To make the Windows 11 Start menu full screen, install ExplorerPatcher from its GitHub releases page, right-click the taskbar > Properties, open Start menu, set the style to Windows 10 and the display mode to Full screen Start, then click Restart File Explorer. Windows 11 has no native full-screen Start option, so a third-party tool is the only route.
Applies to: Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 14, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Windows 11 does not include a full-screen Start menu option. The toggle that existed in Windows 10 Settings > Personalization > Start > Use Start full screen was removed.
- ExplorerPatcher is a free, open-source utility that brings the Windows 10 Start menu back — full-screen mode included.
- The full-screen Start menu tile layout is inherited from your Windows 10 settings. On a fresh install you will need to pin tiles manually.
- Uninstalling ExplorerPatcher reverts every change instantly — the default Windows 11 Start menu returns after a single File Explorer restart.
- ExplorerPatcher overlaps with my full ExplorerPatcher guide and Windows 10 taskbar guide. Use it alongside them to rebuild the Windows 10 look end to end.
Quick Steps
- Download ep_setup.exe from the ExplorerPatcher GitHub releases page.
- Run the installer — it applies the patches and restarts Explorer automatically.
- Right-click the taskbar and pick Properties.
- Open Start menu, set the style to Windows 10, and set display mode to Full screen Start.
- Click Restart File Explorer in the bottom-left corner.
Why Windows 11 Does Not Have a Full-Screen Start Menu
The full-screen Start option disappeared when Microsoft rewrote the Start menu shell for Windows 11. The new Start is an XAML UWP panel that lives in a fixed-size popup, unlike the Windows 10 Start which was a resizable window that could span the full desktop. Microsoft has not added the toggle back in any Windows 11 release through 25H2, and there is no hidden registry key that enables it. The only reliable way to get a full-screen Start on Windows 11 is to replace the shell’s Start menu component with the Windows 10 version — which is exactly what ExplorerPatcher does.
Step 1: Download ExplorerPatcher From GitHub
Open the ExplorerPatcher releases page on GitHub. Under the latest release, expand Assets and click ep_setup.exe to download the installer. The file is around 4 MB.
Note: Microsoft Defender SmartScreen and Chrome/Edge may warn about ep_setup.exe because ExplorerPatcher hooks into Explorer.exe — exactly what Windows flags as suspicious. The project is open source (you can read every line at the linked repo) and is signed by the developer. If SmartScreen blocks the download, click Keep anyway in the browser and More info > Run anyway on the SmartScreen prompt.
Step 2: Install ExplorerPatcher
Right-click ep_setup.exe and choose Run as administrator. There is no installer UI — the tool patches Explorer, restarts it silently, and exits within a few seconds. Your taskbar flickers once when Explorer restarts.
After Explorer restarts you will already notice differences — the taskbar icons left-align by default, and the system tray area matches Windows 10. The Start menu has reverted to the Windows 10 layout, but it is not yet full screen.
Step 3: Enable the Full-Screen Start Menu
Right-click any empty area on the taskbar and choose Properties. This opens the ExplorerPatcher settings panel — the same panel that controls taskbar, system tray, File Explorer, context menu, and Start menu behaviour.
- In the left sidebar, select Start menu.
- Set Start menu style to Windows 10.
- Set Position on screen to Full screen (in newer ExplorerPatcher builds this option is labelled Display mode > Full screen Start).
- Click Restart File Explorer in the bottom-left corner of the panel.
Press the Windows key and the Start menu now covers the entire screen, Windows 10 style. The left column shows the app list; the right panel shows pinned tiles. Tile groups, resizing, and drag-and-drop all behave exactly as they did in Windows 10.
Optional: Tune Taskbar and File Explorer to Match
ExplorerPatcher replaces more than just the Start menu. While the Properties panel is open, these tweaks pair well with a full-screen Start menu:
- Taskbar > Taskbar style: Windows 10 — restores labels, the larger clock, and the classic notification area. My Windows 10 taskbar guide covers every option in detail.
- File Explorer > Control interface: Ribbon — brings the Windows 10 ribbon back to File Explorer.
- Context menu: Disable the Windows 11 context menu — restores the full Windows 10 right-click menu without the Show more options detour.
If you want to go further — full Windows 10 theme, Start menu shape, dark/light customisation — pair ExplorerPatcher with Windhawk for surgical UI tweaks or StartAllBack for an even more polished Start/taskbar replacement.
How to Revert to the Default Windows 11 Start Menu
Uninstalling ExplorerPatcher reverts every change. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for ExplorerPatcher, click the three-dot menu next to it, and choose Uninstall. Explorer restarts and the default Windows 11 Start menu returns immediately.
If you only want to disable the full-screen mode temporarily, open the Properties panel again, set Start menu style back to Windows 11 (or just clear the Full screen option), and click Restart File Explorer.
Troubleshooting
The Start menu still opens in the small Windows 11 style. You likely missed the Restart File Explorer step. Open the Properties panel again and click the button in the bottom-left corner.
The taskbar disappears after installing ExplorerPatcher. This usually happens after a major Windows 11 feature update (23H2 → 24H2 → 25H2). Download the latest ExplorerPatcher build and run it over the existing install — the developer ships updates within a few days of each Windows release.
SmartScreen blocks the download or installer. Click More info > Run anyway, or right-click the downloaded ep_setup.exe, open Properties, and tick Unblock at the bottom of the General tab.
Full-screen Start shows tiles from another PC or is missing pinned apps. The Windows 10 tile layout is stored per user and migrates through your Microsoft account. Right-click the Start tiles and Pin to Start anything you want in the new layout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a full-screen Start menu on Windows 11 without third-party software?
No. Microsoft removed the Use Start full screen toggle when it shipped Windows 11 and has not restored it through 25H2. There is no registry key or Group Policy that re-enables the old behaviour — the new Start menu code does not support a full-screen layout at all.
Is ExplorerPatcher safe?
Yes. ExplorerPatcher is open-source (github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher), signed by the developer, and widely used. SmartScreen flags it because it hooks Explorer.exe — the same reason Rufus and process-management tools get flagged — but the code is auditable and the installer is maintained actively.
Does ExplorerPatcher survive Windows 11 feature updates?
Usually yes, but major updates (24H2, 25H2) occasionally break the hooks until a new build is released. If your taskbar or Start menu breaks after a Windows update, download the latest ExplorerPatcher and run it over the existing install.
What is the difference between ExplorerPatcher and StartAllBack?
ExplorerPatcher is free and open source; StartAllBack is paid (around $5) but ships a cleaner Start menu with better theme support. Both can produce a full-screen-style experience. See my StartAllBack guide for a direct comparison.
Do I need to keep ExplorerPatcher installed for the full-screen Start menu to work?
Yes. ExplorerPatcher patches Explorer.exe at runtime — if you uninstall it, Explorer reverts to the default Windows 11 Start menu the next time it restarts. This is also how you safely undo every change the tool makes.
