Windows Server 2012 – Personalizing the Start Menu

Posted:  May 4th, 2018

 

Since the style and format of the Start menu in Windows Server 2012 is different than in the older versions, you will find below some information on how to personalize it, as required.

 

To access the Start menu in Windows Server 2012, please follow the instructions from the Windows Server 2012 – Access the Start Menu article.

 

Grouping icons in the Start menu

 

Simply point-and-click on the icon you wish to move and then slide the icon. Release your click once the icon is in the desired location. A vertical rectangle appears when you are moving an icon from one group to another.

 

Naming the groups in the Start menu

 

Follow these steps to name the groups you just created:

 

1) Click on the "-" button located in the bottom-right corner of the Start menu window.

 

2) Right-click on the zone for the group you wish to rename.

 

3) Give a name to the group of icons and click on the Name button.

 

4) Proceed with steps 1 to 3 for all the groups you wish to name.

 

Add Windows Explorer or another application to the Start menu

 

You can add a shortcut to any application installed on your server. Follow these steps:

 

1) From the Start menu’s main screen, right-click and select All Applications (bottom-right).

 

2) Once the list of applications (icons) is displayed (you can use the horizontal scroll bar to display applications that are not visible), right-click on the application of your choice and then click on Pin to Start Menu.

 

3) Go back to the Start menu’s main screen and move the new icon to the group of your choice.

 

Add a button to restart the server in the Start menu

 

1) From the Start menu’s main screen, click on Desktop to show the desktop.

 

2) Right-click and then click on New > Shortcut.

 

3) Type the following command in the text zone: shutdown /r

 

4) Name the button that will be created.

 

5) From the desktop, right-click on the icon of the shortcut you just created and click on Properties.

 

6) From the Shortcut tab, click on Modify the Icon.

 

7) Click on OK.

 

8) Select an icon from the list or select a file of your choice and click on OK.

 

9) Click on OK.

 

10) From the desktop, right-click on the shortcut and then on Pin to Start Menu.

 

11) Delete the shortcut from the Desktop.

 

12) Go back to the Start menu’s main screen and move the new button to the desired location.