.
The taskbar is unresponsive or applications are missing
The vendor’s FAQ index lists an unresponsive taskbar and running applications not appearing on the taskbar as reported issues. Restart Windows after updating StartAllBack. If the problem began immediately after installation, temporarily disable or uninstall StartAllBack to confirm whether the shell modification is responsible.
The clock is incomplete or the notification icon is hidden
The vendor also lists incomplete taskbar-clock display and a hidden Action Center notification icon among its FAQ topics. Check taskbar icon and spacing settings, then test with the default taskbar style before enabling extra visual modifications.
Black screen, flicker, or square corners
Black-screen and flicker problems, along with square corners outside rounded context menus, appear in the vendor’s FAQ index. Because those FAQ articles were last updated in 2022, do not assume an old fix applies unchanged to 3.9.24. Update first, undo the most recent visual change, and remove StartAllBack if Windows remains unstable.
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StartAllBack keeps reopening after you disable it
The vendor’s FAQ list includes this behavior. Restart Windows after disabling the program. If the shell still behaves incorrectly, uninstall StartAllBack from Settings > Apps > Installed apps, then restart again.
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- ✅【Adjustable & Ergonomic】：This laptop stand can be adjusted to a comfortable height and angle according to your actual needs, letting you fix posture and reduce your neck fatigue, back pain and eye strain. Very comfortable for working in home, office and outdoor.
- ✅【Sturdy & Protective】 ：Made of sturdy metal, it can support up to 17.6 lbs (8kg) weight on top; With 2 rubber mats on the hook and anti-skid silicone pads on top & bottom, it can secure your laptop in place and maximum protect your device from scratches and sliding. Moreover, smooth edges will never hurt your hands.
- ✅【Heat Dissipation】 ：The top of the laptop stand is designed with multiple ventilation holes. The open design offers greater ventilation and more airflow to cool your laptop during operation other than it just lays flat on the table.
- ✅【Portable & Foldable】：The foldable design allows you to easily slip it in your backpack. Ideal for people who travel for business a lot.
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Before installing a Windows feature update
- Note your current StartAllBack version in the About tab.
- Check the vendor’s release history for support for the target Windows build.
- Install the newest StartAllBack release before or immediately after the Windows update if compatibility fixes are available.
- Keep a way to open Windows Settings or Control Panel without relying on the modified taskbar.
- If you use an Insider or Canary build, expect a higher chance of temporary breakage.
Do not copy old advice that says StartAllBack cannot move the taskbar or permanently ungroup buttons. Those limitations no longer describe the current product. Conversely, do not assume an old version such as 3.9.11 is current: the vendor now lists 3.9.24.
FAQ
Is StartAllBack free?
No. It starts with a trial, and the vendor documents a separate activation-code process. The vendor’s changelog records a 100-day trial.
Does StartAllBack work on Windows 10?
The current vendor pages state Windows 11 as the system requirement and do not list Windows 10 as a supported requirement. Use the current vendor information rather than assuming Windows 10 compatibility.
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Can StartAllBack move the Windows 11 taskbar to the top or sides?
Yes. Its Taskbar settings provide Top, Bottom, Left, and Right positions.
Can it permanently ungroup Windows 11 taskbar buttons?
Yes. In the Taskbar tab, set Combine taskbar buttons to Never. Version 3.8.10 also added a setting that totally disables task grouping.
Will Windows updates break StartAllBack?
They can. The vendor’s release history repeatedly includes fixes for Windows updates and new Windows builds. Update StartAllBack when Windows receives a major feature update, especially if the taskbar becomes unresponsive afterward.
How do I uninstall StartAllBack?
Open Settings, go to Apps, then Installed apps, locate StartAllBack, and choose Uninstall. Restart Windows afterward so the standard shell components reload cleanly.
The Bottom Line
Install the latest vendor-listed build, choose the all-users option if multiple Windows accounts need it, and open settings through the taskbar, Start button, or Small icons view in Control Panel. Start with the Taskbar and Start menu tabs: setting taskbar buttons to Never combine and choosing a Windows 7-style menu are the most noticeable changes. Keep the program updated after Windows feature updates, because StartAllBack modifies shell components and compatibility fixes are a recurring part of its release history.
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