开始菜单(Start Menu)是许多Windows版本保持不变的元素之一。Windows Vista率先引入了一些主要的重新设计选择，其中一些比其他的更具启发性。Windows 7标志着又一次演变，但这一次，变化更加微妙。对于Windows Vista(Windows Vista)引入的不太受启发的更改，有少量新功能和许多修复。在本文中，我将首先概述Windows 7 开始菜单(Start Menu)中的新功能、改进和更改。然后我将向您展示如何启动开始菜单(Start Menu)设置窗口，更改默认操作(default action)电源按钮(power button)，如何启用或禁用最近的项目和程序，如何更改最近显示的项目和程序的数量，如何从“开始(Start Menu)”菜单自定义图标和菜单以及如何将项目固定到“开始”菜单和跳转列表(Start Menu and Jump Lists)。
新功能(New Features)、改进和变化(Improvements & Changes)
如果您不注意，您将不会注意到Windows 7中对“开始”菜单(Start Menu)所做的细微但重要的更改。在本章中，我将分享发生了哪些变化：
Redesigned Shut Down Menu - compared to Windows Vista, Windows 7 has an improved, redesigned shut down menu. To shut down your PC, you just need to click on the Shut down button. To choose a different action, click on the small arrow right next to the Shut down button and select the action you want to perform.
跳转列表(Jump Lists)- 将跳转列表(Jump List)视为一个快速菜单，其中包含可由应用程序执行的任务以及最近打开的文件列表。跳转列表仅针对支持此功能的应用程序显示在开始菜单的左侧。您可以看到它们与入门、便笺、Internet Explorer、记事本、Word(Getting Started, Sticky Notes, Internet Explorer, Notepad, Word)和许多其他应用程序等应用程序一起使用。
此功能适用的应用程序右侧有一个小箭头，附在其快捷方式上。单击(Click)箭头或将鼠标悬停在其快捷方式上一秒钟。开始菜单(start menu)将展开并显示您可以使用该应用程序执行的任务或您可以打开的最近项目。
改进的即时搜索(Improved Instant Search)- 搜索结果将传播到整个开始菜单窗格(Start Menu pane)，并将包括来自您的库、用户文件、控制面板(Control Panel)、开始菜单(Start Menu)快捷方式、电子邮件和脱机文件的项目。不仅如此，结果加载速度也更快，与Windows Vista相比，它们的质量似乎有所提高。
还有一些东西被删除了：
- 经典开始菜单(Classic Start Menu)完全消失了。用户只能使用新版本。
- 默认 Internet 浏览器(default internet browser)和电子邮件客户端的快捷方式不再存在。
如果您注意到其他变化，请不要犹豫发表评论。
如何启动开始菜单设置窗口(Start Menu Settings Window)
在“开始菜单”搜索框中键入“开始菜单”('start menu')。您将看到一个名为'Taskbar and Start Menu Properties' 的('Taskbar and Start Menu Properties')结果。单击(Click)它，将打开配置窗口(configuration window)。或者，您可以右键单击“开始”菜单(Start Menu)并选择“属性(Properties)” 。
“任务栏和开始菜单属性”('Taskbar and Start Menu Properties')窗口的第二个选项卡包含开始菜单(Start Menu)设置。单击(Click)它以访问其设置。
在接下来的部分中，我将介绍所有可能的配置选项并展示您可以使用它们做什么。
更改默认电源按钮操作(Default Power Button Action)
确保(Make sure)您位于“任务栏和开始菜单属性”('Taskbar and Start Menu Properties')窗口的“开始菜单”选项卡(Start Menu tab)中。您可以在此处自定义希望电源按钮(Power button)执行的操作类型：关机、切换用户、睡眠、注销、锁定(Shut down, Switch user, Sleep, Log off, Lock)或重新启动(Restart)。
选择您喜欢的默认操作(default action)，然后单击OK。
启用/禁用最近的项目和程序(Recent Items & Programs)
您还可以选择在开始菜单(Start Menu)中启用或禁用最近使用的文件和程序列表的显示。
如果您选中第一个选项“在开始菜单中存储并显示最近打开的程序” ，Windows 7 将跟踪您正在使用的程序并将它们显示在('Store and display recently opened programs in Start Menu)开始菜单(Start Menu)左侧的列表中。
当您将此选项与几个固定的快捷方式一起检查时，这就是“开始”菜单(Start Menu)的外观。
如果您选中第一个选项“在开始菜单和任务栏中存储并显示最近打开的项目”('Store and display recently opened items in Start Menu and the taskbar')，Windows 7 将跟踪您正在使用的文档。但是，仅当启用了“最近的项目(Recent Items)”快捷方式时，它才会在“开始”菜单(Start Menu)上显示它们。要了解如何启用它，请阅读以下部分。当此设置和“最近的项目”('Recent Items')快捷方式都启用时，开始菜单(Start Menu)将如下面的屏幕截图所示。
自定义开始菜单(Start Menu)中显示的快捷方式(Shortcuts Shown)
要自定义开始菜单(Start Menu)，请单击自定义...(Customize...)按钮。
