Windows 7 'Start' menu

The Start Menu can still be found in the same place as in previous versions of Windows, but a tap of the Windows key reveals that the layout of the menu has changed.

Two-column layout

In Windows XP the Start Menu is a simple one column style menu but in Windows 7 the Start Menu is actually split into two columns.

This new style of menu was introduced in Windows Vista, although in Vista there was a setting that allowed you to change back to the familiar XP style menu. In Windows 7 however there is no classic mode option - so the XP style Start Menu format has left the building for good.

The two column layout allows one column for the applications on your PC (on the left) and one for common locations on your PC (the right column).

So, in the left column in the Start Menu you will find links to programs you commonly use and, under the All Programs link, all the programs installed on your PC.

In the right column, you will find links to locations on your PC, so things like Pictures (which opens your Pictures Library), Documents (which opens your Documents Library), Control Panel and Computer (essentially the same as the My Computer link in Windows XP).

Try it out

As in XP, you press the Windows key once to open the Start Menu and press it a second time to close. When the menu is open, you can move up and down the left column by pressing the Up and Down Arrow keys. To navigate the right column you can use the same keys after you have put the cursor focus into the right hand column using the Tab key. You can also use first letter navigation, exactly the same as the old XP Start Menu.

Here is an example walkthrough to open the Control Panel:

1. Open the Start Menu with the Windows key.
2. Press the Tab key to move to the right hand column in the Start Menu.
3. Press the C key to move to the first option that begins with C, in this case Computer.
4. Press the C key again to put focus on the next item in the list that begins with C, this is Control Panel.
5. Press the Enter key to open the Control Panel window.

The Start Menu Search

Notice the Search field near the bottom of the Start Menu? This is the live searching ability originally introduced in Windows Vista, though it also appeared as an optional download for Windows XP. In Windows 7 though, this live search really does shine.

Try it out

What do you do? Well, the Start Menu Search Box is extremely useful, allowing you to quickly search for programs, files and even Internet shortcuts on your PC. Remember this search isn't simply checking titles of files like the old style search functions - it searches the content of the file as well. So, if you run a search for RNIB, you will find documents that contain the acronym. Let's try it:

1. Open the Search Menu using the Windows key or click on the Windows button using your mouse.
2. The cursor will already be flashing in the search field so type: RNIB.
3. The Start Menu immediately transforms into a Search Results listview, automatically adjusting as you type. (This is different from the traditional search operations where you type in a keyword, press Enter to run the search and wait for the results to appear.) You can access the results list immediately by using the Down or the Up Arrow keys.
4. Helpfully, the results list is also split into categories such as Programs, Control Panel, Files and Documents (for example). These category headings are focusable hyperlinks and, when activated by the Enter key or a mouse click, will open that short list of items in Windows Explorer.
5. Similar to any menu, you can use the Enter key to open the particular item in focus.
6. If you need to refine your search and return focus to the Search edit box, press the Escape key. Doing this removes the results list, clears the previous search and puts focus back in the search edit field.
7. If you need to leave the Start Menu completely, press the Windows key or click again on the Windows Button Icon.

Having such a powerful, quick to access Search facility means that you can even consider using this as one of the main methods for launching programs and files. Now, if you need to launch a program - or a document, or a favourite website - type it into the search field and run it from there. For example, when I want to open Internet Explorer I can do the following:

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu.
2. Type I into the search field.
3. Down Arrow to the first result which is Internet Explorer.
4. Press Enter to launch the browser.

Of all the features in Windows 7, the live search may well become an integral part of how you approach finding files and programs on your PC!

Start Menu Jump Lists

Jump Lists are one of the new features in Windows 7, used in both the Start Menu and also the new Taskbar.

Notice the small submenu style indicator next to some of the items in the left Start Menu column? Although they are reminiscent of submenus in the old XP Start Menu, in the Windows 7 implementation these indicate jump lists.

Try it out

A jump list is, essentially, a kind of context menu containing links to recently used files and other options for the chosen program. These jump lists can be quite handy as they offer a quick way of launching the actual files you are working on. Let's try the Start Menu jump list for MS Word to get a feel for how this works:

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu.
2. Press the Down Arrow key until you have focus on the entry for MS Word.
3. Press the Right Arrow key to move to the jump list for the Word program.
4. Press the Down Arrow key to navigate the jump list, exactly as you would any other menu.
5. From here you can press the Enter key to open the item in focus or, alternatively, press the Escape key to go back to the Live Search box. If you need to leave the Start Menu completely, press the Windows key.

I hope that our tour of the new style of Start Menu has been useful and that you can start (no pun intended) to put Windows 7 through its paces with the live search and the new jump lists. Enjoy!