Lock Your Most Used Programs On The Windows Start Menu

The left panel of the Start menu consists of a divided list of programs that Windows XP thinks you’ll find handy: The pinned items list above the separator line, and the frequently used programs, displayed below the line.

By default, Windows XP places links to your Internet browser and e-mail in the pinned items list and will place as many as 30 shortcuts to the programs that you’ve recently used in the most frequently used programs list.

In order to really take advantage of the Start menu as a launching area for all the programs you use most often, you can configure the entire left panel as a pinned items list. Here’s how:

  1. Right-click the Start button and select the Properties command to display the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.
  2. Click the Customize button adjacent to the Start Menu radio button to display the Customize Start Menu dialog box.
  3. In the Programs panel, use the Spin button to set the Number Of Programs On The Start Menu setting to 0. Click the Clear List button.
  4. In the Show On Start Menu panel, you can clear the Internet check box because the Internet Explorer icon already appears in the Quick Launch menu by default, and maybe even the e-mail check box, depending on how you launch your e-mail application.
  5. Click OK twice—once to close the Customize Start Menu dialog box and once to close the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog boxes.
  6. Click the Start button and access the All Programs submenu.
  7. Locate and right-click on a shortcut to a program you use most often and select the Pin To Start Menu command.

You can pin up to 30 of your most-used programs to the Start menu, depending on your screen resolution setting. With your favorite programs on the pinned items list, you can really take advantage of the Start menu.

Alphabetizing your Start Menu

If you’re like most Windows users, you’ve probably installed many programs…. So many, in fact, that you can have trouble finding the program you’re trying to use in the Start Menu list. New programs are loaded at the end of the list. Here’s how to alphabetize your Start Menu list of programs:

  1. First click on the Start button.
  2. Move your mouse to “All Programs.”
  3. Move your mouse to any of the folders there.
  4. Right click.
  5. A box will open up. Scroll to “Sort By Names” and click.

All of the folders and programs will be alphabetized. This is one of those simple but useful tips that will help you organize your computer.