在“自定义开始菜单”('Customize Start Menu')窗口中，您可以更改开始(Start Menu)菜单中显示的链接、图标和菜单的外观和行为(look and behavior)。
向下滚动项目列表，在右侧(Scroll)窗格(side pane)中启用您想要的项目并禁用您不使用的项目。
为了优化开始菜单(Start Menu)，请执行以下操作：
- 只保留(Keep)您经常使用的菜单、项目和快捷方式。如果有一个很少(shortcut seldom)使用的快捷方式，您可以在搜索框中(search box)搜索它，而不是将其添加到开始菜单(Start Menu)。
- 减少显示的最近程序的数量并固定最常用的应用程序。要了解如何执行此操作，请阅读本文的下一部分。
更改显示的最近项目和程序的(Recent Items & Programs Shown)数量(Number)
要更改“开始菜单(Start Menu)”中显示的最近程序和项目的数量，请转到“自定义开始菜单”('Customize Start Menu')窗口的底部并设置相应的字段。
更改值后，单击OK。
最有用的开始菜单快捷方式和设置(Start Menu Shortcuts & Settings)
为了帮助您，我有一些有用的快捷方式和设置建议，您可能希望在“开始”菜单(Start Menu)中启用：
如果您有一台笔记本电脑并且需要在一周内连接到不同的网络，您可能需要启用“连接到”(Connect To)选项。
您可能想要启用的其他有用快捷方式是“设备和打印机”('Devices and Printers')、“运行命令”('Run command')以及您的文档、图片和音乐库。
最没用的选项之一是“突出显示新安装的程序”('Highlight newly installed programs')。您可能希望禁用此选项。
如果“开始”菜单(Start Menu)中的图标对您来说太大，您可以禁用“使用大图标”('Use large icons')选项并解决此问题。
如果您有其他建议，请随时在评论中分享。
如何将项目固定到开始菜单
固定项目是出现在“开始”菜单(Start Menu)左侧窗格中的快捷方式，直到它们被手动删除。您可以固定在桌面、开始菜单(Desktop, Start Menu)或任务栏(Taskbar)的任何位置找到的快捷方式以及任何应用程序的任何可执行文件。
要固定快捷方式，请右键单击它，然后选择“固定到开始菜单”('Pin to Start Menu')。或者，您可以将快捷方式拖放到“开始”菜单(Start Menu)或其球体上。
如果您在右键单击文件时没有看到“固定到开始菜单”选项，请按住('Pin to Start Menu')SHIFT 键(SHIFT key)并再次右键单击。
例如，“固定到开始菜单”('Pin to Start Menu')选项仅出现在应用程序（扩展名为“.exe”的('.exe')文件）的右键菜单中。如果要将文本文件固定到开始菜单(text file)，(Start Menu)则必须使用SHIFT 键(SHIFT key)并右键单击。
要删除固定的项目，只需右键单击它并选择“从开始菜单取消固定”('Unpin from Start Menu')或( or )“从此列表中删除”('Remove from this list')。
如何固定或删除跳转(Or Remove Items From Jump)列表中的项目
如前所述，支持跳转列表的应用程序将在其(Jump Lists)开始菜单(Start Menu)快捷方式的右侧显示一个小箭头，让您可以访问该应用程序可用的最近使用的文件和任务。当您使用应用程序时，最近使用的文件列表会不断更新，而任务列表保持不变。如果您愿意，您可以固定最近使用的文件，以便它始终显示在该应用程序中。
我们以Internet Explorer为例：如果您使用它浏览了几个网页，您将看到最常用的网页和标准的任务列表。
在任何经常访问的网页上移动鼠标，您会在其右侧看到一个小图钉。单击(Click)它将该页面固定到跳转列表(Jump List)。或者，您可以右键单击要固定的页面，然后选择“固定到此列表”('Pin to this list')选项。
要取消固定某个项目，请再次单击固定图标(pin icon)或右键单击它并选择“从此列表取消固定”('Unpin from this list')选项。
如您所见，该过程非常简单。
结论
在Windows 7中对“(Windows 7)开始”菜单(Start Menu)所做的更改以微妙的方式改进了您使用它的方式。搜索框和跳转列表(search box & Jump Lists)是一个主要优势，因为它们允许您快速启动需要使用的应用程序，而无需向下滚动已安装应用程序的长列表。
如果您对如何改进“开始”菜单(Start Menu)及其组织方式有一些很酷的提示，请随时发表评论。
The Complete Guide to the Windows 7 Start Menu
The Start Menu is one of the elements which remained unchanged for many versions of Windows. Windows Vista was the first to introduce somе majоr redesign choices, sоme more inspired than others. Windows 7 marks another evolution but, this time, changes are more subtle. There are a small number оf new features and many fixes for the less inspired changes іntroduced by Windows Vistа. In this article I wіll start with an overview of the new features, improνements and changes done in the Windows 7 Start Menu. Then I'll show you how to launch the Start Menu settings window, change the default aсtion of the powеr button, how to enable or disable recent items and programs, how to change the number of recent items and programs shown, how to customize the icons and menus from the Start Menu and how to pin items to the Start Menu and Jump Lists.
