Start Menu folder creation (Win10Pro)

daphatgrant

daphatgrant

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*Update - Resovled

I messed with it some more and I am able to place a shortcut or a folder with a shortcut on the Start Menu in any of these folders individually and it will appear. Folders have to be created in those folders though, creating a folder elsewhere even with a shortcut in it and dragging and dropping or cutting and pasting to these locations will not have that folder appear on the Start Menu, little caveat I guess.

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\User\ApbpData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Nothing I put here will show
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

That's all I guess, make sure that you are;
1. Using a shortcut, only shortcuts will show
2. If creating a folder, add a new folder to one of the top 3 addresses, dragging and dropping or cutting and pasting from another location will not work, it has to be a newly created folder within one of those locations. You can however drag and drop or cut and paste shortcuts into the folder after it's been created.

Original Thread:
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Hello all, I'd like to add a folder to the start menu but I can't seem to accomplish that. I've done some googling after trying what I thought would have been the way but have not had any luck. I'm using Windows 10 Pro, 1809 Build

Here's my start menu;

Screenshot 2019-05-04 21.08.44.png

I just want to add a folder like the "Bob" folder I PaintShopped in.

Screenshot 2019-05-04 21.08.44b.png

Anyone know how to do this? Or if this is even possible anymore?

I tried adding the folder to;
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

and even here.

C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

I've tried restarting and haven't gotten anywhere.

Thanks for any info :)
 
Last edited:
Forget the built in abomination of a "start menu" and get a real, third party one.
 
So, it's a bit counter-intuitive, but you have to create the folder in both:
Code: 
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
and
Code: 
%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
 
extide said:
So, it's a bit counter-intuitive, but you have to create the folder in both:
Code: 
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
and
Code: 
%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Click to expand...

I tried adding the folder to those and a few other locations with no luck of it showing up.

daphatgrant said:
I tried adding the folder to;
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

and even here.

C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Click to expand...
 
Really? I tried it before I posted it and it worked for me on Win 10 1809. Right away too, no reboot or anything needed. You have to create the same folder in both places, though. FWIW, I also put a shortcut into the folder so it wasnt empty, not sure i you are just trying to add an empty folder, maybe windows wont show an empty one.
 
extide said:
Really? I tried it before I posted it and it worked for me on Win 10 1809. Right away too, no reboot or anything needed. You have to create the same folder in both places, though. FWIW, I also put a shortcut into the folder so it wasnt empty, not sure i you are just trying to add an empty folder, maybe windows wont show an empty one.
Click to expand...
Well, I did a folder with a shortcut in it and just a shortcut by itself in all 6 places and get nothing... I fear I am destined to not be able to add folders, lol.
 
daphatgrant said:
Well, I did a folder with a shortcut in it and just a shortcut by itself in all 6 places and get nothing... I fear I am destined to not be able to add folders, lol.
Click to expand...
Yeah that's weird -- I just tried it again and it worked.
 
Something's wrong wuth your setup. If the folder is not empty, it should show up. And it doesn't have to be created in more than one place.
 
tedych said:
Something's wrong wuth your setup. If the folder is not empty, it should show up. And it doesn't have to be created in more than one place.
Click to expand...
Yeah somethings up, if I install a program it shows up fine but I can't seem to add anything...
 
Well I kept messing around with it and I got it to work... I do have to put it in 2 places as extide said above, I also have to have both folders that he listed above opened at the same time. I then have to create the folder say "Test" in each place independently. I can then copy and paste a shortcut into each folder and it and the folder will appear. If I were to create a folder in one place and copy and paste it to the other it will not work. It appears that the copying and pasting was causing the problem.

It also seems to work the same whether it's in the Start Menu folder or Start Menu/Programs.
 
Last edited:
Check permissions of the entries (folders and files inside) while using both ways (working and non-working). There is no sense there is a difference in how a folder is created or having to have both folders open at the same time which is.... you know :) ...
I would use c:\users\username\.... place for my username.
 
tedych said:
Check permissions of the entries (folders and files inside) while using both ways (working and non-working). There is no sense there is a difference in how a folder is created or having to have both folders open at the same time which is.... you know :) ...
I would use c:\users\username\.... place for my username.
Click to expand...

I've got it working... I'll turn myself in... I was trying to place an executable in the folder not a shortcut, I didn't realize it wasn't a shortcut until going back through it this morning... only shortcuts will show btw.


I messed with it some more and I am able to place a shortcut or a folder with a shortcut on the Start Menu in any of these folders individually and it will appear. Folders have to be created in those folders though, creating a folder elsewhere even with a shortcut in it and dragging and dropping or cutting and pasting to these locations will not have that folder appear on the Start Menu, little caveat I guess.

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\Users\User\ApbpData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Nothing I put here will show
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

That's all I guess, make sure that you are;
1. Using a shortcut, only shortcuts will show
2. If creating a folder, add a new folder to one of the top 3 addresses, dragging and dropping or cutting and pasting from another location will not work, it has to be a newly created folder within one of those locations. You can however drag and drop or cut and paste shortcuts into the folder after it's been created.

Original post has been updated, thanks everyone!
 
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