New Features, Improvements & Changes
If you don't pay too much attention you won't notice the subtle but important changes done in Windows 7 with regards to the Start Menu. In this chapter I will share what has changed:
Redesigned Shut Down Menu - compared to Windows Vista, Windows 7 has an improved, redesigned shut down menu. To shut down your PC, you just need to click on the Shut down button. To choose a different action, click on the small arrow right next to the Shut down button and select the action you want to perform.
Jump Lists - think of a Jump List as a quick menu with tasks that can be performed by an application combined with a list of recently opened files. Jump lists are shown on the left side of the start menu only for the applications which support this feature. You can see them in use with applications like Getting Started, Sticky Notes, Internet Explorer, Notepad, Word and a number of other applications.
The applications for which this feature works have a small arrow on the right side, attached to their shortcut. Click on the arrow or just leave the mouse over their shortcut for a second. The start menu will expand and show the tasks you can perform with the application or the recent items that you can open.
Improved Instant Search - the results of a search will spread to the entire Start Menu pane and will include items from your libraries, user files, Control Panel, Start Menu shortcuts, e-mail messages and offline files. Not only this, but the results are loaded faster and they seem to have improved in quality compared to Windows Vista.
There are also a few things that have been removed:
- The Classic Start Menu is completely gone. Users can use only the new version.
- The shortcuts for the default internet browser and e-mail client no longer exist.
If you noticed other changes, don't hesitate to comment.
How To Launch The Start Menu Settings Window
In the Start Menu search box type 'start menu'. You will see one result named 'Taskbar and Start Menu Properties'. Click on it and the configuration window will open. Alternatively, you can right-click on the Start Menu and select Properties.
The second tab of the 'Taskbar and Start Menu Properties' window contains the Start Menu settings. Click on it to access its settings.
In the next sections I will go through all possible configuration options and show what you can do with them.
Change The Default Power Button Action
Make sure you are in the Start Menu tab of the 'Taskbar and Start Menu Properties' window. Here you can customize what kind of action you want the Power button to perform: Shut down, Switch user, Sleep, Log off, Lock or Restart.
Choose the default action you prefer and click on OK.
Enable/Disable Recent Items & Programs
You also have the option to enable or disable the display of the recently used files and programs lists in the Start Menu.
If you check the first option which says 'Store and display recently opened programs in Start Menu, Windows 7 will keep track of the programs you are using and display them on the list from the left side of the Start Menu.
This is how the Start Menu will look like when you have this options checked together with several pinned shortcuts.
If you check the first option which says 'Store and display recently opened items in Start Menu and the taskbar', Windows 7 will keep track of the documents you are working with. However, it will display them on the Start Menu only if the Recent Items shortcut is enabled. To learn how to enable it, read the section below. When both this setting and the 'Recent Items' shortcut are enabled, the Start Menu will look like in the screenshot below.
Customize The Shortcuts Shown In The Start Menu
In order to customize the Start Menu, click on the Customize... button.
In the 'Customize Start Menu' window, you can change the look and behavior of links, icons and menus shown in the Start Menu.
Scroll down the items list, enable the ones you want to have on the right side pane and disable the ones you don't use.
In order to optimize the Start Menu, do the following:
- Keep only the menus, items and shortcuts you are using on a regular basis. If there's a shortcut seldom used you can just search for it in the search box instead of adding it to the Start Menu.
- Reduce the number of recent programs which are displayed and pin the most used applications. To learn how to do this, read the next section of the article.
Change The Number Of Recent Items & Programs Shown
To change how many recent programs and items are displayed in the Start Menu, go to the bottom of the 'Customize Start Menu' window and set the appropriate fields.
After you change the values, click on OK.
Most Useful Start Menu Shortcuts & Settings
To help you out, I have some recommendations of useful shortcuts and settings that you might want to enable in your Start Menu:
If you have a laptop and you need to connect to different networks during the week, you might want to enable the Connect To option.
Other useful shortcuts that you might want to enable are 'Devices and Printers', the 'Run command' and your libraries of documents, pictures and music.
One of the least useful options is 'Highlight newly installed programs'. You might want to keep this option disabled.
If the icons from the Start Menu are too big for you, you can disable the 'Use large icons' option and solve this problem.
If you have other recommendations, don't hesitate to share them in a comment.
How To Pin Items To The Start Menu
Pinned items are shortcuts which appear on the left pane of the Start Menu until they are manually removed. You can pin shortcuts found anywhere on your Desktop, Start Menu or Taskbar and any executable file of any application.
To pin a shortcut, right click on it and then select 'Pin to Start Menu'. Alternatively, you can drag and drop a shortcut to the Start Menu or on its orb.
In case you don't see the 'Pin to Start Menu' option when you right-click on a file, hold down the SHIFT key and right-click again.
For example, the 'Pin to Start Menu' option appears in the right-click menu only for applications (files with the '.exe' extension). If you want to pin to the Start Menu a text file, you will have to use the SHIFT key and right click.
To remove a pinned item, simply right click on it and select 'Unpin from Start Menu' or 'Remove from this list'.
How To Pin Or Remove Items From Jump Lists
As mentioned earlier, applications with support for Jump Lists will show a small arrow on the right of their Start Menu shortcut which gives you access to recently used files and tasks available for that application. The recently used files list is continuously updated as you work with the application while the tasks list remains the same. If you want to, you can pin a recently used file so that it always shows up for that application.
Let's take Internet Explorer, for example: if you have used it to browse a few web pages, you will see the most frequent web pages and the standard list of tasks.
Move your mouse on any of the frequently visited web pages and you will see on its right side a small pin. Click on it to pin that page to the Jump List. Alternatively, you can right click on the page that you want to pin and select the 'Pin to this list' option.
To unpin an item, click again on the pin icon or right click on it and select the 'Unpin from this list' option.
As you can see, the process is very simple.
Conclusion
The changes done to the Start Menu in Windows 7 improve in subtle ways the way you work with it. The search box & Jump Lists are a major benefit as they allow you to quickly start the applications you need to use, without having to scroll down long lists of installed applications.
If you have some cool tips on how to improve the Start Menu and the way it is organized, don't hesitate to leave a comment.
